I am currently digging some footings for a new garden shed, its approx 27ft by 7 ft if I was to be putting a concrete base in of say 4inch depth how do I work out what to order for sand and cement etc?

I am going to lay it myself, in sections and will hire a mixer, or would it be better to get cement delivered and piped, I have access but its quite a way from the road.

Also I have had a quick scan online but cant find much on regulations so any pointers would be great.

I have had a chat with the neighbours and they have no worries about what I am building as it will actually secure our gardens a little better.

Maks sure it's more than (I think – do check) 2M from the house (see your <county>.gov.uk planning site and ask). If not the planners can get uppity. – May not be a problem short term, but when you want to sell your house it could become a thorn in your side.

I once "repaired" a 40 year old broken concrete garage (actually replaced it), which was ~ 1M from my house. They made me apply for planning permission so I could sell the house 3 years later.

If you are building a proper shed on that scale, then insulate it! (and the floor). You will really benefit from reduced condensation and comfort. Not to mention your bikes and stuff won't go rusty nearly as much.

Some steel mesh in the concrete might hold it all together a little better.

sv Yes been thinking of a little reinforcement mesh…

Its well away from the house, just wondered if there was a limit on sq footage, though its only quite wide and not deep at 7ft..

Plane is to make it pretty comfy and very secure, am planning on using proper doors and windows in the front of it so it looks nice, and not shed like though the main construction will be pretty standerd wooden shed fare to keep cost low.

The rumour is to build the base marginally smaller than the shed base, then run off runs down side of shed and doesn't settle on concrete base.
However do you actually need to concrete the whole base (as it sounds like a lot), footings, sleepers ..?????????
I'd check with planning as 27ft isn't really a shed 6×7=shed 27×7 = garage…..
I wouldn't recommend mesh – mainly as I've actually had to remove quite a lot of concrete…so may be biased

We piped my drive but that was next to the road, very easy (and quick) make sure sidings absolutely correct, level, well secured etc etc. I'd measure then phone and see what piping facilities are. I'm sure the STW massif will correct but my limited understanding is that a single batch will be stronger.

gusamac, yeah if I piped it I would attempt 1 hit, but if I mix it I want to be able to do it in sections.

I guess I need to make a phone call to my local authorities..

A basic concrete mix uses 1 part cement, 2 part sand and 3 part gravel. Sand weighs around 1.6t(dry) – 2.0t(wet) per cubic metre, gravel about 1.5t(dry) – 2.0t(wet)per cubic metre and cement 1.5t per cubic metre. You can the work out you overall volume required an work out what quantity of each is needed, this only applies if your mixing it yourself as you only need to specify type and quantity of concrete when ordering from a readymix supplier.
Getting concrete pumped any distance further that where the chute on the truck can reach is very costly and I doubt would be worth it for this. You could still get it delivered by truck an tipped in the street if you can transport it easily in barrows to where you need it within an hour before it goes off.
You might want to run a strip found or pads for supporting the actual structure but do you really need a structural 100mm slab all over, some well compacted granular material with a 50mm screed might suffice for the non structural area. Would almost halve the amount you need to get or make.

I am getting very bored of digging..

I wouldn't mix the concrete yourself. Just work out the volume in cubic metres and then order it from Lafarge Micromix. That's what I did for mine. 8 ft x 6 ft to a depth of approx 4 inches took approximately 1 cubic metre of concrete and cost about £170. Use ground anchors set in the concrete and lay some extra steels around them to hold them super securely in the concrete and you will have a nice secure storage solution. I chain my bikes down with 11mm hex chains.

what??? £170 for an 8×6???? bugger, I rejected a quote of a grand for laying the base and thought I could save the money!!!!

I just placed mine on some slabs laid on a compacted stone base, leaving some gaps between the slabs to allow for some venitlation. Knowing the price of a cube of concrete within the industry I'd be crying if I had to pay £170/m3 for some.

I just rang ready mix and he worked it out at 1,8 m3 with a quote of £260 and I can barrow it into place…. but I dont own a barrow as yet!!

I am going to give this a serious re think, I laid my last one on slabs as has been sugested to me but I knew I wasnt going to live there for long, this was supposed to be a bit more long term, I think the slabs concrete corners is looking a lot more likely, will now also look into split railway sleepers too…. I really wanted a flat concrete base but beggars cant be choosers…

Any of you bought the interlocking rubber floor sheeting? Maybe that on top of slabs would give the shed some insulation and make the floor nicer for sweeping etc.

Back to plan A £260 isnt the end of the world but by far the best bet for the size I am doing….

Thanks for your help all.

As thomsonru84 suggests, it would be a good idea to make your slab deeper around the edges or to run a strip foundation to the size required and ballast / screed to middle if the slab is to be the floor ( if you're planning a timber floor on bearers then you don't need to fill inside the strip foundation thus saving on concrete). If the slab is the floor, lay it on a Damp Membrane (dpm) laid over sand blinding (no sharp edges to puncture it).

With regards to planning, as long as the building isn't forward of the property (house) in relation to a public highway (including footpaths) and doesn't exceed 3m (flat roof) or 4m (pitched roof) in height and is used for leisure purposes ancillary to the occupancy of the dwelling then you can cover pretty much 50% of your garden without Planning Permission (also subject to as said above, distance from house and boundaries). However, check with your LA to ensure there are no restrictions or covenants on the property.

Anyone actually made their own shed, or had a carpenter bespoke one for you. I'm not keen on the material quality of the pre-made stuff.
?

£260 isn't that bad really considering it's only 1.8 m3 off the barrow boys where you only pay for what you have and they bring the barrows, it's far far easier to cough up the cash than have to mix it yourself thats for sure.
As mentioned compacted mot (or rock dust) as a sub base then a 50mm (2") concrete layer would half the cost whislt still giving you the finish you want. If your thinking of anchors then dig a couple of deeper bits to allow for more concrete depth to fix to or get an anchor that you simply concrete in.

In a shed a simple way is to:-

1) Cut hole in floor to required size
2) Remove whatever is underneath if on flags or concrete pad to about same size as hole in shed floor
3) Dig out earth to required depth
4) Shutter up void with any old crap boarding, 6mm Ply or similar to stop it running out between the shed floor and actual earth.
5) Mix strong concrete mix and fill hole level with shed floor.
6) Wait till its set
7) Fit anchor. Job done

Yep built my own, 14 x 10 for shed/studio, partioned one end for shed and left 11 x 10 for studio space.

Total materials cost was £3k. Base was 2in x 4in timbers built on a brick foundations to lift it away from ground and provide level base, and then used some sheets of 8 x 4 outdoor ply sheets for the floor. Usual shed type construction with shiplap, some double glazed timber window units from wickes (good value) and some wickes doors, insulated (used poly insulating blocks, and lined with mdf and cladding, some insulation for floor and laminate flooring. Roofing used roofing boards covered in Felt Shingles.

Absolutely ace now (nearly finished)

Shed Floor Construction

In costruction

Thanks again for all the input.

psling, just what I wanted to hear.

Very nice reallyoldgit, that the sort of thing in my head, only difference is I am trying to source some double glazed french doors and windows to build into mine (hoping to get some mistake orders and 2nds), not so much for insulation as asthetics and security. I thought 3k sounded a lot but its the sort of construction woodsman is looking for, its beyond the usual shiplap of most sheds.

woodsman, you can have any constuction you want made, there are a few places near me in Essex, my last one was a lean too type affair (broke every rule in the book) and I used triplewall roofing like some conservatories so it was nice and light.