Foundation cost in Ireland
A slab is priced per m² and a foundation per metre, for your job: the area and depth, the concrete grade, the steel, access for the truck and what's under the slab. Send the job and you get a written price.
A foundation's price follows its volume and its dig. A plain strip under TGD A starts at 400 mm wide and 200 mm thick on good ground: 0.08 m³ of concrete a metre. Trench fill can take several times that.
Free, no obligation. One local concrete contractor prices it, not five.
Concrete in a strip foundation
| Strip (width × thickness) | Per metre | 20 m of wall | 40 m of wall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 × 200 mm | 0.08 m³ | 1.6 m³ | 3.2 m³ |
| 500 × 200 mm | 0.10 m³ | 2.0 m³ | 4.0 m³ |
| 600 × 200 mm | 0.12 m³ | 2.4 m³ | 4.8 m³ |
| 650 × 250 mm | 0.16 m³ | 3.2 m³ | 6.5 m³ |
Concrete in trench fill
| Trench | Per metre | 20 m | 40 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| 450 mm wide, 1.0 m deep | 0.45 m³ | 9.0 m³ | 18.0 m³ |
| 600 mm wide, 1.0 m deep | 0.60 m³ | 12.0 m³ | 24.0 m³ |
| 600 mm wide, 1.5 m deep | 0.90 m³ | 18.0 m³ | 36.0 m³ |
That's the trade: trench fill uses more concrete but no blocks below ground and no one working in the trench. A strip uses less concrete but needs the blockwork built up to ground level. Which costs less depends on the depth and the ground.
What decides the price
- The ground. TGD A says a site investigation is essential where there's doubt about the subsoil, and always on loose sand, silt or soft clay.
- The depth to firm ground, which sets the dig and the concrete
- Strip, trench fill or raft, and any steel
- Muck away: where the spoil goes
- Water in the trench, and pumping it out
- Access for the truck, or a pump
- The engineer's design and inspections
What a foundation quote should list
- The foundation type, width and depth, from the engineer's drawing
- The concrete grade and volume
- Steel, if any, and the cover to it
- Excavation and muck away, priced separately
- What happens if the ground is worse than expected: who decides and how it's priced
- Blockwork to damp-proof course level, if it's included
Floors laid by the contractor who takes your call
Calls on this site ring JAM Floor Screeding: James Mulhall, based in Portlaoise, 25 years laying floors. Lines open Mon to Sat, 7am to 6pm. He pours concrete floors, slabs and foundations as well as screed. These are his jobs.
“JAM were punctual, professional and efficient and did an outstanding job on pouring our new floor as part of a renovation. Very highly recommend!”
“Excellent work, laser level finish, neat and tidy worker, highly recommend.”
“Top class work by james and his crew, highly recommend”
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Foundation cost questions
How much do house foundations cost in Ireland?
A slab is priced per m² and a foundation per metre, for your job: the area and depth, the concrete grade, the steel, access for the truck and what's under the slab. Send the job and you get a written price.
How much concrete is in a metre of strip foundation?
0.08 m³ for the smallest TGD A strip on good ground (400 × 200 mm), and 0.12 m³ at 600 × 200 mm. Our arithmetic.
Is trench fill more expensive than strip foundations?
It uses more concrete but saves the blockwork below ground and time in the trench. Which costs less depends on the depth and the ground.
Do I need a site investigation for foundations?
TGD A says it's essential where there's doubt about the subsoil, and always on loose sand, silt and soft or very soft clay.
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