cost of blocks, estimator's tip.

[saveasteading]

Have been getting quotes in for next week and it occurred to me, therefore in BH spirit I pass it on....

 

For as long as I can remember, the cost of masonry blocks has been very similar to the cost of readymix, in £/m3.

 

This makes sense as the ingredients are much the same. 

The readymix is handled once, at the factory.

The blocks are handled at the factory and again by the merchant, but are risk-free.

 

So if you know the price of concrete, just use the rule of thumb, or vice-versa.

 

Currently £115 for C20 concrete here.

98p for 100mm blocks. £1.20 for 140mm

 

That makes blocks at 10/m2 look slightly  cheaper, but add the 5% area of mortar and it is close.

 

Another reason this matters is, if you are replacing timber shutters with permanent blockwork, the blocks are effectively free as they replace readymix.....when appropriate.

 

[Ronan 1]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

urrently £115 for C20 concrete here.

98p for 100mm blocks. £1.20 for 140mm

Ooof christ that's expensive 

[matthyde83]

I wish I could get blocks for 98p 

I'm struggling at £1.40!

[Ronan 1]

10 hours ago, matthyde83 said:

I wish I could get blocks for 98p 

I'm struggling at £1.40!

What area is that?? I knew thing were always cheaper in NI but I didn't realise the difference was as much as this

[matthyde83]

45 minutes ago, Ronan 1 said:

What area is that?? I knew thing were always cheaper in NI but I didn't realise the difference was as much as this

I’m in Surrey so probably one of the most expensive.  If they’re 98p with a couple of hundred miles though it’s probably worth paying carriage!

[Ronan 1]

I guess this highlights the huge  difference in construction build costs and pm2 costs between different regions.

Your cost to just buy a block is just over my cost to buy and lay a block.

[Conor]

6 minutes ago, Ronan 1 said:

I guess this highlights the huge  difference in construction build costs and pm2 costs between different regions.

Your cost to just buy a block is just over my cost to buy and lay a block.

Just checked my price list from northstone and they have blocks at 38.5p each if ordered by the thousand. That was late 2020 tho so I'm sure it's up to 50p each now.

[Ronan 1]

I'm paying 44p but I am getting a good discount as my company does alot of business with them. Also that's for 13.5n blocks and I'm paying 95p a block for laying them

[saveasteading]

15 hours ago, Ronan 1 said:

that's expensive

The mountains are made of stone and the rest is made of sand and gravel

 

....and yet that is the price.

The granite type 1 comes from a quarry 3 miles away but still costs £20/t.

1 hour ago, Ronan 1 said:

I'm paying 44p

Does that spoil my theory? What is readymix costing? not £44/m3 surely.

[Ronan 1]

8 hours ago, saveasteading said:

Does that spoil my theory? What is readymix costing? not £44/m3 surely

C30 is between £85 and £105 up from about £65 -£70 from 6 months ago. I'm lucky I'm insulated from these hikes a bit due to my work but the above is a general off the street price