Drive and Garage Base

Are there any resources available online that would tell me what sort of groundwork should be done prior to laying a block drive and concrete garage base?

I had a quote from a local guy recommended to me and want to get some details down about depths of aggregate and sand etc before he comes to finalise and go ahead with the work.

I think its because I saw some 'builders from hell' programme and got all paranoid.

Thanks,

Phil

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manoman
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For my 24 x 12 garage on clay sub soil, I dug out and laid about 9" of hardcore (using a mechanical wacker), followed by 5" of concrete laid as a single slab. I made the concrete a little thicker around the perimeter of the slab.

It developed a small crack several years ago, but I suspect this was due to laying too large a slab in one piece. It causes no problems.

Doing it again, I would probably be inclined to add a small amount of steel reinforcing to the slab. Make sure the top of the slab is at least an inch or two above ground, so that water doesn't flood in and that the fall is either away from the front, or there is a drain channel in front of the door. Especially if it is a prefab type, add a

2" web of cement around the inside edges to help prevent water flowing in. Prevent the cement sticking to the walls by laying plastic sheet along them, otherwise the cement will crack as the slabs move slightly.

For the blocks, lay a 6" of harcore with a good bed of sand on top. I've seen drives where blocks have been laid without foundations and grooves soon appear where the car wheels run if the sub soil is soft.

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Harry Bloomfield

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Harry Ziman

The Q

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