Shed, garage and house slabs

A shed slab is priced at $65 to $100 per sqm in a published national guide, and a small 6 m by 9 m shed slab at $3,500 to $4,500 for the whole job. Before any concrete is ordered, check whether the shed itself needs approval and get the slab detail from the shed supplier or an engineer.

The enquiry you send here goes to independent concreters, and the provider who takes on the job is the one who quotes and pours it.

Why does the slab matter so much?

The slab carries the shed frame, the hold-down bolts and whatever goes inside: a car, a ute, a boat on a trailer, a workbench or a hoist. Problems usually come from three places:

• Wrong size or wrong bolt positions. Steel shed kits come with set column spacings. A slab that is a little out of square or a few centimetres short makes the build harder.
• Ground movement. Clay soils swell when wet and shrink when dry. A slab built without allowing for that can crack or lift at the corners.
• Water. A slab set too low, or without a fall at the door, lets rain run inside.

Which slab type fits the job?

Job	Usual approach	Who designs the slab	Published price guide
Small garden shed	Thin slab or pavers on a compacted base	Shed supplier’s instructions	$65 to $100 per sqm
Steel garage or workshop	Reinforced slab with thickened edges or piers at the columns	Shed supplier’s engineering, sometimes an engineer	$65 to $100 per sqm, or $3,500 to $4,500 for a 6 m by 9 m job
Carport	Slab plus footings under each post	Carport supplier or engineer	Quote on plans
New house	Engineered raft or waffle slab	Structural engineer, under the builder’s contract	Part of the building contract

The slab bands come from hipages: the shed slab guide was last updated 20 January 2026 and the concreting guide with the 6 m by 9 m figure on 9 September 2026. Neither covers approvals, engineering or removal of an old slab. More detail is on our Albury concreting cost guide.

What about house slabs?

House slabs are designed by a structural engineer for the specific site, using the soil classification and the footing rules in AS 2870. On a new home that work normally sits inside the builder’s contract, and the builder engages the concreter. If you are an owner-builder or your builder has asked you to source the slab, mention that in your enquiry and have the engineering drawings ready. A concreter can quote on those drawings, but cannot change them.

What will a concreter check?

1. The shed plans, including the slab size, column positions, bolt type and any thickened edges or piers.
2. The site levels, how much cut or fill is needed, and whether fill will be compacted in layers.
3. The soil type. Ask whether a site classification has been done; reactive clay changes the footing design.
4. Drainage around the slab, so roof water from the new shed is taken away and not dumped at the door.
5. Truck access to the back of the block, and whether a pump is needed.
6. Underground services where you plan to dig, such as stormwater, water and power to an existing outbuilding.

What does the work involve?

1. The site is set out to the shed plans and checked for square.
2. Topsoil is stripped and the area is cut or filled to level, then compacted.
3. Formwork goes in, along with a vapour barrier where specified, and the thickened edges or pier holes are dug.
4. Reinforcement is tied and set on chairs at the depth shown on the drawings.
5. Hold-down bolts or cast-in brackets are placed, or the slab is left for drilled anchors, as the shed maker requires.
6. Concrete is placed, finished and cured before the shed is built on it.

Which approvals apply?

In Albury (NSW). A small garden shed can be exempt development under the Codes SEPP if it meets the size, height and setback standards. Larger sheds and garages usually need a complying development certificate or a development application. The NSW exempt development guide explains the pathways; check them before you order the kit, because the slab follows the approved plans.

The concreter needs a NSW licence for concreting work valued above 5,000 dollars including GST. Check it on the Service NSW licence search and get a written contract for anything over that amount.

In Wodonga and Baranduda (VIC). City of Wodonga says all sheds over 10 square metres need a building permit, along with some garages and carports. Sort the permit before the slab goes in. The Baranduda page covers the newer estates on that side of the river.

What will a careful provider refuse to do?

• Pour a shed slab before the shed approval or permit is in place.
• Guess the bolt positions without the shed maker’s drawings.
• Pour onto uncompacted fill to save a day.
• Alter an engineer’s footing design without the engineer’s written change.
• Leave the slab level with the surrounding ground where water will run in.

Local notes

Vehicle numbers help explain the demand for garages and carports on the border. The 2021 Census counted an average of 2.1 motor vehicles per dwelling in Thurgoona and 2.2 in Baranduda, according to the ABS QuickStats for Thurgoona and Baranduda. On a block where the only way to the back yard is down the side of the house, settle the truck or pump position early, because it shapes both the price and the pour day.

What to do next

Have the shed plans or kit drawings, the planned position on the block and photos of the access ready, then request a shed slab quote. Say whether the shed already has approval.

Send a job enquiry