Can Concrete Be Delivered to My Back Garden?
Updated: Oct 6
If you're planning a patio, extension, garden room, shed base or another project at the rear of your property, one of the first practical questions is often: how are we going to get the concrete into the back garden?
For many homes, particularly terraced and semi-detached properties, getting a concrete delivery vehicle anywhere near the actual pour simply isn't possible.
Fortunately, that doesn't necessarily prevent you from having concrete delivered.
At William The Concreter, we regularly supply concrete for domestic projects across East Sussex and Kent, including properties where access to the garden or construction area is restricted.
Here's what you need to consider.
Does the Concrete Lorry Need to Reach My Back Garden?
No. The delivery vehicle doesn't necessarily need to reach the exact location where the concrete is being poured.
What matters is having a suitable plan for getting the concrete from the delivery vehicle to the pour area.
For a straightforward front driveway or accessible building site, the vehicle may be able to get relatively close. With a back garden, however, there could be a house, garage, wall, narrow side passage or considerable distance between the road and the project.
This is why it's important to discuss access when arranging your concrete delivery rather than waiting until the vehicle arrives.
How Can Concrete Be Moved to a Back Garden?
The best method depends on the amount of concrete required, the distance involved and the layout of the property.
For very small quantities and short distances, concrete can sometimes be transported manually using suitable equipment.
However, this quickly becomes labour-intensive when larger quantities are involved.
Remember that one cubic metre of concrete can weigh well over two tonnes, so even a relatively modest domestic project can involve moving a considerable amount of material.
Where access is difficult or the pour is some distance from the road, a concrete pump can often provide a much more practical solution.
Can Concrete Be Pumped Into a Back Garden?
Yes. Concrete pumping is commonly used to move concrete to areas that delivery vehicles cannot directly access.
A pump allows concrete to be transferred through pipework or hoses from the delivery vehicle towards the pour location.
This can be particularly useful for:
Rear gardens
House extensions
Patios and garden landscaping
Garden rooms and outbuildings
Shed and workshop bases
Properties with narrow access
Sites where the pour is a significant distance from the road
It can also reduce the amount of manual handling required and help get the concrete into position more efficiently.
William The Concreter has a range of concrete pumps available for hire, so we can discuss both the concrete delivery and pumping requirements when planning your project.
Will a Concrete Pump Reach My Garden?
Every property is different, so this needs to be considered on an individual basis.
The distance from the road to the pour is important, but so are obstacles and changes in level along the route.
When speaking to us, it's useful to explain things such as:
Where the delivery vehicle can safely stop
Approximately how far the garden is from the road
Whether there is side access
Any steps or significant changes in level
Walls, fences or other obstacles
Where in the garden the concrete needs to go
Photos of the access and pour area can also be useful when discussing a more unusual site.
The earlier access is considered, the easier it is to determine the most suitable way of carrying out the delivery.
How Much Concrete Will I Need?
Before arranging delivery, you'll need an estimate of the amount of concrete required.
Concrete is normally ordered in cubic metres and, for a simple rectangular slab, you can estimate the volume by multiplying:
Length × Width × Depth
Our online Concrete Calculator makes this easier and can give you an initial estimate based on your measurements.
For excavations or areas with varying depths, calculating the exact quantity can be more difficult.
Our recent guide, Can You Order Small Amounts of Concrete?, explains some of the options available for smaller domestic projects and why volumetric concrete can be useful where the precise quantity isn't easy to predict.
What Should I Prepare Before Delivery?
Having good access to the pour is only one part of preparing for a concrete delivery.
Before the concrete arrives, the area itself should be ready to receive it.
Depending on the project, this could include completing the excavation, preparing and compacting the sub-base, installing formwork and putting any specified reinforcement in place.
You should also have the people, tools and equipment required to place and finish the concrete once it arrives.
Our recent guide, How Do You Prepare a Site Before Concrete Is Delivered?, covers the preparation process in some more detail.
Concrete for Patios, Extensions & Garden Projects
Back garden deliveries are relevant to a huge range of domestic projects.
A homeowner may need concrete for a relatively small shed base or patio, while an extension, garage or substantial garden building could require considerably more.
That's why we recommend speaking to us about both the quantity of concrete required and access to the project.
William The Concreter supplies ready-mix and volumetric concrete for domestic projects throughout East Sussex and Kent, with concrete pump hire available where required.
From our base in Battle, we deliver concrete across Hastings, Bexhill, Rye, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Robertsbridge, Cranbrook, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and surrounding areas.
Need Concrete Delivered to Your Back Garden?
Don't assume difficult access means you can't have concrete delivered.
Tell our team what you're building, approximately how much concrete you need and what access to the property is like. We can then discuss the delivery options available and whether concrete pumping would be appropriate for your project.
Call us on 01424 775388 or contact William The Concreter online to discuss your requirements.
