Concrete & Aircrete Blocks for Rayleigh, delivered to site

What concrete blocks can we deliver to Rayleigh?

• Trench and foundation blocksWide blocks laid in foundation trenches instead of lots of concrete.
• Block paving and edgingsOn request alongside your sub-base and sand.
• Hollow and cellular blocksLighter dense blocks with voids, used for some garden and retaining walls.
• Dense concrete blocksHeavy, strong blocks for loadbearing walls, below ground and good sound separation.
• Aircrete (aerated) blocksVery light, easy to cut and good insulators; check the strength grade for loadbearing work.

Things to check before you order

Thickness

100 mm is the common inner-leaf thickness. Wider blocks (140, 190, 215 mm) are used for separating walls, single-skin garage walls and foundations.

Dense or aircrete?

Dense blocks are strong and good for sound separation but heavy; a 100 mm dense block can weigh around 20 kg. Aircrete blocks are much lighter and insulate better, which helps with energy targets, but need the right fixings.

In England, building work is checked against the Approved Documents, for example Part A for structure and Part L for energy efficiency, through your council's building control team or a registered building control approver.

A quick quantity check

A single-skin block wall in Rayleigh 8 m long and 2.1 m high is 16.8 m². At 10 blocks per square metre plus 5% you need 177 blocks, with about 0.24 tonnes of building sand and 3 bags of cement for the mortar at 1:4. Try the block calculator

Getting concrete blocks onto your Rayleigh site

Blocks are banded on pallets and usually crane-offloaded where the vehicle and access allow; tell us the weight limit of any drive or the ground where pallets will sit. Rayleigh is inside our standard mainland delivery area.

• For a phased build we can split the order so materials arrive as each stage starts, which keeps the site clear.
• If neighbours share the access, it helps to let them know a lorry is coming.
• Weight limits on bridges or private roads near the site matter for larger lorries, so mention any you know of.

Common questions from Rayleigh

How much mortar for blockwork?

Roughly 0.008 to 0.01 cubic metres of mortar per square metre of 100 mm blockwork, allowing for waste. Use our block calculator for sand and cement quantities.

Can I add other materials to my Rayleigh delivery?

Yes. Put everything on one list, from concrete blocks to fixings and PPE, and we will price it as one delivery where the products can travel together.

Is there a minimum order for delivery to Rayleigh?

There is no fixed minimum. For very small orders we will tell you honestly if the delivery cost outweighs the materials, so you can decide.

Are aircrete blocks strong enough for an extension?

Many aircrete blocks are designed for loadbearing walls, but grades differ. Check the strength your design calls for and the manufacturer's guidance on use below DPC.