Concrete slabs and shed bases on the Mornington Peninsula
Updated October 2026
Whether you need a machinery shed base at Boneo, a garage slab in a Somerville estate or a studio slab behind a Mount Eliza house, the slab is the part of the job you never want done badly. We connect you with experienced, insured local concreters who pour slabs across the Mornington Peninsula. We are a referral service, not a concreting business, so your job goes to a contractor suited to its size and complexity.
Common slab jobs on the Peninsula
- Shed, workshop and machinery bases
- Garage and carport slabs
- Granny flat, studio and bungalow slabs
- House slab extensions
- Pool surrounds and equipment pads
- Hot water, tank and air conditioner pads
- Horse float, caravan and boat hardstands
Acreage at Main Ridge, Red Hill South, Moorooduc and Tuerong drives steady demand for large shed and machinery bases, while the newer estates around Mornington, Somerville, Tyabb and Hastings keep garage slabs and driveways ticking over.
What a concrete slab costs
Guide pricing only. Published 2026 Australian figures put a plain concrete slab at roughly $75 to $150 per square metre supplied and laid, with around $110 typical. Small pads often cost more per square metre than that range suggests because the fixed costs of the truck, crew and setup are spread over fewer metres. Site conditions move the price more than the finish does. Get a fast quote for a real number on your block.
How a slab is built
A good slab is mostly about what happens before the truck arrives.
1. Excavation to a level base and removal of topsoil
2. Compacted road base or crushed rock
3. Formwork set to height with correct falls for drainage
4. A plastic vapour barrier where required
5. Steel mesh reinforcement on bar chairs, not lying on the ground
6. The pour, screed and finish
7. Curing, then control joints cut or tooled to manage shrinkage cracking
Shed slabs are commonly 100mm thick with SL72 mesh. Slabs carrying vehicles or machinery are often 125mm or more with heavier mesh. Thickened edge beams suit sheds that bolt down to the perimeter.
Ground conditions across the Peninsula
The Peninsula has three quite different kinds of ground and they ask for different things. Along the Port Phillip and back beach coast, from Rye through Blairgowrie to Portsea, blocks sit on deep dune sand over limestone, which drains freely but needs real compaction so the base does not settle under the slab. On the hinterland ridges at Red Hill, Red Hill South and Main Ridge the soil is deep red volcanic ground, good to work but soft enough that a heavy shed base wants proper preparation. On the Western Port side, around Somerville, Tyabb, Hastings and Bittern, the heavier clay loams swell and shrink with the seasons, so footing depth, jointing and drainage matter more. Contractors working each part of the shire allow for it in the design and the quote.
Permits and approvals
Sheds, garages, studios and habitable structures in Victoria sit under the building permit system, and whether your slab needs a permit depends on the structure it is carrying, its size, its siting and the overlays on your land. Check with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council or a registered building surveyor before you pour. A slab poured without a required permit can be expensive to unwind. Bushfire overlays apply to parts of Red Hill, Main Ridge and Arthurs Seat, which can affect what you build on the slab even when the slab itself is straightforward.
Registration and insurance
Building work in Victoria is regulated by the Victorian Building Authority and by councils, and whether your job needs registration, a permit or both depends on its type, size and location. The contractors we refer confirm what your job needs before quoting, and they carry insurance. Ask for both in writing.
Site factors that move the price
- Access. If the truck cannot get close, a concrete pump or barrows add cost. Steep coastal blocks and long acreage tracks are the usual culprits.
- Cut and fill. Sloping sites need more excavation and sometimes retaining.
- Soft or sandy ground. Deep dune sand needs more compaction and sometimes imported base material.
- Old concrete. Breaking out an existing slab adds demolition and tip fees.
- Engineering. A heavy structure or difficult ground can require an engineered design.
- Cartage. Jobs well down the Peninsula sit further from the batching plant, which can show up in the price.
- Weather. Rain delays pours, and summer heat means early starts. A slab poured in the wrong conditions is a slab you pay for twice.
How long a slab lasts
A well built slab on a properly prepared base should last 40 years or more with no drama. Hairline shrinkage cracks are normal. Wide, stepped or sunken cracking is not, and our concrete repairs page covers the options if you have an older slab moving.
Ready to price your shed base or slab? Get a fast quote and compare local contractors.
Frequently asked questions
How thick should a shed slab be?
100mm with SL72 mesh suits most garden sheds and workshops. Go to 125mm or more if the shed will house a vehicle, tractor, hoist or heavy machinery. Your contractor will confirm once they see the ground and the shed specs.
Do I need a permit for a shed slab?
It depends on the shed, its size, its siting and the overlays on your land. Check with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council or a registered building surveyor before building, particularly on bushfire-prone or flood affected land.
How soon can I build on a new slab?
Most shed builders want at least seven days of curing before fixing frames down. Full design strength takes around 28 days.
Why did my quote come in higher than the per metre guide rates?
Small pours carry the same truck, crew and setup costs as big ones. Difficult access, pump hire, extra excavation on a sloping block, imported base material on sandy ground and demolition of old concrete all push a quote above the headline per square metre rates.