Quick answer: GSMS Construction Ltd are concreting contractors in Croydon for foundations, floor slabs, retaining walls and concrete paving. We work for homeowners, builders, developers and businesses, using our own operated plant and in-house formwork. Every job starts with a free site survey, then a fixed, itemised price in writing.
What our concreting contractors do in Croydon
This page is for structural and larger concrete work: the parts of a build that have to be right first time. If you want a new or resurfaced driveway, see our concrete driveways Croydon guide. For smaller domestic jobs like patios and paths, see concrete work in Croydon.
- Homeowners with extensions, garages, outbuildings or basements that need foundations and slabs
- Builders and developers who want one concrete package priced and delivered by one team
- Businesses that need yards, hardstanding, ramps, bin stores or car park bays
Concrete packages we supply and pour
| Package | Typical use | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | Extensions, new builds, garages | Strip, trench-fill, pad or raft foundations dug, shuttered and poured to the engineer’s design |
| Floor slabs | Ground floors, garages, workshops | Sub-base, DPM, mesh or rebar, pour and power-float or brushed finish |
| Retaining walls and basements | Sloping plots, lightwells, basement boxes | Reinforced walls, formwork, drainage layer and backfill |
| Concrete paving and hardstanding | Yards, car parks, forecourts, bin stores | Graded sub-base, falls to drains, joints and a hard-wearing finish |
| RC frames and formwork | Flats, mixed-use and commercial blocks | Columns, beams, slabs and cores |
| Operated plant | Dig-outs and muck-away | Diggers and dumpers with trained drivers |
Concrete paving and hardstanding in Croydon
Commercial concrete paving takes more abuse than a driveway: vans, forklifts, bins and daily turning. We set the falls so water runs to drains, cut joints so the slab cracks where we want it to, and choose a mix and reinforcement for the loads it will carry. Tell us what will drive on it and we will price the right spec, not the cheapest one.
Ready-mix, volumetric or pumped?
Ready-mix concrete comes from a batching plant in a drum lorry and suits bigger pours with good road access. Volumetric concrete is mixed on site, so you pay only for what you use, which helps on small or awkward pours. When the lorry cannot get close, a line pump or boom pump takes the concrete to the pour. We pick the method at the survey and include it in the price.
Croydon ground and concrete spec
The north of the borough, around Thornton Heath and Norbury, sits largely on London Clay. The southern hills around Purley, Coulsdon and Sanderstead are chalk. Clay moves with the seasons and near trees, so foundations go deeper, and clay often needs a sulfate-resisting mix. Chalk can hide soft spots that only show when you dig. We build to your engineer’s design and the soil report, and agree any changes in writing.
2026 guide rates for concrete work in Croydon
| Work | Unit | Guide price (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Strip foundation | Per linear metre | £180–£280 |
| Pad foundation | Each | £350–£800 |
| Ground floor slab | Per m² | £75–£120 |
| Garage floor slab | Per m² | £70–£95 |
| Reinforced retaining wall | Per m² of face | £220–£450 |
| RC frame | Project | Price on drawings |
Prices include materials, labour, plant and waste removal. VAT is extra where it applies. Your exact price comes after a free site survey.
Areas our concreting contractors cover in Croydon
- CR0: Central Croydon, Addiscombe, Shirley, Waddon, New Addington
- CR2: South Croydon, Selsdon, Sanderstead
- CR5: Coulsdon, Old Coulsdon, Chipstead
- CR7: Thornton Heath, Broad Green
- CR8: Purley, Kenley
- SW16: Norbury
Just outside these areas? Call and ask. For concrete work just over the Surrey border, see concrete work in Chipstead.
Why builders choose GSMS as concreting contractors in Croydon
- Our own operated plant. Diggers and dumpers with trained drivers, so the dig runs to our programme.
- In-house formwork and steel fixing. No waiting on a separate shuttering firm.
- One contractor from break-out to finish. One price and one person accountable.
- Fixed price after a free survey. Itemised and in writing.
- Five-year workmanship guarantee on the work we build.
Concreting contractors Croydon: FAQs
Can builders and developers hire you for just the concrete?
Yes. We price concrete packages on their own as well as whole jobs. That can be foundations and slabs for a builder, retaining walls for a developer, or a yard for a business. You get one fixed price covering dig, formwork, steel, pour and finish, from one team.
What concrete grade should be used for foundations?
Your engineer or building control decides, based on the soil report. Plain strip and trench-fill foundations often use a GEN-grade mix, and reinforced work uses an RC grade. Where the ground contains sulfates, which is common in clay, the mix has to be specified to resist them.
When can you walk or drive on new concrete?
You can usually walk on it after 24 to 48 hours. Cars should wait about 7 days, and heavy vehicles longer. Concrete reaches its design strength at around 28 days. Cold weather slows curing, so we protect winter pours and tell you when each stage is safe to use.
Do I need a concrete pump?
Only if the mixer lorry cannot reach the pour. Narrow side access, rear gardens and upper floors usually need a line pump or boom pump, which pushes concrete through a pipe. We check access at the survey and include any pump in the fixed price, so it is not a surprise on the day.
How much do concreting contractors charge in Croydon?
It depends on the job. Our 2026 guide rates are in the table above, from about £70 per m² for a garage floor slab to £220–£450 per m² for a reinforced retaining wall. Every price is confirmed after a free site survey, because access, ground and spec change the cost.
Looking for concreting contractors in Croydon?
Send us your drawings, or a few photos and the postcode. We will survey the site and give you a fixed price and programme. Call 07717 790273 or 07453 292996, or email info@gsmsconstructionltd.co.uk.