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Concrete bases for bunny enclosures - anyone had one of these laid before?

*Funny*Bunny*

*Funny*Bunny*

Warren Veteran
My aviary panels are screwed together now! Going to hammer on the roof either during the week or next weekend and it'll almost be ready for the buns!

I need to sort out the floor though, I was just going to put patio slabs down (I have quite a few spare do wouldn't need to buy too many more) but mum said that's not a good idea because:

a) it requires a lot of time and effort on my behalf, it'll be quite difficult
b) the ground is not really flat
c) there will be small gaps (<1cm) between the slabs as I'm not going to fill them in and poos could get down there and go gross and attract flies, or a bunny paw could get stuck somehow, and it'd be hard to sweep clean cause all the mess would go down there

I feel she's right, she suggested paying someone to concrete the 12x6 foot area so it'll definitely be flat and will be measured to the exact right size and will be easier to keep clean.

Anyone had concrete slabs laid before? How much did you get quoted/charged? My dad said my 12x6 foot area would be £200+ :shock: I was thinking more <£100.... Am I being really over-optimistic...?
 
Just asked my brother as he's a landscaper and he reckons £250 is a reasonable price to have it laid.

If you could do it yourselves he's saying around £100 for materials.

Expensive but sooooo much easier to keep clean! X
 
Oh :( that's alot, I was trying to keep the costs for the whole aviary below £200!! :( so far the costs are about 150-200 (not been counting well obviously......)

I'm going to have to have a big think about this :(




ETA Just checked and I'm already at my £200 budget :shock: it might have to be extended......
 
Last edited:
Sorry to rain on your parade.

Can your dad hire a mixer and buy the concrete in bags?its quite easy to Pour a base i have helped my brother many times. you just need strong arm muscles for the shovelling.

If you can,buy the ballast from a bulk haulage company as this is much cheaper than buying from DIY chains.

It's hard when you know what you want but it's expensive. I am hoping to get my bro to lay a slabbed area for more exercise space for my buns but typically the slabs I like are £5 each, oops. OH was not impressed :)
 
I could consider it, I'm pretty sure my dad could have a good go at it, I'd be worried about it not being flat though and not being able to get the edges straight :(

I hate that things are so expensive! I'm going to have to go on the look-out to make friends with any local builders I see :p wish I knew a builder here for mates rates but only just moved into the area so all the builders I know of are really far away!
 
It sounds like I'm going to have to develop some new skills..... Or just fork out the money...... :( its such a better idea than paving slabs!
 
Why don't you lay the slabs you have and just fill in the gaps? You can get stuff which you brush in the gaps then water and it hardens. Seems easier than trying to concrete the whole thing?
 
catherine09 said:
Why don't you lay the slabs you have and just fill in the gaps? You can get stuff which you brush in the gaps then water and it hardens. Seems easier than trying to concrete the whole thing?
Click to expand...

I'll have a look out for this kind of thing :) sounds easier if I can find something like that!
 
You would have to level the ground by digging and using hardcore before laying the slabs I think.

If you put a shed/kennel or other garden building on a surface which is not level it will damage the shed/kennel
 
we level roughy then use builders sand (B and Q) to level better, then lay slabs edge to edge.

Dont forget that once it is proper concrete you can never move, expand, alter etc etc the run!!!!

also if you start to get rats under the concrete (sorry - but it happens) you cant just move it like you can with slabs.

Slight gaps are also useful for cleaning water (and rain) to drain down - even roofed aviaries get rain blown in and it needs to drain well.

You can use a small special tool (costs about £1) to just clean the cracks between the slabs!
 
parsnipbun said:
we level roughy then use builders sand (B and Q) to level better, then lay slabs edge to edge.

Dont forget that once it is proper concrete you can never move, expand, alter etc etc the run!!!!

also if you start to get rats under the concrete (sorry - but it happens) you cant just move it like you can with slabs.

Slight gaps are also useful for cleaning water (and rain) to drain down - even roofed aviaries get rain blown in and it needs to drain well.

You can use a small special tool (costs about £1) to just clean the cracks between the slabs!
Click to expand...

I don't think I'll be extending it anyway as it's big enough for my two at 12x6 foot, and it would take over LOADS of my garden it it was any bigger.

Using builders sand sounds like a great idea. And it'd be good for the base to drain properly as that was one of my concerns about concrete.

Slabs definitely win on the reversal basis as I'll probably be moving in 6years (yeh I know, that's ages away...) and I think it'd be off putting for people buying if there's a massive concrete slab in the back garden.... At least with paving they'll be thinking "well that can be moved"

Is builder's sand just laid down, somehow flattened and then does it gets left to dry or something or do you put slabs straight on? Haha I really know nothing about this stuff.....
 
Bro is saying to use sharp sand as soft sand gets washed away easily. Rake it flat and drag a board over it to make it as level as poss and then sit slabs on top. Brush geofix into he joints, water it and let it set.
 
Bumbling said:
Bro is saying to use sharp sand as soft sand gets washed away easily. Rake it flat and drag a board over it to make it as level as poss and then sit slabs on top. Brush geofix into he joints, water it and let it set.
Click to expand...

Thanks :) this sounds like the best idea now, I'm going to go and explore home base tomorrow and see what's available :)

I'll have to buy a rake and a wheelbarrow but to be honest I need those things anyway so I won't count them in my budget :p

Thanks for all the great advice everyone :) I'll be putting up photos when I'm finished and the occupants have moved in! I'll set myself a deadline of by the end of October BUT I'm going to try finish up this week or next :) depending on weather :lol:
 
Can't wait to see piccies. Will be worth all the effort for the buns who will love you for all the space they will have x
 
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