The question we hear most is: what does GridMats cost per square foot? The honest answer is a range, because five things about your site move the price. We ran one site through the GridMats Design Engine and changed one thing at a time to show how much each one matters.
The site we started from
- A 3,000 m² (about 32,300 sq ft) service yard
- 2-axle trucks up to 20 t, about 50 a day; soil CBR 5%
- GridMats S2 stone chip on OC-HD 40, kerbs on both sides
- Bengaluru rates, ex-GST; freight to site ₹60 per m² of grid
In the Design Engine this comes out at ₹182 per sq ft (₹1,960 per m²) to build, 365 mm deep in all. Every figure below is indicative and for this one site.
Where the money goes
| Part | Per sq ft | Per m² |
|---|---|---|
| OC-HD 40 grid, ex-works (training included in the rate) | ₹91 | ₹975 |
| Base: subgrade preparation, 150 mm WMM, 150 mm open-graded GSB, bedding | ₹59 | ₹630 |
| Stone chips, laying and compaction | ₹23 | ₹245 |
| Grid freight to site | ₹6 | ₹60 |
| Kerbs, sub-surface drain pipes and outfalls | ₹5 | ₹50 |
The parts add up to ₹1,960 per m²; the per sq ft figures are rounded one by one. The geotextile separation layer under the base is a separate BoQ item and is not included. The grid is about half the cost and the base about a third. So the five things below act mainly on those two.
1. The heaviest vehicle and how many a day
Traffic sets both the grid and the depth of the base.
- Cars, SUVs and vans to 3.5 t, about 200 a day: the lighter OC-LW 40 grid and a 240 mm section. ₹128 per sq ft (₹1,375 per m²).
- 2-axle trucks to 20 t, about 50 a day: OC-HD 40 and 365 mm. ₹182 per sq ft (₹1,960 per m²).
- Multi-axle trucks and tippers, about 150 a day: OC-HD 40 and 415 mm. ₹190 per sq ft (₹2,040 per m²).
This is the biggest lever. Tell us the heaviest vehicle and a fair count per day, not the worst day of the year.
2. The soil
A weak soil needs more base, or an improved layer under it.
- CBR 3%: 515 mm in all, including 200 mm of improved subgrade. ₹199 per sq ft (₹2,146 per m²).
- CBR 5%: 365 mm. ₹182 per sq ft (₹1,960 per m²).
- CBR 10%: 315 mm. ₹175 per sq ft (₹1,880 per m²).
A soil test costs little against these differences. Our article on soil CBR explains how to get one.
3. The quantity
The grid is priced on a volume ladder, ex-works, ex-GST and ex-freight. For OC-HD 40 it runs from ₹107 per sq ft (₹1,150 per m²) below 1,000 m² to ₹84 per sq ft (₹900 per m²) above 25,000 m².
- 800 m²: ₹199 per sq ft (₹2,145 per m²).
- 3,000 m²: ₹182 per sq ft (₹1,960 per m²).
- 30,000 m²: ₹175 per sq ft (₹1,887 per m²).
If a site will be built in phases, price the whole area at once.
4. Freight to site
Freight is worked out for each order from the volume and the distance. In this run, raising it from ₹60 to ₹150 per m² of grid adds about ₹8 per sq ft (₹90 per m²). Local rates for aggregate and labour move the base cost in the same way, which is why we ask for the city or a map pin.
5. The finish you choose
For the same trucks on the same soil, S1 cement-treated gravel came out at ₹184 per sq ft (₹1,979 per m²) and S2 stone chip at ₹182 (₹1,960). The choice between them is less about cost than about the surface: S1 gives a hard, dust-free grey surface and suits slopes; S2 opens the same day and lets the rain into an open-graded base. S4 honeycomb-finish concrete is priced per site, from its own design.
Against the usual sections
In the same run, a 25 mm premix carpet on WMM and GSB came out at ₹89 per sq ft (₹960 per m²) and 80 mm paver blocks at ₹127 (₹1,364): both below S2 to build. An IRC:58 concrete road came out at ₹326 (₹3,505). First cost is one part of the comparison; our other cost articles follow each section over 35 years.
The installed range recorded on our completed S2 sites is ₹130–177 per sq ft (₹1,400–1,900 per m²). This yard came out just above it because of the truck traffic; the car park in the first list came out below it.
What we ask you for
- The area, as length × width or m²
- The city or a map pin
- The heaviest vehicle and how many a day
- The soil CBR if you have it, or the soil type
- The finish you want
- A site photo or a layout drawing
Your site will differ
These are indicative figures for one site at Bengaluru rates, ex-GST. Every GridMats site is priced from its own design. Ask for your free estimate: you see a first cut in about a minute, and our engineers follow with the design, the bill of quantities and the cost comparison against your conventional section.