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Rebar Calculator

Reinforcing steel mass and cost for a concrete element.

Estimate the mass of reinforcing steel and its cost from the concrete volume and a reinforcement rate (kg of steel per m³ of concrete), using SA rebar benchmark rates.

  • Reinforcing steel
    1 000 kg
    100 kg/m³ × 10 m³
  • In tonnes1.00 t
  • Estimated supply & fix costR 30/kgR 30 000

Steel content (kg per m³) is a rule-of-thumb by element type — confirm against the engineer's bending schedule. Supply-and-fix rate from NNAQS benchmark data.

Questions

How much rebar per m³ of concrete?
As a rule of thumb: ~60 kg/m³ for lightly-reinforced slabs, ~100 kg/m³ for beams, and ~150 kg/m³ or more for heavily-loaded columns. The bending schedule is the accurate source.
Does the cost include cutting and bending?
Yes — the supply-and-fix rate covers steel, cutting, bending, and fixing in place. Mesh reinforcement is priced separately per m².
Why does bar size change the rate?
Smaller bars (Y10–Y16) cost slightly more per kg because there is more cutting, bending, and fixing labour per tonne than with larger bars.

Compiled by Setout. Figures are planning-stage estimates, not quotes.