Concrete cost calculator
Compare the cost of bagged mix against a ready-mix delivery for your pour. The calculator uses the prices you enter, so the result reflects your store and your plant, not a national average.
Calculator
Your estimate
Enter your measurements and select Calculate to see how much to order.
- Concrete to order
- cu yd
- Exact volume
- cu yd / cu ft
- Bags of 80 lb mix
- Cost with bags
- Cost with ready-mix
- Best way to buy
How it is calculated: length × width × thickness in feet gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, then add your extra for waste and round up to the next quarter yard.
How the cost calculator works
Concrete has two prices. Bagged mix is priced per bag at the store. Ready-mix is priced per cubic yard delivered, plus fees the plant adds for delivery, small loads, waiting time and, in some areas, fuel. The calculator prices both ways from the same volume so you can compare them.
Bag cost = bags needed × price per bag
Ready-mix cost = cubic yards to order × price per yard + delivery fee + short-load fee (if the order is under the plant’s minimum)
Cubic yards to order includes your waste allowance and is rounded up to the next quarter yard, because that is how plants sell it.
Worked example
A 24 × 12 ft patio at 4 in needs 96 cu ft, or 4 cu yd to order with 10% waste. Suppose 80 lb bags are $6.50 each, ready-mix is $165 per yard, and delivery is $75:
- Bags: 176 × $6.50 = $1,144.00
- Ready-mix: 4 × $165 + $75 = $735.00
- Ready-mix saves $409.00 and a day of mixing.
Now a 4 × 4 ft pad at 4 in: 5.33 cu ft, 0.25 cu yd to order, 10 bags. Bags cost $65. Ready-mix is 0.25 × $165 = $41.25, but with a $75 delivery fee and a $100 short-load fee it becomes $216.25. Bags win by $151.25.
Where to get real prices
- Bag price. Check your local store’s shelf price or website for the exact product and bag size you will buy. Prices vary by region and by brand.
- Ready-mix price. Call a plant near you. Ask for the price per cubic yard for the strength you need (3,000 or 4,000 psi is typical for home projects), the minimum order, the short-load fee, the delivery fee, and how much unloading time is included.
- Other costs this tool does not include: rebar or mesh, gravel base, forms, tools, labor, pump truck hire, or hauling bags home.
Why we do not show average prices
Concrete prices change with cement costs, fuel and local demand, and they differ a lot between cities. A national average can be far from what your plant quotes. This calculator asks for your prices instead, so the comparison is right for your job. If we add regional price data later, it will show its source and the date it was checked.
Limitations
- The result is a material cost comparison, not a full project estimate.
- Plants may apply fees not listed here, such as waiting time, Saturday delivery or fuel surcharges.
- Bag prices often drop when you buy by the pallet. Enter the per-bag price you will actually pay.
- Quarter-yard rounding means very small orders are priced at the plant’s minimum increment.
Frequently asked questions
What is a short-load fee?
A flat fee ready-mix plants charge when an order is smaller than their minimum, because the truck and driver cost the same to send out regardless of load. Ask your plant for the minimum and the fee, then enter both so the calculator applies it only when your order is below the minimum.
Is ready-mix cheaper than bags?
Per cubic yard, ready-mix usually costs less than bagged mix. For small pours, delivery and short-load fees can reverse that. Enter your prices and the calculator shows which is cheaper for your volume.
How much does a yard of concrete cost?
It depends on your region, the strength ordered and the plant’s fees, so this calculator asks you to enter the quote from a plant near you rather than guessing. The site does not publish price averages.