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Concrete cost calculator

Enter the slab size and your local prices, and compare a ready-mix delivery, fees included, with buying bags. Concrete only; labour is priced separately.

Ready-mix truck
Bagged mix

Result

Concrete with 10% waste
1.36 cu yd
Ready-mix: volume to order
1.5 cu yd
Ready-mix total
$300
Of which fees
$75
Bags (80 lb bag)
62
Bagged total
$434
Cheaper option
Ready-mix, by $134
Material cost per area
$3.00 per sq ft

Concrete only. Forms, rebar or mesh, the gravel base, pumping, finishing and labour are extra, and a delivered truck needs the crew ready when it arrives.

Quoting this job for a client? Pro builds the quote for you.

Labour, extra items, margin and tax on top of the material list. Printed with your logo, saved as PDF. Works from the 3D room planner.

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How it works

Volume = length × width × thickness, plus a waste allowance, exactly as in the concrete calculator. A ready-mix plant then sells that volume in quarter-yard steps at a price per cubic yard, and adds a short-load fee when the order is under its minimum (usually 3 to 5 yards) and sometimes a delivery or fuel charge. Bags are simpler: the volume divided by the yield printed on the bag, rounded up, times the shelf price.

The starting prices are typical United States figures for 2026: ready-mix at 125 to 175 per yard delivered (the industry average reported by the NRMCA is a little higher), a short-load fee of 50 to 100, and 6.50 to 9 for an 80 lb bag. They vary by region and by month, so type in the quote you were given; the currency symbol is only a label.

Bagged mix costs roughly twice as much per yard as a delivered truck, so the truck's fixed fees are paid off quickly: at the starting prices the truck is cheaper from about 0.5 cubic yards up. Bags still make sense for post holes, steps and repairs, and wherever a truck cannot reach the forms. The calculator shows both totals and which is cheaper for your numbers.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a yard of concrete?
Delivered ready-mix is typically $150 per cubic yard in the US in 2026, within a range of about $125 to $175 depending on the region and the mix strength. A small order also pays a short-load fee of roughly $50 to $100, so one yard delivered often costs $200 or more.
How much does a 10x10 concrete slab cost in material?
A 10 x 10 ft slab 4 inches thick needs 1.36 cubic yards with 10% waste. At the default prices that is $300 by ready-mix truck (1.5 yards ordered, short-load fee included) or 62 bags of 80 lb at $7 each, $434. Forms, mesh and the gravel base are extra.
Is it cheaper to buy bags or order a truck?
Bags win only for very small pours: at the 2026 starting prices the truck is cheaper from about 0.5 cubic yards, even with the short-load fee, because bagged mix costs about twice as much per yard. Bags remain the answer for post holes, a few steps, or a spot no truck can reach. Enter your prices above and the calculator names the cheaper option and the difference.
What is a short-load fee?
A surcharge for orders below the plant's minimum, typically 3 to 5 cubic yards. Some suppliers charge a flat $50 to $100; others add $15 to $30 per yard short. Ask which one applies and put it in the short-load field.
Does the price include labour and finishing?
No. This is the concrete alone. Forms, rebar or mesh, the compacted gravel base, a pump if the truck cannot reach, finishing and the crew are quoted separately. Tradespeople can add those lines in Pro and print a quote.

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