For a home renovation project, do you need concrete poured? When labor is not included, the average cost of concrete is between $110 and $165 per cubic yard. You’ll need to pay someone between $8 and $18 per square foot of your project to pour and install the concrete, on top of the cost per cubic yard.
Anticipate a rise in your overall expenses if:
- You ask for a short load, which is less than a full truckload.
- You reside over 20 miles away from the mixing facility.
- You select a weekend or holiday delivery, and this guide also covers other factors
Concrete prices on average in 2024
| Average price per cubic yard across the country | $125 |
| The average cost per cubic yard | $110 – $165 |
| Minimum overall project cost | $550 |
| Excessive overall project cost | $17,000 |
The majority of concrete companies charge between $110 and $165 per cubic yard, with the average cost of concrete being $125 nationwide. For smaller projects, most homeowners spend no less than $550, and for larger concrete projects, they may spend up to $17,000.
To reduce expenses without sacrificing quality:
- Make use of basic patterns and shapes.
- Utilize precise project measurements to determine the precise quantity of concrete required.
- To get the best price, get quotes from multiple delivery services or concrete contractors.
- Purchase from nearby concrete companies to save money on transportation.
For those who can afford it, stamped, colored, or advanced stains are available options for custom concrete installations. The concrete’s price is impacted by your selection.
Concrete price calculator based on project size
When installing concrete, the project’s size is the most significant cost factor. Generally, for large projects, you would buy a full truckload (8 to 10 cubic yards), which would run you between $1,025 and $1,395 in total.Smaller jobs have a price per cubic yard of between $155 and $205, plus an additional $40 for a short load.
When homeowners buy less than a truckload of concrete, there is an additional fee known as the “short load fee” that is added to the regular price. Although the cost varies from business to business, a cubic yard typically costs $40.
The usual price range for various quantities of concrete is shown below. We only charged the short load fee on orders that weighed less than ten cubic yards.
| Concrete cubic yards | Range of prices (concrete + short load charge) |
| 1 | $150 – $205 |
| 2 | $300 – $410 |
| 3 | $450 – $615 |
| 4 | $600 – $820 |
| 5 | $750 – $1,025 |
| 6 | $900 – $1,230 |
| 7 | $1,050 – $1,435 |
| 8 | $1,200 – $1,640 |
| 9 | $1,350 – $1,845 |
| 10 | $1,110 – $1,650 |
| 15 | $1,650 – $2,475 |
| 20 | $2,200 – $3,300 |
| 25 | $2,750 – $4,125 |
| 30 | $3,300 – $4,950 |
What is the coverage area of one cubic yard of concrete?
The amount of space that a cubic yard of poured concrete will cover depends on the thickness of the concrete slab. The weight that the concrete slab is intended to support will determine how thick it needs to be.
The table below shows how many square feet one cubic yard can cover at various thicknesses.
| Thickness of slab | This thickness of concrete allows one cubic yard of coverage. |
| 4 inches | 81 square feet |
| 5 inches | 65 square feet |
| 6 inches | 54 square feet |
| 7 inches | 46 square feet |
| 8 inches | 41 square feet |
| 10 inches | 32 square feet |
| 12 inches | 27 square feet |
What is the required amount of cubic yards of concrete?
Converting the total installation area from cubic feet to cubic yards will allow you to calculate how much concrete you will need for a new concrete patio, slab, walkway, or driveway.
To determine how much concrete you need, use these steps:
Step 1: Divide the thickness of the concrete slab in inches by 12 inches to get its equivalent in feet.
- 3.25 feet (12 inches / 3 inches)
- 0.5 feet (6 inches / 12 inches)
Step 2: To find the total cubic feet, multiply the length, width, and depth of the slab.
For instance:
- 100 cubic feet are equal to 10 feet in length, 20 feet in width, and 0.5 feet in depth.
Step 3: Divide the computed cubic feet by 27 (the quantity of cubic feet in one yard).
For instance:
- 27 cubic feet divided by 100 equals roughly 3.7 cubic yards.
Step 4: To account for waste or spills, add 10% to the estimated quantity of concrete.
For instance:
- 10% (0.1) x 3.7 cubic yards = 0.37 cubic yards
- 4.07 cubic yards are equal to 3.7 cubic yards plus 0.37 cubic yards.
This indicates that 4.07 cubic yards of concrete would be needed for a 10-foot-long, 20-foot-wide, and 6-inch-thick concrete slab. Since this is not a full truckload of concrete, the average cost of the concrete would be between $610 and $834. This figure includes the short load fee.
Additional elements that impact price
The price of concrete is determined by a few factors that, depending on how special your project is, may or may not add up to the national price range. For a more precise price range, take these factors into account when estimating costs.
Strength of the concrete mix
The strength of the different concrete mixes that are available varies; each mix’s strength is indicated by its PSI (pounds per square inch). Concrete mixes with higher PSI can support greater weight, but they also cost more.
Find out the appropriate PSI and typical cost of concrete with that strength level for your project type by referring to the chart below.
| Pounds per square inch, or PSI | Cost range for a cubic yard | Recommended structures |
| 2,500 – 3,000 | $100 – $150 | Floors Driveways Walkways Sidewalks |
| 3,500 | $110 – $125 | Foundations Beams and footings |
| 4,000 | $120 – $130 | Pavements with high traffic |
| 4,500 | $130 – $140 | Commercial and highly trafficked structures |
| 5,000 | $135 – $140 | Unique and powerful structures |
Delivery time and range
There is a delivery distance for the majority of concrete delivery services. There’s an average additional fee of $9.60 per mile after that. Regardless of distance, some businesses always charge by the mile for deliveries.
The time of delivery of your concrete may also have an impact on the price. If you would like delivery on a weekend or holiday, be ready to pay a higher price.
Work
You will be responsible for paying for the labor required to transport the concrete to your property and pour it in addition to the cost of the concrete itself. For your project, the typical labor cost to pour concrete is between $8 and $18 per square foot. Location and project type affect labor costs because different concrete projects call for different levels of detail.
Minimal load costs
Every time a homeowner orders less than a full truckload, concrete delivery companies suffer a loss. For this reason, they impose a flat fee ranging from $60 to $110 for “short loads,” or anything less than a full truckload, or an additional fee of $40 per cubic yard. Eight to ten cubic yards of concrete can typically fit inside a truck.
Site setup
Before pouring concrete, some site preparation is required. A combination of the following preparatory work or any one of them may be needed, depending on the project and the job site.
- The cost of clearing land, or getting rid of trees, bushes, and other obstructions, ranges from $500 to $1,000 per acre, or from $1,500 to $3,000 in more challenging terrain.
- Grading, or reshaping the ground to make it level and flat, prevents water from pooling beneath the concrete, which could lead to cracks.Because land grading involves a lot of labor and specialized equipment, the average cost ranges from $1,150 to $3,680.
- Concrete shifting is less likely and stability is provided by the sub-base. Before the concrete is poured, a layer of sand and gravel needs to be applied and compacted for this reason. The sub-base installation will set you back between $10 and $20 per cubic yard.
- By adding reinforcement, the concrete foundation is made stronger so that significant cracks cannot occur. For reinforcing concrete, contractors use wire mesh, which ranges in price from $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot, and rebar, which costs from $0.30 to $0.50 per linear foot.
- Any concrete structure must have concrete forms in order to take on its shape. Typically, they are made of plywood, form oil, pegs, and nails. Concrete edge form fabrication costs vary depending on the type of project. Forms for driveways and sidewalks range in price from $2 to $3 per linear foot.For more intricate projects, like concrete foundations and retaining walls, forms can cost anywhere from $2.50 to $6 per square foot.
Installation of concrete
It’s best to hire a professional concrete installer to pour the concrete for you in order to save time and money. The type of project will determine the average cost that a concrete installer would charge. An outline of typical concrete installations and their typical costs can be found below.
| Installation type | Price range for installation per square foot (excluding concrete costs) |
| Simple concrete slab | $4.43 – $7.73 |
| Concrete patio | $9.29 – $10.04 |
| Reinforced concrete | $4.40 – $16 |
| Concrete foundation | $4.50 – $15 |
| Concrete driveway | $6 – $14 |
| Stamped concrete | $9 – $16.25 |
Associated services
Other than using concrete, you have options for most landscaping projects that involve concrete (apart from a simple slab or foundation). Let’s investigate some alternatives and additional concrete installation-related services.
Concrete extraction
It is necessary to remove any old concrete before putting in a new slab.The cost to remove the current concrete ranges from $585 to $2,790.
Curbing in the landscape
Concrete can also be used for landscape curbing (aka landscape edging) to add appealing aesthetic to your yard and also prevent grass and weeds from growing around patios, driveways, and flower beds. The average cost of landscape curbing ranges from $710 to $2,200.
The most common substitute materials for concrete used in landscape curbing, along with their corresponding prices, are displayed in the table below.
| Curbing material | Average price |
| Steel | $11 per square foot |
| Stone | $26 per linear foot |
| Wood | $34.50 square foot |
| Granite | $27 square foot |
| Brick block | $10 square foot |
Installation of a walkway
Adding a walkway to your property can enhance the appearance of your house’s exterior. The average cost to install a concrete walkway is $8.85 per square foot.
In addition to poured concrete, the following materials, arranged from least expensive to most expensive, can be used to construct your walkway:
- Pavers made of concrete: $
- Brick: $$
- Concrete with stamps: $$$
- Stone: $$$$
Patio setup
In addition to expanding your outdoor living area, a patio can improve the curb appeal and property value of your house. A poured concrete patio costs about $3 to $9.80 per square foot.Alternative patio materials and their corresponding prices are shown in the table below.
| Building material | Ordinary range of prices (per square foot) |
| Pavers | $6 – $20.50 |
| Brick pavers | $8 – $18.50 |
| Gravel | $2 – $6 |
| Stamped concrete | $10 – $29 |
| Stone | $8 – $30 |
How much does it cost to pour concrete yourself?
If you want to save money on labor and concrete, you can choose to install premixed concrete yourself (DIY).
A hardware store sells pre-mixed concrete, which is a cement, sand, and gravel mixture. When it’s time to pour the concrete, you combine the dry ingredients in a bag with water. Only small projects like countertops, little driveways, walkways, slabs, fence posts, and repairs are appropriate uses for pre-mixed concrete.
DIY expense analysis
Depending on your requirements and price range, you can select from a variety of pre-mixed concrete types. Pre-mixed concrete can be purchased for anywhere between $4.50 and $27 per bag.
The price ranges for the various types of pre-mixed concrete are shown in the table below.
| The kind of pre-mixed concrete and the bag weight | Average price per bag |
| Light-weight concrete (50 lbs.) | $4.49 |
| Fast-setting concrete (50 lbs.) | $4.57 |
| Mortar mix (60 lbs.) | $5.57 |
| Cement with high early strength (80 lbs.) | $6.29 |
| I and II Portland Cement (94 lbs.) | $11.50 |
| Masonry cement (70 lbs.) | $11.50 |
| Plastic cement (94 lbs.) | $12 |
| White cement (94 lbs.) | $26.90 |
Along with the concrete, you’ll also need some additional tools and safety equipment. If not, the cost of these items will increase as follows. You may already own all or most of them.
| Equipment and materials | Average price |
| Wheelbarrow | $135 |
| Shovel | $45 |
| Rubber gloves | $15 |
| Safety glasses | $10 |
| Concrete sealer | $100 |
| Dust mask | $18 |
| Hose | $35 |
| Total equipment cost: | $360 |
12 Steps to Using DIY Concrete
You should always follow the directions on the bag when using pre-mixed concrete to ensure that the dry material to water ratio is correct. These guidelines differ for every product. Apart from that, the following are the general procedures for installing a concrete slab, sideway, or other straightforward project using DIY methods:
- Step 1: Make sure the area where the concrete will be installed is free of vegetation, plants, and other obstructions.
- Step 2: Level and compact the soil in the project area to make it solid.
- Step 3: Apply a road base or granular fill to the sub-base layer.
- Step 4: Use wooden planks to create a concrete form that encircles the area where the concrete will be installed.
- Step 5: For added stability, reinforce the concrete form with wire mesh or rebar if needed.
- Step 6: Use a wheelbarrow, a shovel, or a mixing hoe to combine the pre-mixed concrete with water. Observe the label’s mixing guidelines.
- Step 7: Use a shovel to level the surface after pouring concrete into the concrete form.
- Step 8: Use a straight edge to level out the wet concrete.
- Step 9: Use a concrete float, also known as a bull float, to compact the wet concrete.
- Step 10: Use a plank as a straight edge to create joints every six feet (1.8 meters) to avoid cracking.
- Step 11: Use a broom to rake the surface to make it more uneven and less slippery in the rain.
- Step 12: To stop liquid absorption and discoloration, apply a concrete sealer.
Expense of DIY vs. Professional
Although pre-mixed concrete is significantly less expensive for minor repairs and tasks, it isn’t a suitable substitute for concrete that has been poured for larger projects that need strong structural support. If the amount of concrete you need for your project is large cubic yards, hiring a professional installer makes more sense financially.
Price per place
In places with higher cost of living, like New York or California, concrete is typically more expensive; in more rural areas, like Montana or Wyoming, it is less expensive. On the other hand, you might have to pay a high delivery fee if you live in a remote area and the closest concrete installer is many miles away. Ask a local expert for a precise price estimate.
FAQ
What is the anticipated time of concrete delivery?
The driver has 90 to 120 minutes to deliver the concrete to the job site after it has been mixed to your job’s specifications before it sets.
Is concrete in bags just as strong as concrete?
Yes, standard poured concrete and fast-setting concrete have the same strength. Pre-mixed concrete has a maximum strength of 5,000 PSI.
How much time does concrete require to dry?
Concrete must dry for one to two days before it is safe to drive or walk on. But it takes around 28 days for it to get to its strongest point.
Concluding remarks
The average price per cubic yard across the country for concrete is between $110 and $165.The total cost that homeowners pay is determined by a number of variables covered in this guide, including labor, delivery distance, installation type, and more.
