Concrete Cost Calculator
Size the placement in cubic yards first, then apply the price and scope from a local producer and installer instead of using a national concrete rate.
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View all saved project estimatesWhat does the concrete cost calculator calculate?
Convert slab depth to feet, multiply by length and width, divide by 27 for cubic yards, and add the entered order allowance. Material uses your local price per ordered yard; delivery is fixed and labor uses measured slab area. The result excludes reinforcement, base, pumping, finishing upgrades, tax, and permits.
Concrete quantity and local-cost formula
The first calculation converts the placed slab volume to cubic yards and applies only the chosen order allowance. The budget then prices ordered material, measured-area labor, and fixed delivery separately so a fee is never multiplied as though it were concrete.
How to measure for an accurate estimate
- Measure the inside placement dimensions and use the designed thickness, including thickened edges as separately measured volumes.
- Check depth at several points after base preparation because uneven excavation can materially change actual concrete volume.
- Ask the ready-mix producer how orders are rounded and whether minimum-load, fuel, environmental, washout, or waiting fees apply.
- Obtain a labor scope that states forming, placing, finishing, joints, curing, stripping, cleanup, and any pumping requirement.
Twenty-by-twelve-foot patio slab
A 20-by-12-foot slab is 4 inches thick with 10% order allowance, a $175-per-yard ready-mix quote, $150 delivery, and $4-per-square-foot labor.
The slab places 2.96 cubic yards, orders 3.26 cubic yards, and the entered scope totals about $1,680.37.Before you purchase material
- Specify strength, exposure, aggregate, air content, slump, admixtures, and placement schedule with the designer and producer.
- Keep material, delivery, pumping, reinforcement, base, and finishing prices itemized when comparing proposals.
- Plan truck access and washout before delivery; delays and rejected access can create charges not represented by a per-yard price.
- Use a project-specific allowance supported by grade accuracy and placement geometry rather than automatically increasing every bid.
Common questions
Why is concrete ordered in cubic yards?
Ready-mixed concrete in the United States is normally sold by freshly mixed volume. Length, width, and depth produce cubic feet, and dividing by 27 converts that volume to cubic yards. The producer may round orders or apply minimum-load rules, so confirm the purchasable quantity.
How much extra concrete should I order?
The appropriate allowance depends on excavation accuracy, irregular edges, subgrade variation, form movement, and producer ordering increments. NRMCA guidance discusses ordering beyond calculated placement volume. Confirm the amount with the contractor and supplier rather than using waste to conceal uncertain measurements.
Does the concrete price per yard include delivery?
Not necessarily. Quotes may separate delivery, short-load, fuel, environmental, Saturday, waiting-time, washout, or pumping charges. Ask for a written delivered-price breakdown tied to the specified mix, quantity, address, access, and placement time before treating a per-yard quote as complete.
What is missing from this concrete estimate?
The calculator does not automatically price excavation, compacted base, forms, reinforcement, vapor barrier, pumping, decorative finishes, testing, permits, tax, joints, curing, demolition, or drainage. Entered labor covers only the scope behind that local rate, so compare exclusions line by line.
Sources and reference standards
- National Ready Mixed Concrete Association — CIP 31Industry guidance explaining that ready-mixed concrete is sold by volume and that ordered quantity commonly includes an allowance beyond calculated placement volume.
- Federal Trade Commission — How To Avoid a Home Improvement ScamFederal consumer guidance on contractor checks, multiple written estimates, itemized scope, contracts, and payment practices.
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