How much does a yard of concrete cost?

In most regions ready-mix runs $125–$185 per cubic yard before delivery and short-load fees.

What is a short-load fee?

Suppliers add a fee when you order less than a full truck (usually under 8–10 yards) to cover the trip.

Concrete Cost Calculator

Estimate the full delivered cost of a concrete pour.

100% free to useNo sign-up requiredImperial & metric units

How much does a concrete slab cost?

Concrete costs roughly $120 to $200 per cubic yard for ready-mix material, plus $3 to $8 per square foot for placing and finishing labor. A typical 4 inch slab runs about $6 to $12 per square foot installed once you add base prep, reinforcement, and finishing.

Inputs

Lengthft

Widthft

Depthin

Ready-mix price / yd³$

Labor / sq ft$

Placement

Rebar / mesh cost$

Waste allowanceApplied to material quantities

Results

Total Project Cost

$3,105

Material, labor, fees

Material

$1,185

Labor

$1,920

Cost / sq ft

Pump + Fees

Pump and short-load

Cubic Yards

7.41 yd³

Estimates update instantly as you type. Confirm against local code before ordering materials.

Knowing how much concrete you need is only half the job; clients want a number in dollars. This calculator combines volume with your local ready-mix price per cubic yard and an optional labor rate per square foot to produce a total project cost you can quote directly.

Concrete pricing varies widely by region, mix strength, and delivery distance, so the calculator keeps the price per yard as an input you control. Add your placing and finishing labor rate to capture the full installed cost rather than just the material, which is what separates a professional estimate from a guess.

How concrete cost is estimated

Total cost combines the volume of concrete, the price per cubic yard from your supplier, and an optional labor rate applied across the pour area.

Total Cost = (Cubic Yards × Price/Yard) + (Area × Labor/sq ft)

Typical concrete cost ranges

Installed cost components for residential flatwork.

Item	Low	Typical	High
Ready-mix per yd³	$120	$160	$200
Labor per sq ft	$3.00	$5.00	$8.00
Pump truck (flat)	$700	$900	$1,200
Short-load fee	$60	$150	$300

Always quote installed cost, material plus labor, so clients can compare bids fairly.

How to use it

1Enter the pour dimensions in feet and inches.
2Enter your local price per cubic yard of ready-mix.
3Add a labor cost per square foot if you want an installed price.
4Review the itemized material and labor totals.

Key terms explained

Price per cubic yard: The delivered cost of ready-mix concrete, typically ranging from roughly $120 to $200 depending on market and mix.
Short-load fee: A surcharge for orders below the truck minimum, usually around 5 to 10 cubic yards.
Placing and finishing: The labor of moving, leveling, and troweling concrete, often quoted per square foot.
PSI: The compressive strength of the mix. Higher PSI mixes cost more per yard.

Worked examples

Driveway

A 24 ft × 20 ft driveway at 5 in deep using $160/yd concrete costs about $1,184 in material.

Installed patio

A 12 ft × 14 ft patio with $150/yd mix and $6/sq ft labor lands near $1,318 installed.

Pro tips from the field

1Always quote installed cost, material plus labor, so clients compare apples to apples.
2Build the short-load fee into small jobs or you will lose margin on every partial order.
3Pumping adds cost but can save labor hours on tight or elevated pours, price it as a line item.
4Lock your supplier price in writing; ready-mix quotes can move week to week with fuel and cement costs.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the short-load fee on small ready-mix deliveries.
Excluding finishing, forms and reinforcement from the budget.
Using national averages instead of a local supplier quote.

Where it gets used

Client-ready quotes

Turn measurements into a defensible dollar figure during the site visit.

Bid comparisons

Test how mix strength or labor rate changes affect your total before submitting.

Change orders

Reprice quickly when a slab grows or thickness changes mid-project.

Frequently asked questions