Ready-Mix Concrete Calculator
Size a ready-mixed concrete delivery in cubic metres and cubic yards, check it against your supplier's minimum load and build an estimate from the price you have been quoted.
Results
Enter your project measurements to see your results.
What the ready-mix calculator does
Ordering from a batching plant is a conversation about volume, access and timing. This page handles the volume half: it totals every part of the pour, adds your allowance, compares the result with the minimum load your supplier charges for, and turns your quoted rate into an estimated bill you can sanity-check before committing.
How to measure for a delivery
- Measure each distinct part of the pour separately rather than averaging them.
- Include any thickened edges, haunching or over-dig you already know about.
- Set the number of identical items instead of repeating the same section by hand.
- Decide the waste allowance last, once the net figure looks right.
The formula in plain language
Each section is converted to cubic metres, multiplied by its quantity and added to the total. Waste is then applied once to that combined figure. If you have entered a minimum order and your total is below it, the order quantity is lifted to the minimum and the difference is reported so you can decide whether to widen the pour or accept the charge.
Metric example
Two footings of 6 m × 0.45 m × 0.3 m give 0.81 m³ each, so 1.62 m³ in total. A 5% allowance takes it to 1.701 m³. Against a 2 m³ minimum you would be charged for 2 m³, leaving 0.299 m³ spare — enough to justify an extra section of path while the truck is on site.
Imperial example
A 20 ft × 10 ft driveway bay at 5 in thick is 83.3 cubic feet, which is 3.09 cubic yards. With 10% waste that becomes 3.4 cubic yards, comfortably above a typical minimum, and at a quoted rate per yard the estimate updates as soon as you type the price in.
Common mistakes
- Ordering the net figure and forgetting the allowance entirely.
- Comparing a price per cubic yard with a volume in cubic metres.
- Assuming the minimum load is the same at every plant.
- Leaving out access constraints that force a smaller truck and a second delivery.
Talk to the supplier about more than volume
Mix specification, slump, fibres, admixtures for cold or hot weather, pump reach and waiting-time charges all affect a delivery. Those belong in a conversation with the plant and, for structural work, with the engineer or building control officer responsible for the project. This calculator deliberately stays out of specification decisions.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a minimum order and why does it matter?
- Most batching plants will not send a truck out for a tiny quantity, so they set a minimum charged volume. If your calculated figure is below it you still pay for the minimum, which is why this calculator shows the gap between what you need and what you will be billed for.
- Do you show average concrete prices?
- No. Prices vary by plant, mix, distance, time of day and market conditions, so any average we printed would be misleading. Every cost figure here comes from the numbers you type in after speaking to your supplier.
- Should I order in cubic yards or cubic metres?
- Use whatever your supplier quotes in. The calculator always shows both, so you can talk to a plant in the United States in cubic yards and a plant in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada in cubic metres from the same calculation.
- How much waste should I allow on a ready-mix delivery?
- It depends on the pour. Sub-grade that is not perfectly level, spillage at the chute and formwork that bulges all consume extra. Many people allow between 5% and 10%, but your own experience of the site is a better guide than any fixed number.
- Can I include delivery in the estimate?
- Yes. Enter the delivery or haulage charge your supplier quotes and it is added to the concrete cost to give an estimated total. Additional charges such as waiting time, part-load surcharges or pump hire are not included unless you add them to that figure.