Concrete Cost Calculator
Want the material cost for a pour before you buy? Enter your dimensions and your local price — per cubic yard for ready-mix or per bag for bagged concrete — and this calculator estimates the material cost both ways so you can see which is cheaper. It covers material only, not labor.
Total volume required
1.96Cubic Yards
Cubic feet
52.80
Cubic meters
1.50
Bags (80 lb)
88
Ready-mix cost
$293.33
Bagged cost
$528.00
Bags by size
40 lb
176
50 lb
141
60 lb
118
80 lb
88
Estimate includes your waste factor. Figures are estimates, not a quote.
How to use this calculator
- 1Enter your project dimensions and waste factor.
- 2Add your local price per cubic yard (ask your ready-mix supplier) and/or your price per bag.
- 3Compare the estimated ready-mix material cost against the bagged material cost.
- 4Remember this is material only — delivery, pump, forms, rebar, and labor are extra.
Formula & rounding
Ready-mix material cost = cubic yards × price per cubic yard. Bagged cost = bags needed × price per bag. Both use your waste-adjusted volume. Prices vary widely by region and supplier, so enter your own — this tool has no built-in price database.
12 ft × 12 ft slab, 4 inches, at $150/yd³ and $6/bag
- Volume with 10% waste = 12 × 12 × (4 ÷ 12) × 1.10 = 63.36 cubic feet
- Cubic yards = 63.36 ÷ 27 = 2.35 → ready-mix cost ≈ 2.35 × $150 = $352
- 80 lb bags = 63.36 ÷ 0.60, rounded up = 106 bags
- Bagged cost ≈ 106 × $6 = $636
= ≈ $352 ready-mix vs $636 bagged (material only)
Bag vs ready-mix break-even for a 1 yd³ pour
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cu ft → 45 × 80 lb bags at $6 = $270 material
- Ready-mix at $150/yd³ = $150 material
- But a single-yard delivery often triggers a minimum-load or short-load fee of $50–$150
- Net: on tiny loads the delivery fee can erase ready-mix’s material savings
= Bags ≈ $270 vs ready-mix ≈ $150 plus a likely short-load fee
Where bagged beats ready-mix (material only)
Per cubic foot, ready-mix material is usually cheaper — but minimum loads and short-load fees flip the math on small jobs. This compares the concrete itself; labor, delivery, and forms are extra on both.
| Job size | Bagged @ $6/80 lb | Ready-mix @ $150/yd³ | Real-world note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≈0.25 yd³ | ~12 bags ≈ $72 | ≈ $38 + min/short-load fee | Fees + delivery usually make bags cheaper and simpler. |
| ≈0.5 yd³ | ~23 bags ≈ $138 | ≈ $75 + short-load fee | Toss-up; the short-load fee often tips it to bags. |
| 1 yd³ | ~45 bags ≈ $270 | ≈ $150 (+ any minimum) | Ready-mix material wins; hand-mixing 45 bags is a lot. |
| ≥2 yd³ | ~90 bags ≈ $540 | ≈ $300 | Ready-mix wins clearly on both cost and labor. |
Estimate · unofficial. Uses $6/80 lb bag and $150/yd³ — enter your own local quotes. Excludes labor and delivery.
Frequently asked questions
How much does concrete cost per cubic yard?
Ready-mix commonly runs in the low-to-mid hundreds of dollars per cubic yard, but it varies a lot by region, supplier, mix design, and load size. Enter your local quote for an accurate estimate — this calculator does not assume a national price.
Is it cheaper to use bags or ready-mix?
For small jobs (under about a cubic yard), bags are usually cheaper and more convenient. As volume grows, ready-mix typically wins on material cost and labor. The calculator shows both so you can compare for your size.
What does this concrete cost estimate include?
Material only. It does not include delivery, pumping, short-load fees, formwork, reinforcement, finishing, or labor. For an installed-price estimate of a slab, use the slab cost calculator.
Why do I have to enter the price myself?
Concrete pricing is local and changes often. Hard-coding a price would make every estimate wrong somewhere. Entering your own quote keeps the result honest.
Assumptions & sources
- Price source
- No national price assumed — cost uses the per-yard or per-bag price you enter.
- Bag yields
- ≈0.60 cu ft per 80 lb bag (0.45 / 0.375 / 0.30 for 60 / 50 / 40 lb) for the bag-vs-ready-mix comparison.
- Scope
- Material cost only — excludes labor, base prep, forms, rebar, delivery, and tax.
- Waste factor
- Default 10%, applied before cost so you price the concrete you actually buy.
See the methodology & sources for how these values, formulas, and rounding are chosen.
Helpful concrete guides
- Concrete bag sizes & yields — breaks down bag yields and pallet counts behind the bagged-cost side of the comparison.
- How to calculate concrete — shows how waste-adjusted volume becomes the cubic yards and bag counts this tool prices.
This is an estimate, not a quote. Concrete quantities, bag yields, block coverage, and prices vary with product, brand, mix, region, supplier, tax, delivery, and on-site conditions. Always confirm with your supplier and round up for safety. For structural or code-related work, consult a qualified professional or your local building authority.