Concrete Cost Calculator

The price a supplier quotes is not the price you pay. Part loads, waiting time and pumping all land on the invoice afterwards. Put your volume and local rate in below for the material cost, then read the surcharge list — that is where budgets go wrong.

Ready-mix concrete truck pouring into formwork

Ready-mix prices in 2026

United Kingdom — per cubic metre

Grade	Typical use	Delivered price / m³
GEN1 / C10	Blinding, mass fill	£95–£120
GEN3 / C20	Shed bases, footings	£100–£130
C25 / ST2	Driveways, slabs	£110–£140
C30–C35	Structural, heavy duty	£120–£155

United States — per cubic yard

Mix	Typical use	Delivered price / yd³
2,500–3,000 psi	Footings, backyard slabs	$125–$155
3,500–4,000 psi	Driveways, garage floors	$140–$170
4,500 psi +	Structural, commercial	$160–$190

Europe — per cubic metre

Grade (EN 206)	Typical use	Delivered price / m³
C16/20	Mass fill, blinding	€85–€115
C20/25	Slabs, footings	€90–€125
C25/30	Driveways, structural	€100–€140
C30/37	Structural, exposed	€110–€155

Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordics sit at the top of the European range; Spain, Portugal, Poland and the Baltics at the bottom. Cement travels badly, so local plant capacity moves prices more than anything national.

The extras

Part load / short load — £30 to £60 per empty cubic metre in the UK, $50 to $150 per delivery in the US, on anything under roughly 5 to 6 units.
Waiting time — 20 to 30 minutes free on site, then charged by the minute. Have your crew and formwork ready before the truck turns in.
Pumping — from £300 or $500 for a line pump. Worth every penny when the alternative is 40 barrow runs down a side passage.
Weekend delivery — commonly 10 to 15 per cent extra.
Additives — fibres, retarder, accelerator and air entrainment each add a few pounds or dollars per unit.

Laid cost, not just material cost

Concrete itself is usually the smaller half of a finished slab. In the UK, supply and lay for a domestic 100 to 150 mm slab runs around £85 to £140 per m² including sub-base and labour — against £12 to £22 per m² for the concrete alone. In the US, finished slab labour adds $4 to $8 per ft². If you are pricing a job rather than buying materials, budget accordingly.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a cubic metre of concrete?

£100 to £150 delivered in the UK, depending on grade, location and load size. A single cubic metre costs disproportionately more because of the part-load charge.

How much is a yard of concrete delivered?

$125 to $180 across most of the US, plus a short-load fee under about 5 yards. A full 10-yard truck of 3,500 psi typically comes to $1,400 to $1,700.

Is it cheaper to mix your own concrete?

On materials, yes — ballast and cement come to roughly £60 to £75 per cubic metre. On time and consistency, no. Bagged premix is the most expensive option per volume at £180 to £260 per m³ equivalent, and only makes sense on small pours.

How much does a concrete slab cost per m²?

Supply and lay in the UK is roughly £85 to £140 per m² for a 100 to 150 mm domestic slab. Materials on their own are £12 to £22 per m².

How many yards are in a concrete truck?

Eight to ten cubic yards in the US, six to eight cubic metres in the UK — though weight limits usually cap the load before the drum does. Our truck capacity guide covers the detail.