Concrete Cost Calculator

Installed cost for slabs, footings and round columns — ready-mix per cubic yard or bagged, with PSI grade, delivery surcharges and optional labor.

Pour geometry

Shape
ft
ft
in
4″ residential / 6″ driveway / 8″ heavy load.
%
10 % default per Cemex / NRMCA guidance.

Pricing

Source
$
NRMCA 2026 national avg $119–$147/yd³.
Multiplier applied to base price (×1.00 / ×1.05 / ×1.15 / ×1.25).
miles
Surcharge $9.50/mile beyond 20 miles.

Labor (optional)

Calculation results

Total project cost

$ —

Order amount

— yd³

Volume (raw)

— ft³

Material cost

$ —

Material cost includes PSI surcharge, delivery beyond 20 mi, color and short-load fees when applicable. Labor applies to the slab footprint (length × width).

Informational only. Concrete pricing varies by supplier, season, regional demand and load size. For pours above $5,000 get itemised quotes from three local plants — they often discount large jobs.

How concrete cost is calculated

Volume

slab: V = L × W × (Tin / 12)  ·  footing: V = L × W × D  ·  column: V = π × r² × H × qty
order = V × (1 + waste / 100)  ·  yd³ = ft³ / 27

Ready-mix material cost

base × PSI_multiplier + delivery_surcharge + short_load_fee + color

PSI multipliers: 2,500 = ×1.00 (reference), 3,000 = ×1.05, 4,000 = ×1.15, 5,000 = ×1.25. Delivery beyond 20 mi adds $9.50/mile. Orders below 5 yd³ pay a short-load fee (typical $150). Coloured concrete adds $31/yd³.

Bagged material cost

bags = ⌈ order_ft³ ÷ bag_yield ⌉  ·  cost = bags × price

Bag yields: 40 lb ≈ 0.30 ft³, 60 lb ≈ 0.45 ft³, 80 lb ≈ 0.60 ft³. Bagged is convenient for pours up to about 1.5 yd³ (roughly 67 × 80-lb bags). Beyond that, ready-mix is much cheaper per yd³.

Worked example — 20 × 20 ft slab, 4″ thick, 3,000 PSI ready-mix

  • Volume = 20 × 20 × (4/12) = 133.33 ft³ = 4.94 yd³
  • With 10 % waste = 5.43 yd³
  • Material: 5.43 × ($140 × 1.05) = $799 (3,000 PSI surcharge applied)
  • Below 5 yd³ minimum? No (5.43 ≥ 5) → no short-load fee
  • Within 20 mi delivery → no surcharge
  • Add broom finish labor at $6.50/ft²: 400 × $6.50 = $2,600
  • Total installed ≈ $3,399 (~$8.50/ft²)

PSI selection guide

PSIUse casePrice multiplier
2,500Sidewalks, walkways, light-duty pads×1.00 (reference)
3,000Foundations, footings, residential slabs, patios×1.05
4,000Driveways, garage floors, commercial slabs-on-grade×1.15
5,000+Commercial structural, high-load industrial, freezer floors×1.25

Frequently asked questions

How much does a yard of concrete cost in 2026?
The NRMCA national average is $119–$147 per cubic yard of ready-mix delivered, at the most common 3,000 PSI grade. Coastal metros and California run 20-40 % above; rural Midwest and South can run 10 % below average.
How much does it cost to pour a 20×20 concrete slab?
A 20×20 ft slab at 4″ thick is about 5.0 yd³ of concrete. With 10 % waste, 3,000 PSI ready-mix at $147 and broom-finish labor at $6.50/ft², the total runs around $3,400 — about $8.50 per square foot installed.
How many bags of concrete in a cubic yard?
About 45 bags of 80-lb concrete mix per cubic yard (each bag yields ≈ 0.60 ft³ and 27 ft³ = 1 yd³). For 60-lb bags it is 60 bags per yd³; for 40-lb bags it is 90 bags per yd³.
Is it cheaper to buy bags or get a ready-mix truck?
Below 1 cubic yard, bagged is cheaper because of ready-mix minimum order fees. Above 1.5-2 cubic yards, ready-mix is dramatically cheaper per yd³ even with delivery surcharges — and you save the mixing labor.
What is a short-load fee?
Most ready-mix plants charge a "short-load" fee when the order is below their minimum (typically 4-5 cubic yards). The fee is usually $100-250 and offsets the truck not running at capacity. For small pours, get a quote from a "small-load specialist" plant that uses smaller trucks.
Do I need 4,000 PSI for a driveway?
IRC and most code authorities allow 3,000 PSI for residential driveways. 4,000 PSI is recommended for driveways in freeze-thaw climates, areas with heavy vehicles (RV, work trucks), and for any driveway intended to last 30+ years. Cost difference: $5-15/yd³.
How long does concrete take to cure?
Foot traffic safe in 24-48 hours. Vehicle traffic at 7 days (70 % of strength). Full design strength at 28 days. Final strength continues to develop for years. Plan formwork, demolding and project sequencing around the 7-day and 28-day milestones.