Concrete Price Calculator

Concrete Price & Volume Calculator

(Standard is 5-10% to account for spills or uneven ground)

Estimation Results:

Total Volume Required: 0 Cubic Yards

Total Bags (80lb): 0 Bags

Estimated Total Cost: $0.00

function calculateConcretePrice() { var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById('conc_length').value); var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById('conc_width').value); var thicknessInches = parseFloat(document.getElementById('conc_thickness').value); var pricePerYard = parseFloat(document.getElementById('conc_price_unit').value); var wastePercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById('conc_waste').value) || 0; if (isNaN(length) || isNaN(width) || isNaN(thicknessInches) || length <= 0 || width <= 0 || thicknessInches 0) { totalCost = totalCubicYards * pricePerYard; } // Calculate Bags (80lb bag is approx 0.6 cubic feet) var totalBags = Math.ceil((cubicFeet * (1 + (wastePercent / 100))) / 0.6); // Update UI document.getElementById('res_yards').innerText = totalCubicYards.toFixed(2); document.getElementById('res_bags').innerText = totalBags; document.getElementById('res_total_cost').innerText = "$" + totalCost.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}); document.getElementById('conc_result_area').style.display = 'block'; }

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How to Calculate Concrete Volume and Costs

Planning a construction project requires precision. Whether you are pouring a new driveway, a patio, or a foundation slab, knowing exactly how much concrete to order saves you from expensive short-load fees or wasteful over-ordering. This concrete price calculator helps you determine the volume in cubic yards and the projected material cost.

The Concrete Calculation Formula

Concrete is sold by the cubic yard. To calculate the volume manually, you must follow these steps:

1. Calculate Square Footage: Multiply the Length (ft) by the Width (ft).
2. Convert Thickness: Divide the thickness in inches by 12 to get the thickness in feet.
3. Calculate Cubic Feet: Multiply Square Footage by the Thickness in feet.
4. Convert to Cubic Yards: Divide the total Cubic Feet by 27.

Formula: (Length × Width × (Thickness / 12)) / 27 = Cubic Yards

Realistic Example

Imagine you are pouring a standard patio that is 20 feet long and 15 feet wide, with a standard thickness of 4 inches.

• Square Footage: 20 × 15 = 300 sq. ft.
• Thickness in Feet: 4 / 12 = 0.333 ft.
• Cubic Feet: 300 × 0.333 = 100 cu. ft.
• Cubic Yards: 100 / 27 = 3.70 cubic yards.

With a 10% waste factor, you would order approximately 4.07 cubic yards. If the local price is $130 per yard, your material cost would be roughly $529.10.

Key Factors Influencing Concrete Prices

• PSI Rating: Higher strength concrete (e.g., 4000 PSI vs 3000 PSI) costs more per yard.
• Delivery Fees: Most ready-mix companies charge "short-load" fees if you order less than 5-7 cubic yards.
• Distance: Fuel surcharges may apply if the job site is far from the batch plant.
• Additives: Adding fiber reinforcement, accelerators (for cold weather), or retarders (for hot weather) will increase the price per yard.

Should You Use Bags or Ready-Mix?

For very small projects (under 1 cubic yard), buying 80lb bags from a hardware store is usually more cost-effective. However, a single cubic yard requires approximately 45 bags (80lb each). For anything larger than a small walkway, ordering a ready-mix truck is significantly faster and often cheaper when factoring in labor and mixer rentals.