Concrete prices swing wildly from project to project. A homeowner might pay £95 per cubic metre while a commercial contractor pays £145 for the same volume. The difference comes down to several factors, including mix design and project size.
Concrete pricing depends on raw material costs, transportation, labour rates, and market demand. Regional cement shortages, fuel prices, and seasonal construction booms all push prices up or down. The type of mix, delivery distance, and order volume create the final number on your quote.
Both on-site and Ready Mix Concrete delivery methods share common cost factors. Understanding these helps you budget accurately regardless of which approach you choose.
Cement, aggregates, water, and admixtures make up the core ingredients of concrete. Cement prices fluctuate based on energy costs and regional supply. Aggregates depend on quarry proximity and transportation expenses.
Regional supply chains affect costs significantly. Areas with limited quarry access pay premium prices for aggregate transport.
Higher PSI ratings require more cement per cubic metre, which increases the price. Standard 3,000 PSI concrete costs £95-110 per cubic metre, while 4,000+ PSI mixes run £120-145.
Custom mix designs for specific exposure classes, low water-cement ratios, or specialised applications add a significant premium. Fibre reinforcement, air entrainment for freeze-thaw resistance, and corrosion inhibitors all increase the base price.
Larger orders cost less per cubic metre. Economies of scale kick in around 10 cubic metres. Full truckloads cost £95-115 per cubic metre, while short loads under 5 cubic metres face surcharges of £30-50 per cubic metre.
Most suppliers include delivery within 15-20 miles. Beyond that, expect £4-8 per mile in additional charges.
Site access matters too. Narrow driveways, soft ground, or steep grades may require pump trucks at £120-240 per pour. Waiting time charges of £1.50-2.50 per minute apply after the first 7-8 minutes of unloading per cubic metre.
Peak construction season from April through October drives prices up noticeably. Winter pours require hot water charges (£4-8 per cubic metre) and cold-weather additives.
Market demand spikes during infrastructure booms. Cement shortages in 2023-2024 pushed ready mix concrete prices well above 2021 levels in many regions.
Ready mix concrete offers precision batching and quality control that site mixing cannot match. These benefits come with specific cost factors.
Batching plant labour, energy consumption, equipment maintenance, and depreciation all factor into per-cubic-metre pricing.
Automated plants with computerised batching systems produce more consistent concrete at lower per-unit costs. Plants running at higher capacity spread fixed costs across more deliveries, reducing individual project prices.
Delivery fees range from £45 to £50 per full load within the base radius. Beyond that, per-mile charges of £7-8 apply.
Speciality mixes carry significant premiums. Fibre-reinforced concrete adds £9 per cubic metre. Colored concrete requires £100 per truck for washout plus pigment costs. Accelerators run £5-8 per cubic metre.
Green mixes using supplementary cementitious materials, waterproofing admixtures, and self-consolidating concrete all carry premium pricing above standard mixes.
Areas with multiple batching plants see lower prices through competitive bidding. Remote regions with single suppliers face premium rates.
Local cement and aggregate availability matters. Suppliers near quarries and cement terminals offer better base prices than those trucking materials from distant sources.
Several fees can surprise budget-conscious buyers.
Mix on site concrete appears cheaper on paper. Raw materials alone cost notably less than delivered ready mix. However, hidden costs often close or eliminate that gap.
Site mixing requires substantial labour. A typical crew needs 2-3 workers for mixing, transport, and pouring, compared to 1-2 workers for ready mix placement. Additionally, production rates for on-site concrete mix run 3-5 times slower than ready mix pours. Higher person-hours directly increase labour costs and extend project timelines.
Site mixing needs concrete mixers, loaders, storage bins, wheelbarrows, and vibrators. Mixer rental runs £40-80 per day. Purchase prices range from £2,400 for small portable units to £12,000+ for larger drum mixers. Moreover, fuel, maintenance, and depreciation add ongoing costs that erode the apparent savings of mixing on-site.
Cement bags damaged by moisture, aggregate contamination, and batching inaccuracies create notable waste rates. Bulk cement delivery requires weatherproof storage. Aggregates need separate bins to prevent mixing sand with gravel. Space-constrained sites struggle with proper material staging.
On site concrete mix rarely matches ready mix quality. Without calibrated equipment, measurement errors affect water-cement ratios and aggregate proportions. Variable mixing produces inconsistent strength across batches.
Weak concrete leads to honeycombing, cracking, and structural failures. Repairs cost £40-160 per square foot. Complete demolition and repour can run 3-5 times the original pour cost.
A 10-cubic-metre pour takes 60-90 minutes with ready mix delivery but 4-6 hours with site mixing.
Extended pour durations delay the following trades. Electricians, plumbers, and framers waiting on concrete represent lost productivity. These indirect time costs often exceed apparent material savings.
Project characteristics determine which concrete method offers better value. Size, structural requirements, access, and schedule all influence the decision.
Small slabs under 1 cubic metre may benefit from on-site concrete mix due to short-load fees. Anything larger typically favours ready-mix concrete.
Repeated pours over multiple days favour ready mix. Consistency between batches matters for structural connections and appearance. Good suppliers can coordinate multi-day delivery schedules to maintain quality across sequential pours.
Foundations, columns, beams, and structural slabs demand the consistency of plant-batched ready-mixed concrete. Quality control documentation proves critical for inspections and permits.
Non-structural applications like fence post footings, landscape borders, or temporary pads can tolerate the variability of site mixing when volumes stay small.
Projects beyond the economical delivery range or inaccessible by truck benefit from on-site concrete mix. Mountain cabins, island properties, and sites with restricted road access fall into this category.
Helicopter concrete delivery exists, but costs £800+ per cubic metre. At that point, mixing on-site with materials brought in by smaller vehicles makes financial sense.
Tight deadlines favour ready mixed concrete. A crew can place and finish 40-50 cubic metres per 8-hour shift with ready mix versus 8-12 cubic metres with site mixing.
High local labour rates amplify the advantage. When skilled workers cost £40-65 per hour, the faster placement of ready mix reduces total labour expense despite higher material costs.
Smart planning reduces concrete expenses without sacrificing quality. Focus on mix optimisation, ordering strategy, and supplier selection.
Match concrete strength and exposure class to actual requirements. Over-specifying wastes money. Under-specifying creates failures.
A sidewalk doesn’t need 4,000 PSI concrete. A foundation shouldn’t use 2,500 PSI. Work with suppliers like Pro-Mix Concrete to select appropriate admixtures for your specific conditions rather than paying for unnecessary additives.
Phase pours to maximise truck utilisation. Schedule multiple small projects on the same day to reach full-load pricing.
Get quotes from at least three suppliers. Compare base prices, delivery charges, and all potential surcharges.
Consider plant distance carefully. A lower per-cubic-metre price from a distant supplier may cost more after delivery charges. Evaluate whether ready mix concrete or on site concrete mix makes sense for your specific combination of project size, access conditions, and timeline.
Concrete costs depend on far more than the per-cubic-metre price quote. Raw materials, delivery logistics, labour requirements, and quality risks all factor into the true expense. For most projects requiring more than a cubic metre of concrete, ready-mixed concrete delivers better value through consistent quality, faster placement, and reduced labour.
On-site concrete mix retains advantages for small-batch work, remote locations, and situations where delivery trucks cannot reach. The key lies in honest cost comparison, including all factors rather than focusing solely on material prices.
Builders looking for a reliable concrete supply should explore options from established suppliers like Pro-Mix Concrete. Getting accurate quotes, understanding all potential charges, and matching mix specifications to actual needs ensures projects stay on budget while achieving required performance standards.
Not always. Ready mix concrete costs more in base material price, but reduced labour, equipment rental, and waste typically close the gap. For projects over 1 cubic metre, ready mix often proves more economical when factoring in total costs.
On site concrete mix saves money for very small projects under 0.5 cubic metres, remote locations beyond delivery range, or when you already own mixing equipment. It also works for non-critical applications where slight quality variations are acceptable.
Most suppliers include delivery within 15-20 miles at no extra charge. Beyond that range, expect additional fees of £4-8 per mile. A project 35 miles from the nearest plant might pay £120-160 extra in delivery charges per truckload.
For small DIY projects, short-load fees and minimum order requirements dominate costs. Consider combining with neighbours or using bagged concrete for quantities under 1 cubic metre. For large commercial pours, mix design optimisation, pump requirements, and pour scheduling drive the budget.
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