Concrete Cost Calculator
Estimate concrete material cost. Enter your slab dimensions and a price per cubic yard to see the waste-adjusted total.
Results
- Concrete needed
- 1.23 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 1.36 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 33.33 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 0.94 m³
- 80 lb bags
- 62 bags
- 60 lb bags
- 82 bags
- 40 lb bags
- 123 bags
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Before you call a ready-mix supplier, this concrete cost calculator turns your slab or footing dimensions into cubic yards and then into a delivered dollar figure using your own local price per yard.
Local prices vary widely, so the calculator asks for the price rather than guessing one. Call two suppliers, take the per-yard figure they quote, and enter it here for a realistic budget.
Also used as a concrete price calculator, cost per cubic yard estimator, and concrete slab cost calculator.
How to use the concrete cost calculator
- Enter the shape.
- Enter the length in ft.
- Enter the width in ft.
- Enter the thickness in in.
- Enter the waste factor in %.
- Optionally add a price to estimate the total project cost.
- Read your quantities instantly — no sign-up, and you can print the estimate to take to the supplier.
Worked example
Inputs
- Shape
- Rectangle / Square
- Length
- 10 ft
- Width
- 10 ft
- Thickness
- 4 in
- Waste factor
- 10 %
Results
- Concrete needed
- 1.23 cu yd
- With 10% waste
- 1.36 cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 33.33 cu ft
- Cubic meters
- 0.94 m³
- 80 lb bags
- 62 bags
- 60 lb bags
- 82 bags
- 40 lb bags
- 123 bags
Using the example values above, the concrete cost calculator returns 1.23 cu yd (concrete needed). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
What does concrete cost per yard?
Ready-mix concrete typically runs $125 to $170 per cubic yard delivered in most US markets, with higher-strength mixes, fibre, and accelerators adding $5 to $20 per yard each.
The sticker price is rarely the whole bill. Short-load fees apply below the supplier minimum, commonly 1 to 3 yards, and can add $50 to $150. Saturday delivery, long pours that hold the truck past the free unload window, and pumping all carry their own charges.
Bags vs. truck on cost
An 80 lb bag yields 0.6 cubic feet, so a cubic yard takes about 45 bags. At typical bag prices, that yard costs noticeably more than ready-mix, plus your own mixing labour, so bags only win on very small pours or where a truck cannot reach.
The practical break-even is around half a cubic yard. Below that, bags. Above one yard, order a truck. In between, weigh the short-load fee against the bag premium and the hours of mixing.
Beyond the concrete itself
A finished slab costs more than the mix. Add gravel base, vapour barrier, form lumber, rebar or mesh, and finishing labour, which together often equal or exceed the concrete line item.
Installed slab prices commonly land between $6 and $12 per square foot for a plain broom finish, with stamped or coloured work running considerably higher.
How much extra should I order?
Always order a little extra. A 5% waste factor suits simple, square projects; 10% is right for most jobs; bump it to 15–20% for irregular shapes, diagonal patterns, or uneven ground. Running short almost always costs more than the leftover material.
Concrete bag yields
| Bag size | Yield (cu ft) | Bags per cu yd |
|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 0.30 | 90 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 | 72 |
| 60 lb | 0.45 | 60 |
| 80 lb | 0.60 | 45 |
Formula
Volume (cu ft) = area × thickness ÷ 12. Cubic yards = cu ft ÷ 27. Bags ≈ cu ft ÷ yield per bag.
Frequently asked questions
- How many bags of concrete are in a cubic yard?
- About 45 bags of 80 lb, 60 bags of 60 lb, or 90 bags of 40 lb pre-mix concrete equal one cubic yard.
- How much extra concrete should I order?
- Order 5–10% extra for spillage and uneven subgrade. For complex pours, add up to 15%.
- How much does a yard of concrete cost?
- Typically $125 to $170 delivered, before short-load, pumping, or weekend fees. Enter your supplier's quote for an accurate total.
- How much does a 24x24 concrete slab cost?
- A 576 sq ft slab at 4 in thick needs about 7.1 cubic yards. At $150 per yard that is roughly $1,070 in concrete, with a finished installed cost usually in the $3,500 to $7,000 range.
- Is it cheaper to mix your own concrete?
- Only for small pours. Below about half a cubic yard bags win; above that, ready-mix is cheaper per yard even after delivery fees.
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