Construction & materials
Bagged Concrete vs Ready-Mix Cost Calculator
Compare the pour, the purchase, and the time. Find out what full bags, delivery fees and mixing labor mean for your project.
Same pour.
Two ways to buy it.
Your figures stay in this browser.
01 / THE POUR
How much concrete?
02 / BUY IN BAGS
Bagged concrete
Use the mixed yield printed on the product you plan to buy. The 0.60 ft³ starting yield is for an 80 lb bag of QUIKRETE Concrete Mix No. 1101.
Mixing & handling time
Enter elapsed crew time and the combined hourly value of everyone doing the work. Count loading, mixing and cleanup; leave shared placing and finishing work out of both options.
5.67 crew hours × $30.00/hr = $170.00 of valued labor
03 / ORDER A DELIVERY
Ready-mix concrete
Use a comparable mix specification and your supplier's written fees. This models one order; enter the full quoted fees across all trucks.
Minimums & short-load charges
Supplier rules vary. Use zero for any rule that does not apply. Enter both a minimum bill and a short-load fee only if your quote charges both.
Short-load fee applies to this order.
Delivery handling time
Only include time that differs between options. Use the same basis for both crew rates.
How the concrete cost comparison works
The model starts with the project volume and your additional allowance for waste or uneven dimensions. For a rectangular slab measured in feet with thickness in inches, cubic feet equal length × width × thickness ÷ 12. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.
Bag count is the adjusted volume divided by the selected bag yield, rounded up to a whole bag. Bagged cost includes those bags, your entered extra costs, and labor valued from minutes per bag plus setup time. The QUIKRETE Concrete Mix data sheet lists approximate yields, including 0.60 cubic feet for its 80 lb bag. Check the product you will actually buy; equal bag weights do not establish equal yield for every concrete product.
Ready-mix quantity is rounded up to your supplier's ordering increment and respects the minimum physical order you enter. A separate minimum billed quantity can increase the material charge without increasing the delivered volume. The comparison adds your delivery charge, any applicable flat short-load fee, extra costs and handling labor. It models one quoted order, not individual truck trips.
The NRMCA guide to ordering ready mixed concrete explains volume ordering, additional quantity allowances, delivery planning and communicating the required concrete properties. This calculator compares entered costs. It does not select a suitable mix, slab thickness, reinforcement or structural design.
Worked example: a small slab
A 10 ft × 10 ft slab at an entered 4 in thickness has a geometric volume of 33.33 cubic feet. A 10% allowance raises the modeled requirement to 36.67 cubic feet, or about 1.358 cubic yards. These dimensions and allowances illustrate the calculation; they are not design recommendations.
| Cost | Bagged concrete | Ready-mix |
|---|---|---|
| Material quantity | 62 bags at 0.60 cubic feet each | 1.50 cubic yards, rounded to a 0.25-yard increment |
| Material cost | 62 × $6 = $372 | 1.50 × $180 = $270 |
| Other entered costs | $65 | $100 delivery + $100 short-load fee |
| Cost before labor value | $437 | $470 |
| Labor value | 5 minutes per bag + 0.5 setup hours, at $30/hour = $170 | 1 handling hour at $30/hour = $30 |
| Modeled total | $607 | $500 |
In this example, ready-mix is $107 lower after the entered fees and labor value. Its flat short-load fee applies below an entered 3-cubic-yard threshold, and no minimum physical or billed quantity is entered. Different supplier quotes, mixing time or labor value can change the comparison. None of these prices are current market quotes.
Concrete comparison questions
Is the cheaper option always the right choice?
No. Access, placement speed, crew availability and the specified mix still matter. Confirm the project requirements and delivery plan with the appropriate supplier and project professional before ordering.
Why can the ordered volume exceed the calculated requirement?
Bags are purchased whole, while ready-mix may have an ordering increment or minimum. The waste allowance is applied before those purchasing rules. A minimum billed quantity affects cost separately and is not automatically extra concrete delivered to the site.
How is the short-load charge applied?
The entered flat fee applies once when the physical ready-mix order is strictly below your entered threshold. It is not a per-yard or per-truck pricing rule. Use the terms in your supplier's quote, and avoid adding a fee again if it is already included elsewhere.
A flat short-load fee can sometimes make a larger order cheaper. Set the minimum physical order to the fee threshold to compare that scenario. The calculator evaluates your entered order rules; it does not search every possible quantity for the lowest price.
Does labor value have to be an additional cash payment?
No. You can value your own time for this comparison even when it is not an extra payroll payment. The modeled labor hours describe the entered crew time; they do not predict actual mixing productivity.
How do I include the result in a wider project estimate?
Use your selected concrete supply cost in the Job Quote & Cost Overrun calculator, checking that material, equipment and labor costs are counted once. Use the Project Deposit & Cash Gap calculator to plan when cash payments will be due.
Related calculators
Calculation methods, testing and sources · Practical calculation guides