Concrete & construction
Concrete Cost Calculator
Works the cost of concrete work, where the concrete is a minor share.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Concrete volume at the delivered price, plus subbase material, reinforcement, formwork, labour at burdened rates, pumping if required, and any finishing. The concrete itself is frequently a modest share of the total, with labour, formwork and preparation accounting for most of it.
What moves the number
- Labour, which is the largest share on most jobs.
- Formwork and reinforcement.
- Subbase preparation and excavation.
- Pumping or access difficulties.
Where this one goes wrong
Access is what makes two otherwise identical pours cost very differently, since a site a truck can reach and chute directly is a fraction of the cost of one needing a pump or wheelbarrows, and that difference is in labour and equipment rather than material. Assess the access before pricing. Short-load charges and waiting time are the other items, since a truck held on site beyond its allowed time is charged for and the charge is not trivial.
Before you quote
- Assess truck access before pricing the job.
- Include pumping where direct discharge is not possible.
- Allow for short-load and waiting-time charges.
Questions
About this calculator
Why do similar pours cost different amounts?
Access, mostly. A site a truck can reach and chute directly costs a fraction of one needing a pump or wheelbarrows, and that difference sits in labour and equipment rather than in the material.
What share of the cost is concrete?
Frequently a modest one. Labour, formwork, reinforcement and subbase preparation account for most of a concrete job's cost, which is why a price quoted per cubic yard tells you very little about the job.
What charges catch people out?
Short-load charges where less than a full load is ordered, and waiting time where a truck is held on site beyond its allowed period. Both are real and neither is trivial, which makes an organised pour genuinely cheaper.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 22 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $88.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $2,400.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 22 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $88 |
| Parts and materials | $2,400 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $4,431 |
| Labour | $1,936 |
| Before tax | $4,431 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $4,431: $1,936 of labour, $2,400 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $44 | $3,463 |
| $66 | $3,947 |
| $88 example above | $4,431 |
| $132 | $5,399 |
| $176 | $6,367 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 22 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $88.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $2,400.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Order slightly more than this
Volume calculations assume a level, properly prepared base and exact dimensions. Sub-base variation, over-excavation and spillage all consume concrete, which is why most contractors add a margin. Running short mid-pour is far more expensive than a small overage.
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.