Concrete cost per cubic yard
Ready-mix is about $125–$190 per yard delivered; the same yard in 80 lb bags costs $290–$400 in material. Here is where the money goes.
Cost per yard calculator
Price per yard, both ways
| Source | Cost per yd³ | What it includes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix, South | $120–$150 | Delivered, 3-yard minimum | 1–10 yd³ pours |
| Ready-mix, Midwest | $125–$160 | Delivered | 1–10 yd³ pours |
| Ready-mix, Northeast | $150–$190 | Delivered | 1–10 yd³ pours |
| 80 lb bags | $290–$400 | 45 bags, your labor and mixing | Under ½ yd³ |
| 60 lb bags | $330–$430 | 60 bags | Small repairs |
| 40 lb bags | $400–$500 | 90 bags | Post holes |
Bag prices assume $6.50 (80 lb), $5.50 (60 lb), and $4.50 (40 lb) per bag. Ready-mix assumes no short-load fee.
Fees that change the per-yard price
- Short load: $100–$250 when you order under 3–5 yards.
- Delivery: some suppliers charge by distance rather than including it.
- Saturday or after-hours: $50–$150 premiums are common.
- Pump truck: $800–$1,500, worth it when the truck cannot reach the forms.
- Returned concrete: you pay for what you ordered, not what you placed.
When bags actually make sense
Below about half a yard, delivery minimums and fees erase the bag premium. Above one yard, the math flips decisively: 2 yards in bags is 90 bags — roughly 7,200 lb of material to mix by hand.
The per-yard price is not the price you pay
Every supplier advertises a price per cubic yard, and almost nobody pays it. The number that matters is the invoice total divided by the yards you actually received, and that figure is set by the fee schedule as much as by the material.
| Fee | Typical amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Short load | $100–$250 | Orders under 3–5 yards |
| Delivery beyond the free radius | $8–$15 per mile | Usually past 15–20 miles |
| Saturday or after-hours | $50–$150 | Scheduled outside weekday hours |
| Waiting time | $60–$90 per 15 min | After the first 60 minutes on site |
| Pump truck | $800–$1,500 | When the chute cannot reach the forms |
| Fuel or environmental surcharge | 3–8% | Added to most commercial invoices |
Ask for this schedule before you order, in writing. Suppliers publish it, but rarely volunteer it, and the waiting-time clause in particular is the one that surprises people: a crew that is not ready when the truck arrives is paying by the quarter hour.
What fees do to the effective price
At $135 a yard with a $200 short-load fee, the same concrete costs wildly different amounts depending on how much you order:
| Order | Material | Short load | Total | Effective per yard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yd³ | $135 | $200 | $335 | $335 |
| 2 yd³ | $270 | $200 | $470 | $235 |
| 3 yd³ | $405 | $150 | $555 | $185 |
| 5 yd³ | $675 | — | $675 | $135 |
The lesson is not “order more to get a better rate.” It is that the first three yards carry almost all of the fixed cost, so two small pours on separate weekends pay that fixed cost twice. If a shed slab and a walkway are both on your list this year, pouring them together is usually the single largest saving available to a homeowner.
Where bags genuinely beat the truck
Set the two against each other at $135 a yard, $200 short load, and $6.50 for an 80 lb bag: 45 bags per yard costs $292.50, while one delivered yard costs $335. Bags win below about 1.3 yards, and the crossover moves with the fees, not with the concrete.
What that comparison leaves out is your time. At the crossover you are mixing something like 57 bags — four to five hours of work with a helper — so the saving is real but it is paid for in labour, not collected. Below half a yard, where delivery minimums dominate, the bag decision is straightforward. Between one and two yards it is a genuine trade rather than a clear answer.
Three questions that prevent a bad invoice
- “Can you send a second truck the same day if we run short?” If the answer involves a second short-load fee, order the extra half yard up front.
- “Is the yardage billed as ordered or as delivered?” Most bill what leaves the plant, not what lands in your forms. Whatever stays in the drum is yours.
- “What is the total, all in?” Then compare that number, not the per-yard rate, against the next supplier.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a yard of concrete?
$125–$190 delivered for ready-mix in 2026; $290–$400 per yard in 80 lb bags.
Why do bags cost more per yard?
You pay for bagging, retail markup, and your own labor. A yard needs 45 bags of 80 lb mix.
What fees should I expect?
Short-load fees, delivery, weekend premiums, and pump charges — ask for the full fee schedule before ordering.
What is a short-load fee?
A charge of roughly $100 to $250 applied when the order is below the supplier's minimum, usually 3 to 5 cubic yards. It covers the fixed cost of sending a truck that is not full.
How much is concrete per yard delivered?
About $125 to $190 for ready-mix in 2026, before fees. With a short-load fee on a one-yard order the effective price can exceed $300 a yard.
Is it cheaper to pour two small slabs at once?
Almost always. The fixed fees apply per delivery, so combining a shed pad and a walkway into one pour avoids paying the short load, delivery, and weekend premium twice.
Do I pay for concrete left in the truck?
Usually yes. Most suppliers bill what leaves the plant, so concrete that stays in the drum or comes back unused is still on your invoice.
Note: Ranges are 2026 planning estimates, not quotes. Confirm the delivered price and fee schedule with a local supplier.
Related: Concrete cost by state · Bags per yard · All material calculators