1. Total Cost Breakdown & The Short-Load Surcharge
On paper, ready-mix concrete looks vastly cheaper than bagged concrete. At national average rates:
- Standard ready-mix concrete costs between $130 and $170 per cubic yard for a standard 3,500 to 4,000 PSI mix.
- In contrast, 45 bags of 80 lb concrete (equal to 1 cubic yard) cost roughly $225 to $270 plus sales tax.
However, ready-mix companies operate massive 10-wheel transit mixer trucks designed to haul 9 to 11 cubic yards at a time. If you order only 2 or 3 yards, the concrete company will charge a short-load fee (typically ranging from $60 to $150 per truck) to cover driver wages and fuel costs.
| Project Volume | Bagged Concrete Cost (45 bags/yd) | Ready-Mix Cost (Inc. Short-Load) | Cheapest Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Cubic Yard (45 bags) | $245 | $275 – $320 | Bagged Concrete |
| 1.5 Cubic Yards (68 bags) | $370 | $350 – $390 | Even Cost (Tie) |
| 2.0 Cubic Yards (90 bags) | $490 | $410 – $440 | Ready-Mix Truck |
| 3.0 Cubic Yards (135 bags) | $735 | $520 – $560 | Ready-Mix Truck (Huge Savings) |
2. Physical Labor & Cold Joint Risk
Cost is only half of the equation. Hand-mixing 90 bags of concrete means manually lifting, cutting, and emptying 7,200 pounds (3.6 tons) of heavy bags, plus adding 270 quarts of water and mixing continuously.
With ready-mix, the entire pour is dispatched in minutes. All material is in the same state of hydration, ensuring monolithic structural strength across the entire slab.
3. Site Access & Delivery Logistics
Before ordering a ready-mix truck, evaluate your property's physical access:
- Truck Weight: A loaded ready-mix truck weighs between 60,000 and 70,000 lbs (30 to 35 tons). Driving it over residential asphalt or standard concrete driveways can easily crush curbs, crack driveway slabs, and break underground septic lines or sprinkler pipes.
- Chute Reach: Standard concrete chutes reach roughly 12 to 16 feet from the rear of the truck. If your patio or shed is in the backyard, you must either wheelbarrow concrete from the street, hire a concrete buggy, or arrange a line pump truck (adding $400–$700).
- Unload Time Limits: Most ready-mix companies give you 5 to 7 minutes per cubic yard free of charge to discharge the truck. If your crew takes longer to wheelbarrow the concrete into position, demurrage fees ($2 to $4 per minute) kick in.
Compare Your Exact Bag vs. Truck Cost
Enter your project dimensions in our calculator to compare the cost of buying bagged concrete versus scheduling a local ready-mix truck.
Run Cost Comparison →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum amount of concrete a truck will deliver?
Most ready-mix batch plants will deliver as little as 1 cubic yard, but you will pay a short-load fee of $60 to $120. Some companies operate volumetric mobile mixer trucks (mix-on-site trucks) that only bill for the exact cubic feet you use with no waste.
Is ready-mix concrete stronger than bagged concrete?
Both can achieve identical strength (3,500 to 5,000 PSI). However, ready-mix batch plants measure aggregate, cement, and water using precision digital scales, providing superior uniformity. Bagged concrete mixed by hand in wheelbarrows frequently suffers from inconsistent water-cement ratios.
Can I return unopened concrete bags to the store?
Yes. Most major home improvement retailers (Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards) accept returns on dry, intact, unopened concrete bags with a receipt. If you order ready-mix concrete, however, any unused concrete in the truck cannot be returned or refunded.