How Much Does Concrete Cost Per Yard in 2024?

Concrete Cost Factors

Concrete costs per yard depend on several important factors, such as delivery fees, labor, location, and more. 

PSI Rating

PSI stands for pounds per square inch and refers to the relative strength of the concrete, which ranges from 2,500 psi to 5,000 psi for most applications. Stronger concrete is more expensive because it has to support heavier loads. 

• Load-bearing structures like foundations and basements require 3,000 to 5,000 psi. At $150 per cubic yard and up, these stronger concrete slabs cost more than lower-psi concrete. 

• Non-load-bearing structures only require 2,500 to 3,000 psi, which usually costs $120 to $140 per cubic yard. Concrete patios cost less than covering the same area for a basement or structural pier. 

Delivery Fees

Most local concrete delivery companies include the cost of delivery within a certain radius, often in the range of 15 to 20 miles. Beyond that, expect to pay an additional $10 per mile for every delivery load. For example, if the concrete company includes delivery up to 20 miles and your home is 30 miles from the mixing site, you’d pay an extra $100 for the added distance. 

Companies may also charge other fees, such as if you order less than a truckload or request a delivery over the weekend or after standard working hours. Short-load fees can be as high as $40 to $60 per cubic yard, and after-hours deliveries cost an extra $8 per cubic yard. 

Equipment 

Along with the concrete delivery truck, you may need to rent certain tools or equipment for your home improvement project. Floats and other large concrete tools cost $15 to $100 per day or more. Here are some average equipment rental fees for context.

Location

Regional variations in the price of concrete per cubic foot or cubic yard are due to differences in availability, the cost of aggregate materials, and the cost of transportation. 

You may notice higher prices in areas with cold winter climates because suppliers have to protect the concrete during freeze-thaw cycles each year. Local regulations and labor costs can also affect your concrete cost per yard.

Labor

The labor cost is crucial when calculating how much concrete steps cost to build compared to concrete driveway costs. Examples include grading the site, laying a sub-base, setting up concrete forms, finishing concrete, and adding reinforcements like wire mesh. Other labor costs include:

• Land clearing: $2 per square foot

• Professional concrete pouring and finishing: $5.50–$9 per square foot 

• Overtime charges: $70 per hour (if it takes more than seven to eight minutes to unload each cubic yard)  

Permits

Local regulations may require you to buy permits for your concrete-related task. Building permits cost anywhere from $50 to $1,000. While you may not need permits for a small concrete wall cost estimate, permits can add significantly to your concrete house cost. Check with your local building office and other authorities before starting any work.

Concrete Cost by Amount

Most concrete delivery companies offer a rate estimate based on the number of cubic yards, but they may quote in cubic feet or tons depending on the nature of your project. 

Cost per Cubic Yard

On average, standard concrete costs $120 to $170 per cubic yard, including delivery and materials. 

Cost per Cubic Foot

The average cost of concrete per cubic foot ranges from $4.50 to $6.30. To get your concrete cost per cubic foot, divide the concrete cost per yard by 27. Remember that small orders often come at a significant premium, so your effective cost of concrete per cubic foot can be a fair bit higher.

Cost per Ton

Bulk concrete for large commercial projects is often priced at cost per ton. Depending on the psi and other factors, bulk concrete costs $60 to $75 per ton. One ton is roughly equivalent to 0.5 cubic yards. Put another way, one cubic yard is about two tons. 

How to Calculate How Much Concrete You Need

To determine how much concrete you need, multiply the length, width, and height of the slab in feet. This gives you the total cubic feet. Divide this number by 27 to find the number of cubic yards.

For a typical concrete sidewalk cost estimate, multiply the length (40 feet), the width (5 feet), and the height (4 inches, or 0.33 feet) to get 66.67 cubic feet. Divided by 27, this works out to just under 2.5 cubic yards of concrete. 

Use our online concrete calculator to help determine how much concrete you need for your project. 

Concrete Mix vs. Ready-Mixed Concrete Costs

Dry concrete mix—or pre-mixed concrete—needs to be prepared at the work location. Site-mixed concrete requires a weight batch mixer on site so water can be added to the blend of sand, aggregate, and cement. A 60-pound bag of concrete mix costs about $6 and yields 0.45 cubic feet. One cubic yard requires 60 bags, not including wastage, for a total cost of around $360 per cubic yard. It’s best suited for very small projects.

Ready-mixed concrete is prepared in a plant or facility and transported to the job site in a concrete delivery truck with a rotating rear-mounted agitator barrel. When it arrives at the job site, ready-mixed concrete is ready to pour and use. It costs $120 to $170 per cubic yard and is best for larger projects.

Concrete Replacement vs. Repair

The nature of your project helps determine whether it makes more sense to repair or replace the concrete. Concrete sidewalks can last up to 50 years on average, so it may be more cost-effective to repair minor damage if the sidewalk is less than 10 years old. The concrete foundation for a building often can’t be replaced without tearing down the existing structure.

In either case, account for concrete demolition costs when calculating your project’s budget. There may also be costs involved in properly removing and disposing of the materials.

Budgeting for Concrete Installation

Concrete delivery can be a significant expense when working on projects like building driveways and patios. However, there are several ways to optimize your budget and minimize costs: 

• Measure twice and buy once. Be extra meticulous when calculating how much concrete you need to avoid requesting multiple less-than-load deliveries.

• Plan ahead. Order concrete as far in advance as possible to take advantage of potential discounts or promotions offered by suppliers. 

• Comparison shop. Ask about prices and fees from multiple local suppliers, especially if they vary in distance from your job site.

• Schedule during the work week. Many companies levy a surcharge for concrete deliveries on weekends, holidays, or after hours. 

• Coordinate with neighbors who are working on similar projects. You may be able to share the delivery cost for concrete.

• Consider pre-mixed bags. Concrete is more expensive per cubic foot, but concrete mix bags may be more cost-effective for smaller projects. 

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.