Concrete is the most widely used structural and composite material that is used on construction sites. It is composed of aggregate fluid that is bonded together with a cement fluid and hardens as time passes. The reason is that concrete becomes hard and sticks to the material with each other.
The concrete is a mixture of portland cement and mineral aggregate like sand and gravel with an adequate amount of water. People combine these substances to make a paste and this all gets set within some time and binds the entire mass. This mixture contains 10 to 15% of cement with 65 to 75% aggregates like gravel, sand, and crushed stone and 15 to 20% of water.
The hardness of the material is unbreakable after mixing this mixture. But the important thing is that most people want to know how expensive is concrete? As concrete is the second most widely used substance after water and is used in the construction of almost every building.
But the high demand for concrete can result in enhancing its prices. Due to this reason, people find it hard to complete the construction within the budget. In this article, we will discuss thoroughly how the cost of concrete is measured and what factors that affect the cost of concrete.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s begin the discussion.
What is the Cost of Concrete?
The cost of concrete differs according to the area and quality. Therefore people get confused easily about how expensive is concrete. The average cost of good-quality concrete is 117 dollars per cubic yard. It means you can get high-quality concrete at the price range between $104 per cubic yard and $144 per cubic yard.
In addition, according to the NRMCA (National Ready Mixed Concrete Association), the updated cost of high-quality concrete is around $108 per cubic year to $113 per cubic yard. In other words, $8 to $18 per square foot.
The labor and materials rates are typically charged per square foot rather than per cubic yard when you hire someone to install a concrete slab for you. You have to pay per cubic yard when you order concrete in bulk. The price of concrete varies based on the concrete’s strength, how much you order, and the distance the delivery company needs to travel if you order concrete online.
Which Factors Affect the Cost of Concrete?
We have discussed above that homeowners pay between $104 per cubic yard to $144 per cubic yard to buy the concrete truck. But costs for concrete projects are influenced by different factors.
The price range gets changed if your home is out of delivery range.
Therefore before buying concrete it is important to know all the factors that affect the cost of concrete and get to know how expensive is concrete. To help people in calculating the right cost of cement here we will discuss all the factors shortly.
So have a look at these factors and see if these factors change the cost of concrete.
- Quality of Concrete: The more high-quality concrete you use, the more you have to pay.
- Material Cost: The cost of any concrete project is influenced by the material and supplies.
- Delivery Distance: You have to pay for the extra distance if your property does not come in the delivery range.
- Labor Rate: The expenditure of the product is affected by the local labor wages of the state.
- Site Conditions: If the condition of your place is not ideal then the project estimate can shoot up.
- Project Schedule: if the schedule of the concrete project is too small for the work then costs tend to be high.
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- Delivery Day: If you want to get concrete on the weekend then you have to pay extra cost.
- Pre-Mixed Concrete Bags: The concrete bags contain the paste the builders made with different materials. By buying these bags you can save time but you have to spend more money
This was just a short review of the factors. But for you, we have discussed all the factors in detail so have a look at all the factors keenly till the very end.
Quality of Concrete
If you buy strong quality concrete then you have to pay more for that concrete per cubic yard. But if you want to save money, then go for medium-quality concrete. Because not all types of concrete are available at the same time and the strength of the concrete decides the price rate.
To enhance the quality of the lower price concrete you can add extra material to it that makes it stronger. In this way, you can achieve high-quality concrete and save money. The other disadvantage of high-quality concrete is that it is not portable. Builders need machines to move such concrete and use it in the construction of building sites.
Material Costs
The cost of any concrete construction project is directly affected by the materials and supplies and the associated shipping charges influence the concrete cost and make them expensive.
Delivery distance
The other factor that affects the cost of the concrete is the delivery distance. The concrete companies take no delivery charges within a specified distance. Usually, they provide free delivery to the people who want the concrete within 20 miles. But if you live away from this range.
Then you have to pay the delivery charges. The more distance after 20 miles means more charges. But you can avoid these extra charges by contacting the concrete company that is near your house. In this way, you do not have to wait for a long time and pay the delivery charges.
So try to find a concrete company near your home and discuss your requirements to get the right amount of concrete with high-end quality.
Labor Rates
Labor rates ais another factor to consider as the expenditure of any concrete project is affected by the local labor rates that are specified by the state. However, the bill for these rates can be calculated correctly by the use of construction timesheet software that allows construction employees to record their time on the job digitally.
Site Conditions
The project estimates can shoot up if site conditions are not ideal according to the cement contractors. Conditions like this include poor soil quality, wetlands, contamination, utility, and environmental or traffic issues.
Project Schedule
The project costs tend to be on the higher side if the project schedule is too small for the type of work. Projects with a significant liquidated damage clause are involved in this.
Delivery day
After a delivery distance, the next factor is the delivery day that affects the cost of the concrete. There are no extra charges if you order the concrete on normal days.
But if you buy concrete on the weekend then you have to pay the extra charges. So make sure to avoid ordering the concrete on the weekend.
Pre-mixed concrete bags
If you are wondering how expensive is concrete then the cost of pre-mixed concrete bags is quite high. This is because these bags have other elements that help concrete to get hard. By using these bags builders just have to mix water in the combination to make a paste. But you can avoid the extra cost by ordering just concrete.
All the other material that builders mix in the concrete is available at a low rate. So there is no need to waste extra money on the bags.
Extra Services
The extra services also affect the cost of concrete. These services include the
- Concrete Installation
- Landscaping
- Concrete Removal
In addition to these services timing of bid and contingency are also included. You can hire professional workers that charge less money if you want to acquire the construction work within your budget line.
Wrapping It All Up!!!
how expensive is concrete? Indeed the cost of concrete is high. But if you want to get concrete service at affordable prices then you should consider all of these factors that can enhance the prices of concrete. By avoiding these factors you can save money. So, whenever you are going to hire any installation company or either it is a DIY project, just keep these factors in your mind and help yourself.
