If you want a building material that can be used for anything from pools to houses to driveways, concrete is what you’re looking for. No matter the project, concrete can fulfill your needs. However, it is smart to see how much your budget can handle before you start your endeavor.
A typical yard of concrete costs between $113 and $126, or about $2.83 to $3.57 per square foot of concrete. It will cost an additional $2.52 to $2.60 per square foot for the labor. Price per cubic yard varies depending on thickness, additives, and the difficulty of your installation.
If $113-$126 per cubic yard seems like it can fit into your budget, it is time to start planning your project. Before you do that, read on to see price points for labor, installation, and additives.
We’ve also compiled 35+ real-life examples of how much customers paid for a cubic yard of concrete, as well as a quote from a concrete company telling how much they charge for a yard of concrete to give you a realistic view of how much your project will cost.
Table of Contents
The Cost Of Concrete
As you read earlier, a cubic yard of concrete costs an average of $113-$126 for a complete installation. This price point is the average for delivery, labor, and placement within the United States, but more than just concrete goes into the price of a cubic yard.
The first thing to do when calculating how much your project will cost per yard is to measure how many cubic yards of concrete you will be using.
Many companies charge extra if you do not meet a minimum set by them, so it is vital to know how many yards you will be buying.
Once you know how many cubic yards will be needed, it is time to get into the nitty-gritty aspects: the PSI, reinforcements, and labor.
“PSI” means Pounds per Square Inch, and it refers to how much weight your concrete can handle. This is extremely important to factor in when you are using concrete as calculating the wrong PSI will result in cracks, buckles, and breaks.
The average PSI for residential projects (driveways, sidewalks, walkways, and floors) is 2,500 PSI, whereas more intense projects should have higher PSI.
| PSI | Project |
|---|---|
| 2,500 PSI | – Driveways – Sidewalks – Walkways – Floors |
| 3,000 PSI | – Heavy Construction – Foundations – Floor Slabs – Beams and Footings |
| 4,000 PSI | – Pavement – Commercial Projects – High-traffic Areas |
| 5,000 PSI | – High Impact Areas – Specialty Construction |
Once you configure your PSI, it is time to look at reinforcements. Reinforcements are materials that are added to the concrete to strengthen its PSI.
Reinforcements cost an average of $00.15 and $00.30 per square foot, or about $32.40-$64.80 per cubic yard. This price is added to the price of your concrete.
Related article: What Concrete Requires No Reinforcement?
Other basic costs are grading the soil below your concrete by adding gravel or sand ($12-$18 per cubic yard) and paying for forms and finishing ($1.50-$2.00 per square foot).
Labor costs for concrete workers are about $45 per hour, with delivery fees averaging $60 per hour.
These prices will accumulate, and if you are not willing to pay for these necessary additives, DIY installation is an option.
The cheapest way to do a DIY concrete installation is to rent the equipment and buy pre-mixed bags of concrete. Pre-mixed concrete can be bought for about $5.00 a bag and you can rent concrete mixers for around $120/day from your local hardware store.
Also Read: How Many Bags of Concrete Equal a Yard?
DIY installation is appealing, but it is important to remember that concrete pouring is grueling work that is often best left to the professionals. A pallet of concrete will typically yield just under one cubic yard (0.76 cubic m) of finished concrete, so you might need a lot of bags.
Concrete Price Variants
Now that we have the basic concrete costs covered, it is time to look into other price variants.
Common reasons for price changes in concrete per cubic yard are:
- Time of week: Most contracting companies have a fee for weekend deliveries, but these prices are very specific to each company. To figure out your weekend fee, get quotes from a local company.
- Delivery: Delivery averages $60, but there are often added fees for further drives. Expect to pay about $10 extra per mile over 20 miles for delivery.
- Customizations: Making your concrete fit your space is always fun, but these customizations add up. Stamping costs $8-$12 per square foot, staining costs $2-$4 per square foot, and colored concrete adds 10%-30% more to the base cost of your project.
- Thickness: Average concrete thickness is 6″, but prices will drop for thinner slabs and rise for thicker slabs. Keep in mind that every area has building codes that specify how thick concrete must be.
Also Read: Concrete Pricing Guide: All the Facts and Figures
Real Examples Of Concrete Prices
After reading about all the cost variances and price points, you might be wondering just how accurate these estimates are. We thought this would happen, so we searched online forums to find examples of what people around the United States paid for a cubic yard of concrete.
Below is a list of 35 real-life examples of how much a cubic yard cost in different states.
| State | Price per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| Arizona | $114 per cubic yard |
| Arkansas | $115 per cubic yard |
| California | $105 per cubic yard |
| California | $125 per cubic yard |
| Colorado | $112 per cubic yard |
| Florida | $115 per cubic yard |
| Illinois | $92 per cubic yard |
| Illinois | $117 per cubic yard |
| Iowa | $92 per cubic yard |
| Iowa | $100 per cubic yard |
| Iowa | $117 per cubic yard |
| Kansas | $85 per cubic yard |
| Kansas | $110 per cubic yard |
| Kansas | $120 per cubic yard |
| Kentucky | $111 per cubic yard |
| Louisana | $105 per cubic yard |
| Massachusets | $105 per cubic yard |
| Michigan | $100 per cubic yard |
| Michigan | $100 per cubic yard |
| Minnesota | $98 per cubic yard |
| Mississippi | $135 per cubic yard |
| Missouri | $130 per cubic yard |
| New Mexico | $125 per cubic yard |
| North Carolina | $105 per cubic yard |
| North Carolina | $200 per cubic yard |
| Ohio | $105 per cubic yard |
| Oregon | $111 per cubic yard |
| Tennessee | $90 per cubic yard |
| Texas | $90 per cubic yard |
| Texas | $100 per cubic yard |
| Texas | $120 per cubic yard |
| Washington | $114 per cubic yard |
| West Virginia | $107 per cubic yard |
| Wisconsin | $100 per cubic yard |
| Wisconsin | $110 per cubic yard |
Quotes From A Professional
Hopefully, the information we’ve provided has been helpful up to this point. One more thing we thought was important to include is a quote from a concrete contracting company.
We asked what they charge per cubic yard (the standard measurement for concrete work), what their minimum order size is, and what fees are associated with getting concrete delivered and installed.
Q: What do you charge per cubic yard of concrete?
A: We charge $106 per cubic yard with a $5.00 charge for each cubic yard of extra fiber reinforcement.
Q: What is your company’s order minimum? Is there a fee associated with this minimum?
A: The minimum order is 3 cubic yards. We charge $110 if you cannot meet this minimum.
Q: What is the cost of delivery?
A: Delivery costs are $50.00 for delivery within 20 miles of the shop. If we have to deliver further than that, we charge $9.50 per extra mile.
Q: What other fees are associated with concrete installation?
A: A common fee is a weekend fee. Our weekend fee (for a Saturday or Sunday delivery and installation) is $50.00.
