What a yard costs before anyone shows up

Ready-mix, by region

Dollars per cubic yard, material on the truck, before fees. Southeast plants — the Carolinas included — often land in the low-to-mid range. West Coast is the high end.

• NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, TN

  Southeast

  $125–155/ yard

• OH, IL, IN, MI, MO, WI

  Midwest

  $120–165/ yard

• NY, NJ, PA, MA, MD

  Northeast

  $160–200/ yard

• CA, OR, WA

  West Coast

  $175–220/ yard

• TX, AZ, CO, UT, NM

  Mountain & Southwest

  $140–180/ yard

The fees on the yard

• Short load

  Common under about 4–5 yards. A flat fee or a higher per-yard rate. On a stoop it can double the ticket.

• Delivery / mileage

  Some plants zone it. Some charge per mile past a radius. Ask before you assume the yard price is the price.

• Saturday and heat

  Weekend pours and cold-weather hot water are extra. Schedule the truck on a weekday if you can.

• Pump

  If the chute cannot reach the form, a pump is its own bill — setup plus a per-yard charge.

• Held truck

  If you are not ready when they arrive, the meter runs. Forms, base, and crew should be done first.

Bags

Shelf prices move. Yields do not. Figure about $5–7 for a 60 lb bag and $6–9 for an 80. That lands near $300–450 a yard in bags, against $125–175 for the truck — before the short-load fee decides the small jobs.

Three jobs, with 10% waste

Material only, at $150 a yard so you can compare. Your plant will not match this number. The shape of the answer will.

• 4 × 5 ft, 4 in

  Stoop

  Under a yard. Bags. A truck minimum will cost more than the mud.

  0.3ydAsk for 0.5 · $41 mud · 13 × 80 lb

• 16 × 20 ft, 4 in

  Patio

  A normal backyard pad. Ready-mix, and ask about the short-load fee.

  4.3ydAsk for 4.5 · $652 mud · 196 × 80 lb

• 12 × 40 ft, 5 in

  Driveway

  Full truck territory. Bags here are a weekend you will regret.

  8.1ydAsk for 8.25 · $1,222 mud · 367 × 80 lb