You need concrete for a small pour, and the supplier has given you a price per yard. That number is only part of the bill. Delivery, a minimum charge and a short-load fee can matter as much as the mix price.
So a cubic yard of 3,000 PSI concrete is $162 at Townsend Concrete in California and $179 without fiber at Concrete Mix USA in Central Florida. Those are supplier material prices, not installed slab prices.
I checked the menus on October 22, 2026. I will show you the strengths, work through a small delivery example and explain why multiplying the yard price by the quantity can miss several charges.
Concrete Prices Depend on the Mix
Townsend Concrete publishes a regular price and a lower contractor price. The figures below use its regular price, rather than assuming a homeowner qualifies for the discount.
These local menus are examples, not a nationwide average. Match the specified mix, strength and additives on each quote. The cheapest mix on the list is not automatically the mix your project calls for.
Concrete Mix USA also prices 3,000 PSI with fiber at $184 per yard. That is a different mix from its no-fiber line, so keep the specification beside the price.
A Two-Yard Order Worked Out
Townsend’s menu charges $120 per delivery within Vacaville, Dixon or Winters, with a three-yard short-load threshold. For a smaller order, its short-load fee is up to $100, limited by the cost of the missing yardage.
Using its regular 3,000 PSI price for a weekday two-yard order in that area, the calculation is:
That is $544 divided by two, or $272 per delivered yard in this worked example. It is a calculation from Townsend’s menu, rather than an advertised two-yard package.
Townsend’s minimum concrete charge in that zone is one yard. Other zones have different minimums, delivery charges and short-load thresholds, so the same calculation will not apply to every address.
Minimum Orders Can Override the Yard Price
Concrete Mix USA prices a 2.5-yard small load at $750 with up to 50 minutes on site. Its other menu row is three yards at $860, marked over 50 minutes. Ask which option applies to your order.
The Florida supplier describes its prices as delivered within Central Florida, with pumping separate. Do not add a small-load package to another material calculation without checking the terms.
At Townsend, Saturday adds $100 per delivery. Its included unloading time is five minutes per yard, with 20 minutes allowed for loads of four yards or less. Extra standby time is $10 per five minutes.
Have the forms, access and placing crew ready for the agreed delivery window. A truck waiting on site can change a small order’s bill even when the amount of concrete stays the same.
How to Work Out Cubic Yards
For a rectangular area, multiply length in feet by width in feet by thickness in feet, then divide by 27. Convert a thickness measured in inches to feet first.
For example, 10 feet x 12 feet x (4/12 foot) = 40 cubic feet. Then 40 divided by 27 = about 1.48 cubic yards. This is a volume example, not a recommendation for slab thickness.
That nominal volume does not include thickened edges, uneven excavation or other extra volume. Give the supplier the actual dimensions and project specification before settling the order quantity.
What Two US Members Reported Paying
On March 24, 2019, Garage Journal member dw1, with a Kentucky profile, reported a last bill of $120 per yard at a contractor friend’s price.
In a follow-up, the member specified that this mix had no fiber. The discounted 2019 account is useful context for comparing quote terms, rather than a current retail price to expect.
On February 11, 2023, member mike93lx, whose profile gives Richmond, Virginia, reported paying $240 per yard the previous year.
That second post does not itemize the mix or delivery terms. I would not average these two old bills or use them to claim a national 2026 price.
Material Is Different From a Finished Slab
A ready-mix quote supplies concrete. Excavation, base preparation, forms, reinforcement, pumping, placing and finishing can be separate. Ask the contractor to identify those items before comparing its total with a supplier’s yard price.
For a new pad, my concrete slab cost guide separates the slab package from excavation and subbase work, with size and thickness beside each price.
For a complete replacement project, my driveway replacement guide and sidewalk replacement guide cover different scopes from this material guide.
Questions About Buying Concrete by the Yard
Does the yard price include delivery?
Townsend adds delivery by zone. Concrete Mix USA describes its prices as delivered within Central Florida, with pumping separate. Ask for the complete total for your address, quantity and mix.
Is a cubic yard the same as a square yard?
No. A cubic yard measures volume, equal to 27 cubic feet. A square yard measures area. Concrete volume depends on the area’s thickness as well as its length and width.
Is the contractor discount available to everyone?
Not on Townsend’s published terms. It links the discount to an average of four or more deliveries per month. This guide uses its regular price rather than assuming you qualify.
Why can one or two yards cost so much?
Delivery and short-load fees are spread across fewer yards, and a minimum concrete charge may also apply. Ask for the full order total before judging the quote by its material price alone.
Supplier Menus and Owner Accounts
US supplier menus checked October 22, 2026. Historical owner accounts are dated above.
- Townsend Concrete: regular mix prices, discount terms, delivery zones and unloading fees
- Concrete Mix USA: Central Florida mixes and small-load options
- Garage Journal: dw1’s March 24, 2019 price account
- Garage Journal: mike93lx’s February 11, 2023 account
I hope this helps you compare the price of the concrete with the price of getting it to your job. If you have a recent US delivery quote, you can send it to costcheckr@gmail.com.
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