Construction work can be costly, so it’s important to carefully manage your budget. As ready-mix concrete is the cornerstone of any construction project, you’ll likely be ordering a lot of it; therefore, it’s one of the most important materials to cost up and plan for.

To budget accordingly, you should be aware of the cost of concrete per cubic metre. But what factors affect this figure? The team at Tor Multimix is here to help. 

What is ready-mix concrete? 

Ready-mix concrete is a type of concrete that is batched ahead of time at a concrete plant, rather than being mixed on-site. Ready-mix concrete offers a range of benefits to any construction project: it saves time, maximises convenience and reduces labour costs. 

What factors affect the price of concrete per m³?

If you’ve purchased concrete before, you may notice that ready-mix concrete prices can vary massively between different mixes and suppliers. These figures aren’t plucked out of thin air; they are meticulously calculated to take into account a number of different factors, such as:

• Mix strength: The strength of your ready-mix concrete can be customised depending on the unique needs of your construction project. Cement is the most costly ingredient in a concrete mix, and increased cement means a stronger mix. Therefore, the stronger the mix, the more expensive it is.
  

• Location: The location of your site has an impact on the cost of your concrete – if your chosen concrete company has to travel further to reach you then this will likely increase the cost. The demand for concrete in your region can also have an impact; the more demand there is for concrete, the higher the price.

• Quantity: Somewhat obvious, but the price of your ready-mix concrete is affected based on how much you order. If you’re ever unsure how much concrete you’ll need, why not use our handy concrete calculator?
  

• Access: If your site has limited access or you require concrete in a hard-to-reach area, you may need to hire a specialist concrete pump which will up the price.

• Speciality mixes: There are some construction projects where a standard concrete mix just won’t do and a more specialist product is required – for instance, waterproof concrete or imprinted concrete.
  

• Your chosen concrete supplier: It’s important to choose a reputable concrete company with a trusted reputation, like Tor Multimix. 

Ready-mix concrete vs. self-mix concrete

You might be wondering, why bother with ready-mix concrete? Surely it’s cheaper and easier to order self-mix concrete and mix it yourself on-site?

This isn’t the case and there are a number of advantages that ready-mix concrete has over self-mix:

• Convenient delivery: Typically, when you order self-mix concrete, all of the ingredients will be delivered separately, which can delay the progress of your project. By contrast, ready-mix concrete will arrive in one convenient delivery.
  

• Mix quality: Ready-mix concrete will be batched by a professional in controlled conditions to guarantee a consistent and high-quality product.
  

• Minimal waste: If you’re ordering self-mix concrete, it can be challenging to calculate the exact amount of products you’ll need, and you can often be left with waste. When you order ready-mix concrete from Tor Multimix, you’ll only receive the exact quantity that you require to minimise any waste.

• Safer: Bagged cement releases numerous tiny dust particles into the air which, without the correct PPE, can irritate your skin and lungs.

• Saves time: Whilst you might think that mixing your own concrete will result in a lower bill, this isn’t always the case. Self-mix concrete means increased labour costs and a longer construction timeline, and all of this can contribute towards a larger bill at the end of your project.
  

• BSI accreditation: When you order ready-mix concrete from Tor Multimix, it comes fully backed by BSI accreditation so you can have peace of mind that you’re receiving the highest quality product. However, self-mix concrete comes with no such guarantee.

Are you looking for ready-mix concrete that won’t break the bank? Here at Tor Multimix, we’re committed to providing affordable concrete to all domestic and commercial customers across Glastonbury, Bridgwater, Wells, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol and Bath. 

As an independent, family-run business, we’re totally transparent about our pricing and we’ll always provide a comprehensive quote before beginning any project – that way, you’ll never be blindsided by unexpected costs. We’re happy to provide a full ready-mix concrete price list – simply get in touch with our friendly team today.