How Much Does Concrete Delivery Cost Per Cubic Metre in 2026?

Ask three suppliers what a cubic metre of concrete costs and three different numbers come back, none of which quite matches the final bill. The headline price per cubic metre is only ever half the story, because delivery, minimum charges, and part-load fees can add more to the total than the grade itself. For a homeowner pouring a driveway or a builder planning foundations, that gap between the quoted rate and the delivered cost is exactly where budgets slip. Knowing what concrete delivery actually costs in 2026, and what quietly pushes it up, is what keeps a pour affordable from the first quote to the final invoice.

The Average Cost of Concrete Delivery Per Cubic Metre

Across most of the UK in 2026, ready-mixed concrete costs between £100 and £160 per cubic metre supplied. The figure moves with the grade, the volume ordered, and the region, and London and the South East sit at the higher end of that band. For a standard domestic mix on a site a mixer can reach easily, most projects land somewhere in the middle of the range.

What surprises people is how much the volume shifts the rate rather than the grade. The fixed costs behind every load, including the batching, the mixer, and the driver, stay much the same whether a job needs one cubic metre or eight. Spread across a small order, those costs push the price per metre up sharply, while a full load brings it right down. Getting the volume right is the single biggest lever a buyer controls.

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Concrete Delivery Cost by Grade

The grade sets the starting point for any concrete delivery, since stronger mixes use more cement and cost more to batch. These are typical 2026 delivered prices per cubic metre by grade.

Concrete grade	Typical use	Delivered cost per m³
C20 / C25	Paths, shed bases, light foundations	£105 to £115
C25 / C30	Foundations, driveways, general slabs	£115 to £130
C30 / C37	Commercial floors, heavy-duty slabs	£125 to £135
C35 / C40	Structural and industrial work	£135 to £150
Waterproof and specialist mixes	Basements and water-retaining structures	£165 to £189

The grade should always match the job rather than the budget. An underspecified mix that cracks or fails costs far more to put right than the small saving between one grade and the next.

What Affects the Cost of Concrete Delivery

Two loads of the same size can carry very different price tags. These are the factors that decide where a concrete delivery lands, and where a budget is won or lost.

Concrete Grade

Grade is the first lever on price, since stronger mixes use more cement, the costliest ingredient. As the table above shows, a light path mix and a structural mix can differ by £40 or more per cubic metre. Specifying only the strength the job genuinely needs keeps this part of the cost under control.

The Volume You Order

Volume moves the price per metre more than anything else, because the fixed cost of the batch, the mixer, and the driver is shared across the whole load. A small order carries those costs thinly and pays dearly per metre, while a full load spreads them out. Roughly how the rate falls as the load grows:

• One to two cubic metres pay the highest rate per metre
• Four to five cubic metres start to approach the average
• Six cubic metres or more reach the best rate available

For most jobs, ordering closer to a full load is the biggest single saving on the invoice.

Part-Load and Minimum Charges

Ordering below a supplier’s minimum brings charges that catch buyers out, and on a small pour they can double the effective rate.

The Small-Load Trap

Loads under about three or four cubic metres attract a part-load surcharge, often £15 to £30 per cubic metre short or a flat fee, and most suppliers set a minimum charge of around £200 to £300. A single cubic metre delivered can work out near £250 in total.

Delivery Distance and Site Access

The further a site sits from the batching plant, the more the delivery adds, and standard delivery generally runs £50 to £200. Access counts just as much as distance, since a mixer that cannot pull close to the pour may need extra time or a pump, both of which lift the final figure.

Pump Hire

Where the truck cannot reach the pour, a pump carries the concrete the rest of the way and adds a clear line to the bill.

Pump type	Typical cost	Best for
Line pump	From around £275	Smaller pours and tight access
Boom pump	Up to £800	Large or hard-to-reach pours

Booking the pump alongside the concrete from one supplier keeps the whole pour on a single schedule and avoids paying two firms to coordinate.

Timing of the Pour

Standard weekday slots carry the lowest rate. Out-of-hours and Saturday deliveries often add around 15%, since they fall outside normal plant hours. A weekday booking made with a little notice sidesteps that premium entirely.

Region and Location

Where a project sits sets the baseline for every figure above. London and the South East typically run around 15 to 25% higher than the North of England, driven by higher plant, labour, and haulage costs. Comparing quotes from suppliers in the same area gives a far truer picture than any national average.

VAT and the Final Figure

The rate quoted is very often the pre-VAT figure, which changes the total more than buyers expect.

Don’t Forget VAT

At 20%, VAT adds a fifth to the whole bill, and delivery or pumping may appear as separate lines on top. Confirming whether a quote is inclusive is the only fair way to compare one supplier against another.

Total Cost of a Concrete Delivery in 2026

Putting the pieces together shows what a real pour costs. Take a typical six cubic metre load of C25/C30 for a set of house foundations. A full six cubic metre delivery usually falls between £700 and £1,960, averaging around £1,170 with standard delivery included. Adding pump hire where access is tight, and VAT on top, firms the figure up quickly.

For that job the bill comes together as:

• The concrete itself, six cubic metres at the C25/C30 rate
• Delivery to the site
• Pump hire, if the access requires it
• VAT at 20% on the total

A full load like this is where ready-mixed concrete becomes most cost-effective per cubic metre. Ordering one full load instead of several part loads keeps the overall cost lower. Pro-Mix Concrete makes that easier by supplying concrete across London in both delivered ready-mixed and fresh on-site options. Each batch is made to the exact grade and volume your job needs, helping you avoid paying a small-load premium more than once.

How to Reduce Your Concrete Delivery Cost

A few decisions make a real difference to what a concrete delivery costs:

• Order a full load where possible to avoid part-load surcharges
• Combine nearby jobs into one delivery rather than several small ones
• Book the concrete and any pump hire together from a single supplier
• Clear the access route so the mixer can get as close as possible to the pour
• Avoid weekend and out-of-hours slots wherever the schedule allows
• Work out the volume accurately, with a small buffer, to prevent a second delivery
• Confirm whether each quote includes VAT, delivery, and pumping before comparing

Small planning choices like these usually save more than switching supplier for a slightly lower headline rate.

FAQs

How much does concrete delivery cost per cubic metre in the UK?

In 2026, ready-mixed concrete costs roughly £100 to £160 per cubic metre supplied, depending on the grade, the volume, and the region. London and the South East sit at the higher end of that range. Delivery and any pump hire are charged on top of the mix.

How much does it cost to deliver six cubic metres of concrete?

A full six cubic metre load usually costs between £700 and £1,960 delivered, averaging around £1,170 with standard delivery included. Pump hire and VAT are added where they apply. A load this size gives one of the best rates per cubic metre available.

Is there a minimum order for ready-mix concrete?

Most suppliers set a minimum charge of around £200 to £300, or a minimum load of about three to four cubic metres. Ordering below that level brings a part-load surcharge. Very small jobs are often better suited to bagged concrete instead.

Why does a small load of concrete cost more per cubic metre?

The fixed costs of batching, a mixer, and a driver stay much the same whatever the load size, and a small order spreads them across fewer metres. A part-load surcharge then adds to it. A single cubic metre delivered can work out near £250 in total.

Takeaway

The cost of concrete delivery comes down to grade, volume, and the charges added on top, from delivery and pumping to VAT. Ordering a full load of the right grade, planning site access, and choosing a weekday slot can help keep the price per cubic metre as low as reasonably possible.

Those choices are easier to plan when you know exactly how much concrete the project needs. Pro-Mix Concrete supplies ready-mixed and on-site mixed concrete across London and the surrounding areas, batched to the exact grade and volume required and delivered ready to pour. Use the free online concrete calculator to size the pour, then call Pro-Mix on 0800 772 3808 for a confirmed project quote.