Tips For Ordering Ready-Mix Concrete For Your Project

If you need concrete to build a patio, sidewalks, a driveway extension, or some other project, you need to decide if you want to work with a bagged mix or ready-mix concrete.

Ready mix is much more convenient to use, but you'll probably need to order a minimum amount, so it's important to know how to calculate the amount of concrete you'll need for your project. Here are tips for working with a ready-mix supplier and how to determine how much concrete mix you need.

How To Determine The Amount Of Concrete You Need

The easiest way to calculate how much concrete you need for your project is to use an online concrete calculator. Enter the width, depth, and length of the slab you want to make into the calculator. The result gives you the number of bags of concrete mix you need as well as the number of cubic yards of ready mix.

This allows you to compare the cost of using each type of concrete mix, but be sure to consider the convenience factor as well as the fact that ready-mix concrete is prepared by professionals and you'll need to make the bagged mix yourself.

You can also call a ready-mix supplier and ask them to calculate how much concrete you need based on your dimensions. This also gives you the chance to find out the minimum cubic yards you can have delivered and if you have to pay a fee for a short load.

Another way to find out how much ready-mix you need is to have a home visit from the concrete company. They can look your project over and tell you how much mix you need and let you know if the trucks can access the site or if the concrete needs to be pumped in.

What To Know About Ordering Ready Mix

There are other things to know about ordering ready-mix besides knowing the amount you need. For instance, concrete mixes have different recipes when it comes to the proportions of the ingredients. The concrete supplier can recommend the right mix based on how you'll use the concrete, how strong you need it to be, or how slow you want it to cure so you can stamp designs in it if you want.

In addition, you'll need to coordinate the delivery time and date so you'll be ready to start spreading the concrete as soon as the truck arrives. Ready-mix usually has to be ordered in advance rather than being a same-day or next-day order.

If you have a choice in concrete suppliers, you may want to order from one closest to you so your order arrives fast and time isn't lost during transport. Once the mix is made, the clock starts ticking on when it will get too hard to work with, even if the mix is being slowly churned in a mixing truck. Coordinating the timing is important so you can get the concrete spread before it gets too hard.

If you need to purchase ready-mix concrete, contact a supplier in your area, such as Whistle Redi-Mix LLC.