Concrete is one of the world’s most commonly used building materials due to its strength, durability, and versatility. If you are laying a foundation, constructing driveways, or creating pathways, concrete plays a critical role in the longevity and stability of most structures. Many people face a key decision when it comes to small to medium-sized projects: should you buy ready-mix concrete or mix it yourself?

In this article, we will explore the various factors involved in making this decision, analyze each option’s costs, benefits, and drawbacks, and ultimately help you decide which is the better choice for your project. 

What is Ready-Mix Concrete?

Ready-mix concrete is an already mixed concrete that arrives at your working site for you to begin work with it.  

Ready-mix concrete is produced in a batching plant according to standardized mix designs. After the concrete is mixed, it is loaded into a specially designed truck called a transit mixer. The transit mixer is specially designed with a revolving drum to keep the concrete in a workable position when transporting it. Ready-mix concrete has to be delivered to the construction site within a specific time frame to maintain its fresh properties. When the transit mixer arrives at the worksite, the ready-mix concrete is discharged directly into designated areas. 

Mixing Your Own Concrete

On the other hand, manual concrete mixing also called on-site concrete mixing is when concrete is been mixed on the site for use. This process involves blending the cement, water, aggregates, and admixtures by yourself, and then adjusting the mixtures as needed. 

Manual concrete mixing is mainly used for small-scale projects and repairs. It often requires a skilled workforce and proper knowledge of concrete mixing to ensure the quality and consistency of the final product. 

Cost Comparison: Ready-Mix Concrete vs. Mixing It Yourself

Let’s take a good look at the cost comparison for both ready-mix concrete and mixing it yourself.

Ready-mix Concrete

1. Materials: In general, the material for ready-mix concrete tends to be higher, since the conveniences of your concrete coming ready-mixed with the correct ratio of cement, sand aggregates, and other required admixtures have been paid for. 

2. Delivery Cost: The quantity ordered may be required by the manufacturers that you pay for delivery. 

3. Equipment: Since you are making use of ready-mix concrete, there is no need to purchase or rent additional equipment. 

Mixing Your Own Concrete

1. Materials: For mixing your concrete, the cost of raw materials can be lower, but they will be purchased in bulk so that sufficient ratio requirements can be met. Also, you might need additional quantity for any spillage or error.

2. Equipment Purchase/Rental: Equipment like shovels, cement mixers, and individual ingredients among others is required. 

3. Labor: Higher costs will be needed if additional labor is required.

4. Waste: Even when handled by a professional, it’s still very possible for errors or spillage to happen, and this will lead to wastage and lead to you incurring additional unnecessary costs. 

What are the Benefits of Ready-Mix Concrete? 

1. Quality And Consistency: Ready-mix concrete offers a remarkable degree of consistency and quality assurance that is difficult to attain through on-site mixing. The exact mix ratios and regulated conditions guarantee that every batch fulfills the designated strength and durability standards.

2. Time Efficiency: Utilizing ready-mix concrete can greatly shorten project timelines, aiding in the adherence to deadlines. As the concrete is supplied and ready for immediate application, construction activities can advance without the interruptions typically linked to on-site mixing.

3. Reduced Labor Requirements: Mixing concrete independently can be quite laborious. Even if you opt to hire or purchase a concrete mixer, you will still need to manually load the materials and oversee the mixing process to prevent overflow caused by an overly wet or excessively full mixture. Additionally, there is a concern about site cleanliness. It is essential to maintain a tidy work environment, which entails cleaning up any stray shoveling efforts or spills from your wheelbarrow. Furthermore, you will need to wash out the mixer and return it to the rental provider, who may impose additional charges for cleaning if they find your standards unsatisfactory. Utilizing ready-mix concrete eliminates all these challenges, allowing you to focus solely on ensuring that your concrete is placed correctly and meets your desired specifications.

4. Reduced Labour Costs: Mixing concrete needs some amount of workforce, but if you opt-in for ready-mix concrete, that can help you save some cost when on site. 

What are the Benefits of Mixing your own concrete? 

1. Flexibility: When mixing your own concrete, you can adjust the mix design to meet a specific project’s needs. The materials’ proportions can be adjusted to achieve desired properties, such as workability, strength, and setting time. 

2. Cost Control: If having smaller projects, investing in equipment at first might be justified by the ability to control material costs more closely. Also if you source local materials, this can sometimes lead to saving costs. 

Conclusion: Is It Cheaper to Buy Ready-Mix Concrete or Mix It Yourself?

The answer to this question still depends on some factors like the scale of the project, labor availability, and your also your level of expertise. If you are having a simple and small project, mixing the concrete yourself could save you some cost rather than opting for ready-mix concrete. However, for medium to large-scale projects, ready-mix concrete is often better for such projects considering equipment, materials, and labor costs among other costs, considering the waste that might occur. 

If on a tight schedule, and need to speed up your project, save labor, money, and headaches, and also if your project demands the same quality of concrete, then we advise you to opt-in for the ready-mix concrete, and you can contact us for your affordable and quality ready-mix concrete in London, Kent, and Essex.  

So, this brings us to say in the choice between ready-mix concrete and mixing concrete yourself, the choice you want to opt for should be based on labor cost, time, total cost, and also the level of the project. 

Frequently Asked Questions