Know how much concrete to order before the truck is booked.
Enter your dimensions for cubic yards, cubic feet and 60lb or 80lb bag counts, with a waste allowance, the cost at your yard price and a line you can drop straight onto an invoice.
Project type
Length (ft)
Width (ft)
Thickness (inches)
4 inch typical slab
Waste percent (%)
10 percent standard
Price per cubic yard ($)
Bag size
Labor rate ($ per sq ft or total)
Quick examples for invoices
Your concrete estimate to invoice
Total to invoice - $204 concrete + $200 labor
Formula text
Invoice line item template for concrete
Line item
The same panel you used above, working out a 20 by 12 foot slab at 5 inches: volume, the waste allowance, bag counts and the cost at your yard price, updating as each field is typed.
Your concrete order
0.00 yd³
Cubic yards with waste
yd³ = L × W × T ÷ 27
If the pour grows
Start with the amount you need to borrow
Jump to any part to replay it. The formulas behind these numbers are set out further down the page.
The volume is the easy part of a concrete job. These are the four places the money goes missing between working out the order and being paid for the pour.
Concrete is rarely half the finished cost. Excavation, hardcore, forms, mesh, labour and the finish are the rest, and a client who was quoted a yard price will argue about every one of them later.
Itemise it once on a written quote and the conversation is over before it starts.
The 10 percent you add for uneven subgrade and what stays in the drum is real money on a large pour. Price it in rather than absorbing it, and note on the quote that surplus concrete cannot be returned once it is batched.
The profit margin calculator checks the job still pays once that is counted.
A pump, a wheelbarrow run, or a supplier's short-load fee can cost more than the concrete on a small job. They are decisions made before the truck is booked, so they belong on the quote rather than on a surprise invoice.
Say plainly what is included and what triggers an extra charge.
Concrete is one of the few trades where the work is unmistakably complete: it is either down or it is not. Bill it that day, with the yardage, the finish and the terms on the page.
The invoice generator takes the same lines you quoted, so the two documents agree.
The number on this page is only real once it survives the quote, the job and the wait to be paid. These are the three documents that decide whether it does, and the other two are free here as well.
Cost in, margin out, or name the margin you need and take the price it gives you. Check it per line rather than across the whole job.
You are herePut the price in writing with what is included, a deposit and a valid-until date, so the figure you calculated is the figure you are held to.
Open the Quote GeneratorBill the day the work is done, with terms, a due date and a stated late fee. Waiting 60 days for payment can cost more than the job earned.
Open the Invoice GeneratorBorrowing to cover the gap between doing the work and being paid? The loan calculator prices that properly, fees included, so you can compare it against simply asking for a deposit.
Calculating concrete in Excel misses waste, bag conversion, and shape formulas. Our calculator prevents short ordering and helps you invoice accurately with cubic yards, bags, cost, total. Part of InvoiceTools suite so you can calculate then create invoice directly. All calculations in browser, no data stored, works on job site.
Accurate cubic yards for invoice
Enter length width thickness. Calculator does cu ft length times width times thickness in feet. Cu yd cu ft divided by 27. Example 10x10 slab 4 inch 33.33 cu ft 1.23 cu yd. Add waste 10 percent for spillage and uneven base.
From estimate to invoice in one click
See concrete cost cu yd with waste times price per yard, labor cost sq ft times rate, total to invoice. Copy invoice line template auto generated with dimensions cu yd bags cost. Paste into InvoiceTools invoice generator.
Unique - Waste, bags, shapes included
Waste 10 percent standard, bag size 80lb 0.6 cu ft 60lb 0.45 cu ft 40lb 0.33 cu ft, shapes slab footing column stairs curb and gutter, price per yard $120 to $200, labor per sq ft $2 to $8. Shows exact vs with waste vs bags.
Built for concrete contractors who invoice
Mobile first works on job site iPhone Android, no app install, client side only. For driveway, patio, sidewalk, foundation, footing, column, curb gutter contractors who invoice concrete jobs and need quick accurate quantity.
Your reference covers many shapes. Below is rewritten in own words with invoice focus. Each shape uses length width depth in feet then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. Use calculator above to avoid manual errors then copy to invoice.
For square or rectangular slabs, square footings, walls, roof slabs. Measure length ft, width ft, thickness or height ft. Thickness 4 inch equals 0.33 ft, 6 inch equals 0.5 ft. Formula cubic yards equals length times width times thickness divided by 27. Example slab 15 ft long 10 ft wide 0.5 ft thick 15 times 10 times 0.5 equals 75 cu ft divided by 27 equals 2.78 cubic yards. Our calculator above does this instantly and shows 80lb and 60lb bags needed for slab quantity. Perfect for quick on site invoices.
Formula: CY = L x W x H(ft) / 27 | Example: 15x10x0.5/27 = 2.78 yd³
For round slabs, circular pads, patios, post holes. Measure radius ft which is diameter divided by 2, and depth ft. Formula cubic yards equals pi times radius squared times depth divided by 27. Pi 3.14. Example circular slab radius 6 ft depth 0.5 ft 3.14 times 36 times 0.5 equals 56.52 cu ft divided by 27 equals 2.09 cubic yards. Use Circular Slabs mode in calculator enter radius and depth get cubic feet cubic yards cubic meters. Ideal for round patio pads or multiple post hole foundations.
Formula: CY = π x r² x Depth / 27 | Example: 3.14x6²x0.5/27 = 2.09 yd³
For deck footings, wall footings, building foundations where structural strength matters. Enter length, width, depth ft into Slabs and Walls setting. Calculator gives cubic feet cubic yards cubic meters instantly useful for multiple footings. Footings use the same rectangular sum as a slab. Example footing 8 ft long 2 ft wide 1.5 ft deep 8 times 2 times 1.5 equals 24 cu ft divided by 27 equals 0.89 cubic yards. Knowing this avoids under or over ordering for stable foundation and accurate invoice.
Formula: CY = L x W x D / 27 | Example: 8x2x1.5/27 = 0.89 yd³
For round footings for columns, piers, post holes. Exact volume avoids waste. Use Hole Column or Round Footings section enter diameter and depth plus quantity. Tool calculates volume in cu ft cu yd cu m for single or multiple round footings in seconds. Pi x radius squared x depth in feet, divided by 27. Example round footing radius 1.5 ft depth 2 ft 3.14 times 2.25 times 2 equals 14.13 cu ft divided by 27 equals 0.52 cubic yards. Measure radius and depth multiply circle area by depth then convert to cubic yards.
Formula: CY = π x r² x D / 27 | Example: 3.14x1.5²x2/27 = 0.52 yd³
For curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, street edges. These are long narrow runs. Enter curb depth, gutter width, curb height, flag thickness, total length ft into Curb and Gutter section. Calculator returns cu ft cu yd cu m without manual math. Formula cubic yards equals length times width times depth divided by 27 using combined cross section. A 100 foot curb, 1.5 feet wide and half a foot deep, comes to 2.78 cubic yards. Measure length width depth convert to cubic yards to buy right amount for invoice.
Formula: CY = L x W x D / 27 | Example: 100x1.5x0.5/27 = 2.78 yd³
For concrete stairs, steps, staircase with platform. Enter rise height, run depth, width, number of steps, platform depth. Calculator estimates total volume cu ft cu yd cu m for small sets or full staircases. Formula cubic yards equals number of steps times length times width times height divided by 27 using single step volume times steps. Example 10 steps each 3 ft long 4 ft wide 0.5 ft tall 10 times 3 times 4 times 0.5 equals 60 cu ft divided by 27 equals 2.22 cubic yards. Knowing how to figure concrete for stairs gives safe sturdy staircase and correct invoice quantity.
Formula: CY = Steps x L x W x H / 27 | Example: 10x3x4x0.5/27 = 2.22 yd³
If you ask how do I calculate concrete yards or yardage for slab footing wall simple process measure length width depth ft use calculator above to do math instantly gives cubic yards so you know exact without guessing and waste. Length x width x depth in feet, divided by 27. Example slab 20 ft long 15 ft wide 6 inch 0.5 ft deep 20 times 15 times 0.5 equals 150 cu ft divided by 27 equals 5.56 cubic yards. Add 10 percent waste 6.12 yd³ to order.
Formula: CY = L x W x D / 27 | Example: 20x15x0.5/27 = 5.56 yd³
To stay on budget know how to calculate cost of concrete. Concrete made from cement, aggregate gravel sand, water. Buy raw separately or ready mix. First calculate cubic yards needed using calculator. Then multiply by price per yard. If mixing yourself price each component cement bags sand gravel water additives. Do not forget delivery fees labor prep finishing. This gives full cost not just concrete but placed and finished. Steps calculate volume cu yd, multiply by cost per yard ready mix or sum materials if mixing on site, add delivery charges, include labor prep finishing. Example ready mix 5 cu yd at $120 per yard plus $75 delivery 5 times 120 equals $600 plus $75 equals $675 total cost. Example mixing on site 1 cu yd cement $150 sand $50 gravel $40 water additives $10 total $250 materials only add labor equipment for final estimate to invoice.
Contractor pricing combines material, labor, equipment, overhead, profit margin. Estimate volume multiply by material cost then add labor and other expenses. This ensures profitable yet competitive price. Example material 4 yards times $100 per yard equals $400 labor 3 hours times $50 per hour equals $150 equipment $50 total before profit equals $600 profit 20 percent equals $120 final price $720 to invoice. Add markup for profit using our profit margin calculator. Part of InvoiceTools so you can calculate cost then create invoice with markup.
To calculate concrete mix right amounts of cement sand gravel water need typical mix ratios scaled by volume for strength and durability. Typical mix ratio cement 1 part sand 2 parts gravel 3 parts water 0.5 part by weight plus additives if needed. For 1 cubic yard about 6 bags cement 94lb each 0.5 cu yd sand 0.75 cu yd gravel 30 gallons water. Adjust for strength 3000 psi 1:2:3, 4000 psi 1:1.5:2.5. Use mix calculator to figure bags and materials then invoice with material list.
Rectangular slab length times width times thickness. 4 inch typical for patio driveway 6 inch for heavy loads. A 10 by 10 slab at 4 inches is 33.33 cubic feet, or 1.23 cubic yards 1.36 with waste. Use for driveway patio sidewalk floor invoices.
Footing length times width times depth. 12 inch wide 12 inch deep typical for residential. Example 20ft long 12 inch wide 12 inch deep equals 20 cu ft 0.74 cu yd. Use for deck footing wall footing building foundation invoices.
Column pi times radius squared times height. Curb gutter long narrow length times average cross section. Stairs steps times rise run width. Example column 12 inch diameter 4ft tall 3.14 cu ft 0.12 cu yd. Use for specialty concrete invoices.
These 4 small calculators are shortcuts from the full calculator above. Each one answers one simple question. Enter your numbers, see instant answer in plain words. All link to full calculator for complete invoice breakdown.
Enter your slab dimensions. We convert thickness from inches to feet and calculate cubic feet and cubic yards. Use this when you know length, width, thickness.
Length
Width
Thickness
Formula: (Length × Width × Thickness/12) = Cubic Feet, ÷27 = Cubic Yards
Result: 33.33 cu ft = 1.23 yd³
Example: 10 ft × 10 ft × 4 in thick = 33.33 cubic feet = 1.23 cubic yards of concrete needed.
Already know cubic yards from above? Enter it and choose bag size. We tell you how many bags to buy. 80lb bag = 0.6 cu ft, 60lb = 0.45, 40lb = 0.33.
Total Concrete
Bag Size
Formula: (Cubic Yards × 27) ÷ Bag cu ft = Number of bags
You need: 56 bags of 80lb bags
Example: 1.23 yd³ = 33.21 cu ft ÷ 0.6 = 56 bags (we round up).
If you have cubic feet from a measurement, convert it to cubic yards. Concrete is sold by cubic yard, so this is needed for ordering.
Cubic Feet You Measured
Formula: Cubic Feet ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards
Result: 1.23 yd³
Example: 33.33 cu ft ÷ 27 = 1.23 cubic yards.
Know your concrete volume? Add price per yard and labor. We calculate concrete cost, total cost, and what to charge on invoice.
Volume (with waste)
Includes 10% waste
Price per Yard
Ready-mix $120-$200
Labor Cost
Flat or per sq ft
Formula: Concrete Cost = Volume × Price per Yard, Total = Concrete Cost + Labor
Concrete cost: $204 | Total to invoice: $404
Example: 1.36 yd³ × $150 = $204 concrete + $200 labor = $404 total to put on invoice.
Concrete Volume Comparison Table - Live Examples
How different shapes convert to cubic yards
| Shape | Formula | Example Input | Result Cubic Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slab 10×10×4in | L×W×H/12 ÷27 | 10×10×0.33 ft | 1.23 yd³ |
| Footing 20ft long | L×W×D ÷27 | 20×1×1 ft | 0.74 yd³ |
| Column 12in dia 4ft | π×r²×H ÷27 | r0.5ft H4ft | 0.12 yd³ |
| Curb 100ft | L×W×D ÷27 | 100×1.5×0.5 ft | 2.78 yd³ |
All values include exact volume. Add 10% waste for ordering. Full calculator above adds waste automatically.
Measure length and width ft thickness inches 4 inch slab typical 6 inch heavy. Calculator converts thickness inches to feet divided by 12. Example 10x10 slab 4 inch 0.33 ft.
Choose slab footing column stairs curb gutter. Enter waste percent 10 percent standard for spillage uneven base. Example 1.23 yd³ plus 10 percent equals 1.36 yd³ to order.
Enter price per cubic yard $150 typical ready mix $120 to $200, bag yields of 0.6, 0.45 and 0.33 cubic feet for 80lb, 60lb and 40lb for bags needed calculation. Example 80lb bag 0.6 cu ft 62 bags for 1.36 yd³.
Enter labor rate per sq ft $2 to $8 or flat. The concrete is priced on the yardage with waste, labour on area or a flat figure, and the two together are what you invoice. Add markup for profit 20 percent.
Copy results or invoice line item template. Example Concrete slab 10x10 4 inch thick 1.36 yd³ with 10 percent waste 62 bags at $150 per yd³ total $404. Paste into InvoiceTools invoice generator to create professional invoice with client name date terms.
Concrete estimate based on [length]x[width] [thickness] inch thick [shape] [waste] percent waste [bags] bags [price] per cubic yard labor [labor]. Total [total] plus tax if applicable delivery fee [delivery] plus. 50 percent deposit required before pour. Includes prep, pour, finish, cleanup.
Slab 10x10 4 inch thick 10 percent waste 80lb bags $150 per yard. Cu ft 33.33 cu yd exact 1.23 with waste 1.36 bags 62 concrete cost $204 labor 100 sq ft times $2 equals $200 total $404 to invoice. Most common patio sidewalk invoice.
Footing 20ft long 12 inch wide 12 inch deep 10 percent waste $150 per yard. Cu ft 20 cu yd exact 0.74 with waste 0.81 bags 37 concrete cost $122 labor $100 total $222 to invoice for deck footing.
Round footing radius 1.5 ft depth 2 ft 10 percent waste. Cu ft 14.13 cu yd 0.52 with waste 0.57 bags 26 concrete cost $86 labor $50 total $136 to invoice for pier footing.
Curb 100 ft long 1.5 ft wide 0.5 ft deep 10 percent waste $150 per yard. Cu ft 75 cu yd 2.78 with waste 3.06 bags 138 concrete cost $459 labor $300 total $759 to invoice for curb gutter job.
Cubic yards equals length ft times width ft times thickness ft divided by 27. Thickness inches divided by 12 to get feet. Example 15x10 slab 0.5 ft thick 15x10x0.5 equals 75 cu ft divided by 27 equals 2.78 cu yd.
Round shapes use the radius, which is half the diameter. Example radius 6 ft depth 0.5 ft 3.14x36x0.5 equals 56.52 cu ft divided by 27 equals 2.09 cu yd.
Yardage with waste equals cubic yards exact times 1 plus waste percent divided by 100. Example 1.23 yd³ plus 10 percent waste equals 1.36 yd³. Always add 10 percent for spillage uneven base.
Bags needed equals cubic feet with waste divided by bag cubic feet. 80lb bag 0.6 cu ft 60lb 0.45 cu ft. Concrete cost equals cubic yards with waste times price per yard. Total to invoice equals concrete cost plus labor plus profit markup.
If you invoice concrete jobs, you also need these for business. Same browser side no sign up, part of InvoiceTools invoicing toolkit. All indexed as one toolkit for Google.
Invoice Generator
Create concrete invoices with cu yd, bags, labor, tax, total. Professional PDF for clients.
Use freePaint Calculator
Gallons needed, cost, labor, total to invoice. For painting contractors who invoice.
Calculate paintProfit Margin Calculator
$100 cost $150 price equals $50 profit 33% margin 50% markup. Price your concrete job for profit.
Calculate marginVolume is length × width × thickness, all in feet, divided by 27 to reach cubic yards; thickness in inches is divided by 12 first. Circular pours use π × radius² × depth, footings and curbs use the rectangular formula along their run, and stairs are the number of steps × rise × run × width. Waste multiplies the result by one plus your percentage. Bags are the cubic feet with waste divided by the yield of the bag: 0.6 for 80lb, 0.45 for 60lb, 0.33 for 40lb. Cost is yards with waste × your yard price, plus labour at your rate, plus whatever margin you price the job at. Nothing is stored and no data leaves your browser. Figures are estimates for planning and quoting; confirm the order with your supplier.
Common questions about concrete quantity, bags, cost, price to invoice concrete jobs.
A 10 by 10 foot slab at 4 inches needs 1.23 cubic yards, or 1.36 with the usual 10 percent waste. That is a short ready-mix load or about 62 80lb bags, and bags at that volume mean mixing for most of a day, so it is the point where most people order the truck instead.
Measure the radius rather than the diameter, since the radius is what the formula squares, and measure the hole after digging rather than before. A 6 foot radius pad 6 inches deep comes to 2.09 cubic yards, and getting the radius wrong by six inches moves that by nearly a fifth.
45. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and an 80lb bag yields about 0.6 of a cubic foot. In 60lb bags it is 60, and in 40lb bags 90, which is why bag size matters more to your back than to your budget.
The concrete itself is rarely half the bill. Add delivery and any short-load fee, then the excavation, base, forms, reinforcement, labour and finish, and price the job on the total. The invoice line above is filled in from your figures, ready to paste into a quote or an invoice.
For mixing on site, 1 part cement to 2 parts sand and 3 parts gravel is the common starting point, with water around half the weight of the cement. Beyond roughly a cubic yard, matching that ratio consistently by hand is harder than it sounds, which is an argument for ready-mix.
Yes. Subgrade is never perfectly level, forms bow slightly, and some concrete stays in the barrow or the drum. Ten percent covers a straightforward pour and 15 suits complex shapes. Running out mid-pour leaves a cold joint, which costs far more than the extra you ordered.
Multiply length by width by thickness in feet, then divide by 27. A 4 inch slab is 0.33 feet thick, a 6 inch slab is 0.5. Add 10 percent on top before you order, because the ground is never as flat as the drawing.
Ready-mix typically runs $120 to $200 a cubic yard delivered, and the spread is regional. Ask for the delivery charge and the short-load fee in the same call, because on a small pour those can cost more than the concrete.
A charge for ordering less than the supplier's minimum, usually around four or five yards. If your figure lands just under a threshold it is often cheaper to order the next size up than to pay the fee.
Four inches for patios, paths and shed bases. Driveways want 4 to 6 inches, and 6 with a stronger mix if anything heavier than a car parks on it. Thickness changes volume proportionally, so 4 to 6 inches adds half again to the order.
45 at 80lb, 60 at 60lb, or 90 at 40lb. Above about one cubic yard, mixing by hand costs more in time than delivery saves and the mix is harder to keep consistent.
Firm enough to walk on after 24 to 48 hours, ready for vehicles after about a week, and at full strength around 28 days, which is the age strength is quoted at.
3,000 to 3,500 PSI covers slabs, paths and footings. Go to 4,000 PSI or above for driveways in freeze and thaw climates, or anywhere vehicles will stand.
Take the yardage here, add delivery and any short-load fee, then excavation, base, forms, reinforcement, labour and finish. Concrete is rarely half the finished cost, so pricing off the yard price alone is how a job earns nothing.
Below about 40F it cures slowly and needs blankets or an accelerator; below freezing it can be damaged outright. Heavy rain on fresh concrete weakens the surface. Neither changes the volume you need, only the day you book.
Most slabs use mesh or rebar to control cracking, and anything carrying vehicles should have it. It is priced by area rather than volume, so quote it as its own line.
A hole three times the post width and a third of the post length is the usual rule. A 4 inch post in a 12 inch hole, 2 feet deep, takes about 1.6 cubic feet, so two 80lb bags per post is a safe buy.
Yes. No signup, no uploads, and every figure is worked out in your browser and gone when you close the tab.
The pour itself in cubic yards, then prep, forms, reinforcement, labour and the finish as separate lines, plus access notes and what happens if the ground is worse than expected. A quote that shows only a yard price invites an argument about everything else.
Price it in rather than adding it later. Surplus cannot be returned once batched, so the 10 percent allowance is a genuine cost of doing the job properly and belongs in the quoted price.
The day the pour is finished. The work is visibly complete, which is the moment a client is least likely to dispute it, and every day you wait is a day you are financing them.
As its own line, priced before you commit. A pump or a long barrow run can cost more than the concrete on a small job, and it is a decision made when the truck is booked rather than a surprise on the invoice.
Part of InvoiceTools.com - Free Invoice Generator, Paint Calculator, Concrete Calculator, Late Fee Calculator, Profit Margin Calculator, Loan Calculator, Salary Calculator, Sales Tax Calculator. Built for contractors, freelancers, small business, agencies who invoice clients. No sign up, client side only, indexed as invoicing toolkit.