Concrete & Cement
Ready-mix grades, screed and cement — which mix the job calls for and how it arrives.
Concrete is specified by strength: the number after the C is the characteristic compressive strength in newtons per square millimetre at 28 days. Picking a grade is mostly a question of what load it carries and what weather it sees.
Sold by
Cubic metre (m³)
Typical spec
BS 8500 / BS EN 206
Strength
C20 to C40 N/mm² at 28 days
Weight
~2.4 tonnes per m³
Concrete & Cement on Loadbase
Delivered prices depend on the distance from the yard to your site, so they are quoted against your postcode rather than listed here.
See concrete & cement near youWhich grade for which job
C20 / GEN3 — general domestic use: shed and greenhouse bases, non-structural slabs, blinding, filling.
C25 / ST4 — footings and foundations for domestic extensions, and light-traffic slabs.
C30 / PAV1 — driveways, paths and external paving. The air entrainment in PAV mixes is what makes it survive frost and de-icing salt.
C35 / PAV2 — heavy-duty external slabs and hardstandings taking commercial vehicles.
C40 — structural and commercial work where a specific design strength has been specified.
If a structural engineer has specified a mix, order exactly that. The grade often comes with requirements for cement type, aggregate size and slump that matter as much as the number.
Volumetric versus barrelled
Barrelled (drum mixer) concrete is batched at a plant and arrives mixed. It is usually cheaper per cubic metre, but you pay for what you ordered whether you use it or not, and there is a limited working window before it goes off.
Volumetric lorries carry the raw materials and mix on site to order. You pay for what you actually use, the mix can be changed mid-pour, and there is no travel time eating the working window. It suits jobs where the quantity is uncertain or the pour is slow.
For anything under about 3m³, or where access means barrowing, volumetric usually wins on total cost even at a higher rate per metre.
Getting it where it needs to go
A mixer needs firm, level standing and headroom. Chute reach is typically around 3 metres from the back of the lorry — beyond that you are barrowing, pumping, or paying for a longer chute.
Concrete pumping is charged separately and usually booked in advance. If the pour is behind a house or above ground level, price the pump at the same time as the concrete, not afterwards.
Have enough labour ready before it arrives. Waiting time is chargeable and a part-discharged load setting in the drum is an expensive afternoon.
Work out how much you need
Common questions
How much concrete do I need for a driveway?
Multiply length by width by depth in metres. A 5m × 10m drive at 100mm thick is 50 × 0.1 = 5m³. Add about 5% for an uneven sub-base and spillage.
What concrete grade is best for a driveway?
C30 or PAV1 for domestic driveways. The air entrainment in PAV1 gives it the freeze-thaw and de-icing salt resistance that an unmodified C30 lacks.
How long before I can drive on new concrete?
Foot traffic after 24–48 hours, light vehicles after about 7 days, full design strength at 28 days. Cold weather extends all of these considerably.
Is volumetric concrete more expensive?
The rate per cubic metre is usually higher, but you only pay for what you use and there is no part-load charge. For small or uncertain quantities it is often cheaper overall than a barrelled load.
Other materials
Trade guidance, not a specification. Always work to the product's Declaration of Performance and any drawing or engineer's specification for the job. Reviewed 2026-07-12.