Concrete delivery: clarify quantity, access and total costs
Delivery must suit the planned placing work. Material, quantity, site and route to handover matter. Who places the concrete and what transfer service is needed require explicit agreement. A delivery quote is not a fully constructed concrete element.
Fresh concrete delivery is different from concreting
Fresh concrete is delivered for the agreed processing. Formwork, reinforcement, placing, compaction and curing are additional tasks unless expressly ordered. Organising a pump does not automatically provide the workforce to construct a finished element.
Bagged dry mix and precast concrete elements are other products with different logistics. State that fresh concrete is required and who organises handover and placing. Where planning remains open, an appropriate delivery solution can be assessed first.
| Service | Distinguish before ordering |
|---|---|
| Supply material | Concrete and transport to the agreed handover point. |
| Transfer concrete | Agree the route and required transfer separately. |
| Construct the element | Expressly commission formwork, reinforcement, placing and curing. |
Give known specifications and agree the material
The order follows intended use, element and processing. Use available professional design or an approved order instead of choosing purely by the lowest price. A strength designation alone does not identify every required property.
If specifications are missing, describe the project and have the order clarified professionally. An enquiry should not force customers to choose standard or exposure classes or admixtures. Responsibility for design, final order and changes should be clear before delivery. Altering the mix afterwards is not a simple solution to delays.
Calculate quantity and keep uncertainty visible
For a simple rectangular slab, length times width times thickness gives the geometric volume. Example: 3 m × 4 m × 0.10 m gives 1.2 m³. The thickness belongs only to the example and is not a construction recommendation. Geometry, embedded parts and actual build-up must suit the project.
Several elements or delivery stages can have different quantities. Variations, additional needs and material remaining in transfer equipment are agreed with specialists; a universal allowance does not always fit. Technical quantities may remain open for the first quote. The required quantity needs clarification before a binding order.
Consider the route from the road to handover
Gate width, clearance, gradient, bends and setup space affect delivery. Describe visible obstacles without certifying a route’s bearing capacity or safe equipment positioning yourself. The supplier assesses appropriate vehicles, permitted access and site logistics.
Direct unloading near the vehicle differs from a distant, internal or elevated placing point. Give known distance, floor and obstacles. Reach, transfer equipment and setup require professional assessment; a postcode or quantity alone does not determine the right pump or conveyor.
Coordinate delivery and site readiness
Delivery should match actual reception and processing. Workers, prepared elements and any transfer equipment must be ready. For several stages, agree quantities, sequence and delivery windows. A preferred enquiry date is neither a confirmed order nor guaranteed availability.
Weather, journey and delays affect processing. Clarify who receives updates and decides how changes are handled. A universal waiting time or period for every mix would be unreliable. Independently adding water or admixtures does not replace the agreed professional work.
Separate material price and delivered total
An ex-plant price is not automatically the price at your site. Transport may be calculated by distance, zone, time or agreed quantity. A minimum billed for transport does not mean that quantity must be ordered or physically delivered. Particularly for small orders, the quote should distinguish actual material and transport billing basis.
Check unloading and waiting time, additional transfer, repeated journeys, out-of-hours delivery and remaining concrete. Conditions vary by plant and quotation. Compare the same specifications, quantity, handover and timing including VAT; different regional tariff items do not establish a general Swiss total.
| Cost item | Comparable basis |
|---|---|
| Material | Agreed specifications, quantity and plant surcharges. |
| Transport | Destination, journeys, minimum billing and included unloading. |
| Extras | Transfer, waiting, special timing, returns and VAT. |
Details for a delivery quote
- Project. Identify the element and intended use.
- Quantity. Give known cubic metres and stages.
- Specification. Add known technical order details or request clarification.
- Site. Describe handover and visible access obstacles.
- Organisation. Agree handover, transfer and who undertakes placing.
From enquiry to coordinated delivery
Unknown technical details may remain open initially. Binding material and delivery details are agreed before ordering. At handover, responsible people should check ordered details against delivery records; required testing belongs to professional execution.
- Enquire. Give use, known quantity, destination and preferred timing.
- Clarify delivery. Coordinate material, access, handover and transfer route.
- Compare total cost. Include material, transport and necessary extras.
- Coordinate the order. Agree quantities, windows, responsible people and changes.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small quantity be delivered?
Enquire for the actual amount. Availability, minimum ordering and transport billing depend on the supply arrangement and need confirmation.
Must I select the concrete type?
Not without suitable specifications. Describe use and known professional design; the appropriate order is agreed with specialists.
Is pumping included?
Only if the offer expressly includes it. Transfer, setup and operating time may be separate services.
Why can transporting a few cubic metres cost more than expected?
Journeys and equipment have their own costs. Some quotes bill a minimum transport quantity or mobilisation independently of the smaller material amount.
Does the supplier also undertake concreting?
Supply alone does not automatically include placing. Clarify workers, formwork, reinforcement, processing and curing separately.
