How an Expert would use a Concrete Calculator

10 Variables Your Concrete Calculator will Need to Measure.

How can a Concrete Calculator help you? It will help you multiply the length by the width and help you convert the thickness from inches to feet. Then it will multiply the thickness in feet by the square footage calculated earlier to determine cubic feet. Finally, it will multiply the cubic feet by 0.037 to convert cubic feet to cubic yards. In short, it helps you calculate volume. The only constant from one concrete job to another is how to calculate the volume of the concrete required for the pour. All other aspects of every concrete job have to be measured and then the time associated with it to figure out labour costs. No concrete calculator was used for this part.

List of Variables

The variables that can not be calculated without physically seeing the complete project are as follows;

1. Travel Time, including to and from the job, but this also includes the time to the dumpsite.
2. Site Preparation *
3. Cost of Concrete
4. Cost of Other Base & Mixing Materials
5. Cost of Other Materials
6. Hours to Pour Concrete
7. Hours to Finish Concrete
8. Time to Remove Forms
9. Time to Clean the Work Site
10. Dumping Fees

*Site Preparation includes removal of old materials, clearing, and excavation of the paving area, preparation of the ground for grading, and leveling which may also require further compacting of other aggregate material. Site preparation of the area also includes properly forming the area and laying any re-bar and or mesh. Timings will vary depending on the complexity of the forms being built.

Calculation

Whether a large or small job, the only time you require a calculator is when you have to figure out the volume of concrete required, which is length (L) x Width (W) x Thickness (T) = Volume. When it comes to construction, 99% of all concrete contractors and other building contractors still use the imperial system – eg inches, feet, and cubic yards for volume. Note, the volume is in cubic yards which means that all measurements have to be in yards. This is one of the largest mistakes DIY’ers make in their calculations, using a concrete calculator or not. So, if you only know the metric system here is the equivalents in the imperial system: 1 meter = 100 cm 1 meter = 39 inches (“) 2.54 cm = 1 inch (“) 12 inches = 1 foot (‘) 3 feet = 1 yard (yrd) 1 yrd x 1 yrd x 1 yrd = 1 yrd³ = 1cubic yard Eample: Find the volume of a concrete pad that is 12′ x 12” x 4” pad ( ‘ is the sign for feet, “ is the sign for inches) 12’ = 4 yrds 4” = 1/3 ‘ = 1/9 yrd The calculated volume would be; 4 yards x 4 yards x 1/9 yard = 16/9 yrd³ = 1.78 cubic yards

As you can see, you can figure out the volume with the help of a regular calculator, not a concrete calculator, but the cost of a concrete job cannot be figured out with a concrete calculator unless you know the cost of the concrete (which can vary daily or weekly), the delivery cost of a small load (under 4 yards) and distance to the job from the ready-made concrete supplier.

Our first suggestion for the DIY’er (Do It Yourselfer) is to figure out your area and then depending on the thickness calculate your volume. Once you get your volume call a concrete delivery company and find out the lead time and cost. Tip; you want to have your load of concrete delivered as early as possible in the day, just to allow for drying and finishing.

The next steps for the DIYer are to figure out what tools and supplies you will need to complete the job, then figure out how many hours it will take you to complete the job. This should give you a rough idea of your total costs. – just use the checklist above to assign a cost. – If your estimate seems low or high, add 13% for taxes that were not added to any cost, and then add on another 10% for any unseen cost increases.

Conclusion

Our suggestion; call a professional concrete contractor to get a live quote, not over the phone, as over-the-phone quotes will never be accurate. Have a professional install your next concrete project as it will save you time and money. If you want to work a complete weekend, rushing to get everything completed, having friends help you on larger jobs and you will usually spend more money on buying or renting tools for a one time job than it would cost to have a professional complete your job in a timely manner. Remember, a concrete calculator was never used throughout your complete project.

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