If you use 60-pound bags, concrete for a patio this size ranges from $135 to $180. But you’ll need to rent a concrete mixer, which adds another $40 to $60 per day. While ready-mix reduces work, it also boosts the cost. Each cubic yard costs about $65. However, a fully loaded cement truck will hold 10 cubic yards—and partial “short” loads cost $15 to $20 extra for every cubic yard less than a full load.

So, our 1.85 cubic yard patio first requires purchasing two cubic yards (including waste) of ready-mix (2 X $65 = $130) plus another $135 for the “short load” (10 yards full load minus 2 yards = 8 yards “short” X $17 per yard average)—and now totals around $265. With assorted fees added (environmental impact, fuel surcharge, sales tax, etc.), the final cost is about $295. For this project, ordering ready-mix would cost from $55 to $120 more than premixed—depending on where you buy your bags and rent your mixer. It’s a small price to pay for a job that can be finished in a day, and to avoid a concrete project gone bad.