How Fast Can Ready Mixed Concrete Be Delivered On-Site?

When you need concrete for your project, speed matters. The faster you can get concrete delivered, the sooner you can get your job done. But how quickly can ready mixed concrete actually arrive at your site?

Same-Day Delivery is Often Possible

Most concrete suppliers can deliver ready mixed concrete on the same day you order it. This is especially true if you call early in the morning and your job is straightforward.

Here’s what typically happens:

• You call before 10am
• The supplier checks their schedule
• They give you a delivery time slot
• Your concrete arrives the same day

This works well for standard concrete mixes and normal-sized orders. It’s one of the biggest advantages of ready mixed concrete over mixing it yourself.

Emergency Deliveries

Some suppliers offer emergency or urgent deliveries for critical jobs. These might cost extra, but they can often get concrete to you within a few hours of ordering.

Emergency deliveries are useful for:

• Urgent repairs
• Weather-related rush jobs
• Projects with tight deadlines
• Situations where delay would be costly

Factors That Affect Delivery Speed

Time of Day Morning orders usually get delivered faster than afternoon ones. Concrete plants are busiest in the morning, so they can fit you into their schedule more easily.

Day of the Week Monday to Friday deliveries are typically faster than weekend ones. Many suppliers have limited weekend service, so slots fill up quickly.

Distance from Plant The closer you are to the concrete plant, the faster your delivery. Concrete trucks can only travel so far before the concrete starts to set.

Mix Complexity Standard mixes are ready to go. Special mixes with additives or unusual specifications might take longer to prepare.

Order Size Smaller orders (1-3 cubic metres) are often easier to fit into the schedule than large orders that need multiple trucks.

Typical Delivery Times

Standard Orders For normal concrete orders placed in the morning:

• Same day delivery: Very common
• 2-4 hour delivery window: Typical
• Next day delivery: Always available

Urgent Orders For rush jobs:

• 1-2 hours: Sometimes possible
• Same day: Usually achievable
• Premium rates: Often apply

Large Orders For big jobs needing multiple trucks:

• Same day: Possible with advance notice
• 24-48 hours: More realistic
• Scheduling required: Essential

How Concrete Plants Work

Understanding how concrete plants operate helps explain delivery speeds.

Batch Production Concrete is made in batches throughout the day. If your mix is already being produced, delivery is faster. If they need to set up for your specific mix, it takes longer.

Truck Scheduling Concrete trucks work on planned routes. Getting added to an existing route is quicker than creating a new one.

Quality Checks Every batch gets tested before it leaves the plant. This takes time but ensures you get good concrete.

Planning for Fast Delivery

Call Early Ring your supplier first thing in the morning. This gives them the whole day to fit you in.

Be Flexible If you can accept delivery within a 2-3 hour window rather than demanding a specific time, you’ll get faster service.

Have Everything Ready Make sure your site is prepared and accessible. Delays at your end slow everything down.

Choose Standard Mixes Common concrete grades (like C20 or C25) are made regularly and deliver faster than special mixes.

What Slows Delivery Down

Complex Mixes Special additives, unusual colours, or specific performance requirements take time to prepare.

Poor Access If the concrete truck can’t reach your site easily, delivery takes longer and might need special equipment.

Weather Heavy rain, snow, or extreme temperatures can delay concrete production and delivery.

Peak Times Everyone wants concrete on sunny Friday afternoons. Avoid busy periods if you need fast delivery.

Incomplete Orders If you haven’t specified exactly what you need, the supplier has to call you back. This creates delays.

Realistic Expectations

Best Case Scenario You call at 8am for 2 cubic metres of standard C25 concrete. Your site has good access. You could get delivery by 11am the same day.

Typical Scenario You call at 10am for 4 cubic metres of standard concrete. Delivery happens between 1pm and 4pm the same day.

Challenging Scenario You call at 2pm on Friday for a special mix. Delivery is more likely Monday morning.

The Delivery Process

Once your concrete is scheduled, here’s what happens:

Loading The concrete gets mixed and loaded into the truck at the plant. This takes 10-15 minutes.

Travel Time The truck drives to your site. Travel time depends on distance and traffic.

Unloading The concrete gets poured at your site. This usually takes 15-30 minutes depending on your job.

Total Time From leaving the plant to finishing at your site, most deliveries take 1-2 hours.

Making the Most of Fast Delivery

Be Ready Have your site prepared, tools ready, and crew standing by. Fast delivery is wasted if you’re not ready to use the concrete.

Communicate Clearly Tell your supplier exactly what you need, when you need it, and any site access issues.

Build Relationships Regular customers often get priority scheduling. If you use concrete regularly, stick with one supplier.

Cost vs Speed

Faster delivery often costs more, but it’s usually worth it:

• Emergency deliveries: 20-50% premium
• Same-day service: Small or no extra cost
• Scheduled delivery: Standard rates

The extra cost is often less than the money you save by not having delays.

Working with Express Concrete

At Express Concrete, we understand that timing matters. We stock common concrete grades and operate efficient delivery routes to get your concrete to you quickly.

Our drivers know the local area well, which helps avoid delays. We also communicate clearly about delivery times so you can plan your work properly.

Most of our customers get same-day delivery when they order in the morning. For urgent jobs, we do our best to accommodate rush requests.

The Bottom Line

Ready mixed concrete can usually be delivered on the same day you order it. With good planning and early ordering, you can often get concrete within a few hours.

This speed is one of the biggest advantages of ready mixed concrete. Instead of spending days mixing concrete yourself, you can have professional-quality concrete delivered and be pouring within hours of deciding you need it.

The key is planning ahead when possible, but knowing that even urgent orders can often be accommodated the same day.