Concrete Pumping Calculator

This calculator selects a concrete pump class from pour volume and equivalent reach (with vertical distance counted at 3.5x horizontal), then estimates pour time, billed hours, and total cost. Pour Volume (yd³) increases Pour Time (hours) directly -- more concrete to place takes proportionally longer at a given pump output rate. Target Pour Rate (yd³/hr) moves Pour Time in the opposite direction -- a higher target placement rate reduces the hours needed to place the same volume, since pour time is simply volume divided by the effective rate.

At this calculator's default pour size and distance, Target Pour Rate has no effect on Estimated Total Cost at all, even though it changes pour time -- that's because pumping is billed at a 4-hour minimum, and the estimated pour time at default settings stays under that floor regardless of a moderate rate change, so the billed hours (and therefore the hourly portion of cost) don't move. Pour Volume still affects total cost even with that floor in place, because it also drives a separate per-yard surcharge that boom pumps apply on top of the hourly rate. This is a planning estimate based on typical line-pump and boom-pump capacities and rates -- always get a quote from your ready-mix or pumping contractor, since rates vary significantly by region and job site access.