If you have a self-build or DIY project that requires more than a cube of concrete, it makes sense to have the product delivered rather than going through the messy, time-consuming process of mixing concrete on site.
But is ready mix the correct choice for smaller scale projects that require relatively small volumes of product? What are the alternatives?
At North West Ready Mix we normally recommend volumetric concrete in this scenario. Here’s why:
- Only pay for what you use
A volumetric mixer has separate compartments for all the ingredients used in the production of concrete. While travelling to site these ingredients are kept apart, then mixed together to the customers’ specification on arrival. This means that the mixer is able to supply the exact amount required. No waste, and no fee for disposal of waste. This also avoids that awkward moment when you realise you didn’t order enough concrete and the truck has to return to the batching plant for more…Ready mix concrete suppliers also prefer not to supply small volumes of concrete and will levy a minimum fee in some cases, even if you only need 1 cube of product.
- Environmentally more friendly
Concrete manufacture tends not to be environmentally friendly at the best of times, but ready mix is particularly bad news for the environment. Any excess product left over at the end of a pour needs to be disposed of, something that can be entirely avoided when buying volumetric concrete. And a traditional barrel truck uses up to 25 times more water than a volumetric mixer. - Time is of the essence
Traditional barrel truck-supplied ready mix begins to stiffen the moment it’s transferred from the batching plant to the truck. If there are delays getting to site or while at the site itself, it’s possible that the pour will be of a lower quality as a result of this stiffening, and in some cases whole batches of concrete need to be disposed of.A volumetric mixer only begins to mix the product once the vehicle is on site and the concrete is required, ensuring that the mix is in the optimum condition when poured.
- Flexibility
On some sites we’ve found that different specifications of concrete are required on different parts of the site. Because a volumetric mixer brings the constituent materials to site before mixing them, it’s possible to supply different spec concrete from the same mixer. With barrel truck supplied ready mix, it would be necessary to use multiple vehicles to achieve this, increasing the cost significantly. In some cases it may also not be practical to have more than one vehicle on site simultaneously.
So it seems clear that if you’re managing a smaller scale self-build or DIY project, such as garage or kitchen extension footings, volumetric is the way to go and for a variety of reasons.
