Volumetric concrete is fresh concrete mixed on-site by a specialist mixer truck. Instead of arriving pre-mixed from a batching plant, the truck carries the raw ingredients — cement, aggregates, water and admixtures — in separate compartments and combines them exactly when you need them.
Because the mixing happens at your site (not at a plant hours away), you get concrete with excellent workability, consistent quality, and — crucially — you only pay for what you actually use.
How does a volumetric concrete truck work?
A volumetric mixer is a purpose-built vehicle with three main compartments:
- Cement silo — dry cement, kept sealed until mixing
- Aggregate hoppers — sand and stone in separate bays
- Water tank plus admixture dosers for plasticisers, retarders or fibres
When we arrive at your site, our operator programmes the target mix design (C10, C20, C35, PAV, GEN or a specialist grade). The truck’s auger then draws precise amounts of each ingredient into the mixing chamber, blending and discharging fresh concrete on demand.
You can watch it happen, change the mix mid-pour if the job needs it, and stop the moment your work is finished.
Volumetric vs traditional ready mix concrete
Traditional ready mix concrete is batched at a plant, then transported in a rotating drum to your site. That drum has to keep turning to prevent the concrete curing during transit, and the driver has typically 90 minutes from batch to placement before the concrete is unusable.
With volumetric, none of that pressure exists — the concrete is not concrete until it hits your project. Key differences:
- Waste: Ready mix — you pay for the whole load. Volumetric — you pay only for what you use.
- Flexibility: Ready mix — fixed mix once loaded. Volumetric — change mix, add fibres, adjust slump on the fly.
- Waiting time: Ready mix — 90-minute window. Volumetric — unlimited (until we drive away).
- Return load fees: Ready mix — yes if you under-order. Volumetric — never.
When to choose volumetric concrete
Volumetric is the smart choice for almost every project, but it particularly shines for:
- Domestic jobs where you don’t know exactly how much you need (extensions, driveways, garden work)
- Multi-pour or phased jobs where you want a single supplier over several days
- Tight-access sites where you can’t risk a return-load fee if the truck can’t discharge fully
- Specialist mixes (fibre-reinforced, rapid-set, foam) where dosing at point of use is safer
How to order volumetric concrete
Same Day Concrete delivers volumetric concrete across the whole of Yorkshire from our depot on Engine Lane, Horbury. To order:
- Use our concrete calculator to work out how much you need
- Get an instant online quote in 30 seconds
- Book online for same-day or next-day delivery
- Track your driver in real-time on delivery day
Ready to see how much you’d save? Try the concrete calculator or head to our volumetric concrete Yorkshire page.
FAQs
Is volumetric concrete the same as ready mix?+
It produces the same finished product (fresh concrete of a specified grade) but the mixing method is different. Ready mix is batched at a plant and transported already-mixed in a rotating drum. Volumetric concrete is mixed on-site from raw materials the truck carries separately.
Is volumetric concrete cheaper than ready mix?+
For most jobs — yes. You pay only for the cubic metres actually used, so there is no waste, no over-order and no return-load fee. Total cost is usually lower even when the price per m³ is similar.
Is volumetric concrete quality as good as ready mix?+
Yes — arguably better. Because it is mixed immediately before placement, workability and consistency are excellent and it has not started curing during transit.
How much concrete can a volumetric truck carry?+
Typical volumetric mixers carry between 8 and 10 cubic metres of raw materials, and can produce that amount on-site in a single visit.