How Much Does A Concrete Pump Cost

"How much does a concrete pump truck cost?" is an important question, and one that is easy to answer.

However, what is more difficult to answer are the questions that inevitably follow. How much does it cost to rent a concrete pump truck? How much does a trailer-mounted concrete pump cost? What are my other options, and what is best for my business?

In this article, we will answer all of these questions and provide you with some easy solutions for moving concrete at your job site.

Key Takeaways

• The average price of a used concrete pump truck is $119,477, with an average age of 21-year-old.
• The average concrete pump truck rental is $800 per hour ($215/hour plus $3/cubic yard pumped).
• New trailer-mounted concrete pumps cost between $30,000 and $60,000.
• A new skid steer concrete pump costs between $16,000 and $18,000.

Concrete Pump Trucks - Quick Overview

Concrete pump trucks take the hassle out of moving wet cement. A pump truck removes the need for wheelbarrows and shovels at large job sites.

A pump truck consists of a semi-tractor, a hopper for the wet cement, pumps, and a boom. After being loaded by a concrete mixing truck, the concrete pump truck will use its boom and pumps to pour and place concrete where it's needed.

Concrete Pump Trucks - Purchase Costs

Depending on your location and the condition of the concrete pump truck, the cost of a new concrete pump truck will be $300,000 to $600,000 USD.

The pre-owned market for concrete pump trucks is not particularly large, given the very specific niche these trucks are used in. This limited quantity of used inventory has the tendency to keep costs high.

We surveyed online marketplaces in early 2024 to get a grasp of the cost of used concrete pump trucks. From our research, the average age of used concrete pump trucks for sale was 20 years old, with an average asking price of $139,722.

As an interesting note, we first surveyed the used concrete pump truck market in April 2023 and found an average price of $119,480 USD for a 21-year-old concrete pump truck. This is roughly a 17% price increase in only 13 months.

Concrete Pump Truck - Rental Costs

If you are only looking to pump concrete for the one-off jobs, renting a concrete pump truck by the hour may be a viable solution.

Based on our research, the average rental price of a 46M concrete pump truck is $230 per hour plus $3 per cubic yard of concrete pumped. Additional travel and cleaning charges often apply.

Example

Assuming you have a large project requiring 1,600 cubic yards of concrete, you might decide to rent a local concrete pump truck.

Assuming the rental company charges $75 per hour for transportation, $230 per hour at the job site, and $3 per cubic yard pumped, your overall rental cost for this project is as follows:

1,600 cubic yards of concrete will take approximately 8 hours to pump and cost $1,840 (8hrs x $230 = $1,840).

Additionally, 1,600 cubic yards of concrete pumped will cost $4,800 (1,600 yards x $3 per yard = $4,800).

Lastly, add an assumed 2 hours of travel expenses at $150 ($75/hour x 2 hours = $150).

This brings your total rental cost to $6,790 for the project.

Concrete Pump Truck Alternatives

Buying a 20-year-old concrete pump truck for your business is like asking your grandmother to fill in on your football team. Sure, she'll show up and do her best, but you're not going to win.

Additionally, once you learn the costs of renting and buying new, most concrete contractors are quickly looking for the best alternative.

Most often, the best options are skid steer or trailer-mounted concrete pumps.

Trailer Mounted Concrete Pump Costs

A trailer mounted concrete pump is the perfect solution for residential construction. These concrete pumps are easy to transport, easy to maintain, and offer a return on investment that's hard to match.

Most trailer mounted concrete pumps are powered by 30 to 60 horsepower gas or diesel engines and will pump 15 to 20 cubic yards per hour.

The average cost of a new trailer mounted concrete pump is $30,000 to $60,000 USD.

Skid Steer Concrete Pump Costs

The best overall value is a skid steer concrete pump.

A skid steer concrete pump is powered by your skid steer auxiliary hydraulic system, is portable, powerful, easy to maintain and has the lowest overall cost.

A skid steer concrete pump will pump 10 to 12 cubic yards per hour, doesn't require a gas or diesel engine, does not have wheels or axles to maintain, and will cost between $16,000 and $18,000 new.

Economics of skid steer concrete pumps

Let's look at the example of a concrete contractor with a skid steer concrete pump.

The average concrete contractor charges $125 per cubic yard of concrete plus labor. This means that the $17,000 purchase price of the concrete pump would be paid off after 136 cubic yards of concrete. This is roughly equal to pouring 9 30'x30' slabs!

Another way to look at this is, if your concrete pump delivers 10 cubic yards per hour, your concrete pump would be paid off in less than 14 hours.

No matter how you look at it, this is an incredible business investment.

Return on investment

Purchasing a skid steer concrete pump offers a higher return on investment than many people may consider.

Let’s consider two examples, one customer who pays for their concrete pump upfront, and one who finances a skid steer concrete pump with a 20% down payment. Both contractors charge $125/cubic yard for use of the concrete pump and bills an average of 10 cubic yards per week.

Cash on cash return when purchasing the concrete pump with cash

The contractor who buys the skid steer concrete pump for $18,000 in cash and bills customers for 10 cubic yards per week would receive a 28% monthly return on investment. Carried forward for a full year, the contractor would have a 330% return on their $18,000 purchase.

Cash on cash return when purchasing the concrete pump with financing

The contractor who finances their concrete pump with a 20% down payment would receive a 137% monthly return on their down payment. Roughly factoring in monthly payments, the contractor who finances their concrete pump would receive a 770% yearly return on their cash outlay.

To put it simply, a skid steer concrete pump is a high-return business investment when compared to renting.

Finance Your New Concrete Pump

Regardless of what you have decided is best for your business, we can help get you started.

Our business financing is offered not only for customers looking to finance a skid steer or trailer mounted concrete pump but can also be used to finance a new or used concrete pumping truck!

Ask our staff about our concrete pump financing today or click here to apply! It's fast and easy!