Book a concrete delivery by calling the supplier with your volume in cubic metres, mix strength, site address, access details and the date and time you need it. For Broadmix that is +61 3 5784 1500. The call takes a couple of minutes if you have those five things ready, and dispatch will confirm the mix, the price and a delivery window before you hang up. Most residential pours want a couple of days notice so the run can be loaded properly, though short notice is sometimes possible depending on the day. If you have never ordered concrete before, the rest of this page is the list of things you will be asked, so you can have the answers in front of you.
| What they will ask | What to have ready |
|---|---|
| How much | Volume in cubic metres, plus 10 percent |
| What mix | Strength in MPa, or just describe the job |
| Where | Full site address and any access notes |
| When | Date and a preferred time |
| What finish | Plain, coloured, exposed aggregate |
| How it gets in | Truck direct, wheelbarrow or pump |
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Five pieces of information turn a confusing phone call into a two minute one. You do not need to know anything else.
Volume in cubic metres is the main one, and it is the number everything else hangs off. Mix strength matters next, and if you do not know it, describe the job instead, because a driveway, a shed floor and a set of footings each have a standard answer and we will tell you which applies. Site address including anything unusual about finding it, since rural properties and new estates are not always where a GPS thinks they are. Date and time, with a realistic start rather than an optimistic one, because a truck arriving before your crew is ready costs you money in waiting time. And how the concrete gets from the truck to the pour, which is the one people forget and the one most likely to go wrong. If you are unsure on strength, our driveway MPa guide covers the common residential answers.
How Far Ahead to Book
A couple of days is the sensible default, and more for anything larger or out of the ordinary. Booking early costs nothing and protects your date.
Standard residential pours generally want a couple of days notice so dispatch can load the day’s run correctly, and weekend deliveries are available with the same lead time. Larger pours, anything needing several trucks in sequence, or specialist mixes such as coloured or exposed aggregate benefit from more notice, since materials and scheduling both have to line up. Short notice and same-day requests are sometimes possible for small loads, particularly early in the morning, so it is always worth ringing to ask rather than assuming. If your date is weather-dependent, book it anyway and tell us, because moving a booking is easier than finding a slot at the last minute.
Working Out How Much to Order
Volume is the number that causes the most worry and it is the easiest to get right. Measure, multiply, add a margin.
For a rectangular slab, multiply length by width by thickness with everything in metres, which gives cubic metres directly. A driveway 10 metres by 3 metres at 100 millimetres is 10 x 3 x 0.1, or 3 cubic metres. Add around 10 percent on top for spillage, an uneven base and slight variations in depth, because a base that dishes even slightly uses noticeably more than the nominal figure. Our concrete calculator will do this for you including round shapes. The important thing is to round up rather than down. A small over-order is normal and far better than running short mid-pour, which leaves you with a cold joint and a second delivery charge for half a metre.
Tell Us About Site Access
Access is the single most common cause of a delivery going wrong, and a minute on the phone prevents it. Describe the site honestly rather than optimistically.
A concrete truck is large and heavy, so we need to know whether it can reach the pour, or how close it can get. Mention narrow gates or driveways, low branches, overhead wires, soft ground, steep slopes, tight turns, shared driveways in newer estates, and anything the truck would have to reverse into. If the truck cannot reach the pour you have three options, which are barrowing for small volumes, repositioning to a better access point, or a line pump for anything further or over an obstacle, and we can coordinate a pump when you book. Our post on whether a mini mix truck will fit through your gate covers the measurements worth taking beforehand.
What Happens on Delivery Day
Knowing the sequence removes most of the nervousness, and there is not much to it. Your job is to be ready.
Have your formwork finished, your base compacted, your reinforcement placed and your crew on site before the truck is due, because the concrete starts working from the moment it is batched and waiting time is chargeable. The driver will confirm the order and position the truck, then discharge via the chute, a barrow or a pump depending on what was arranged. Trucks carry a limited discharge time on site, so have enough hands to move and place the concrete steadily. Finishing is your concreter’s job rather than the driver’s. Any unused concrete returns to the plant, though if you have a use for a small amount extra such as a step or post footings, have it formed up so it can be placed before the truck leaves. Our note on what size truck turns up for a small residential pour covers what to expect at the kerb.
First Time Ordering Concrete?
If you have not done this before, the honest advice is to ring and say so. It changes the conversation for the better.
Dispatch would far rather spend five extra minutes on the phone working out what you need than send the wrong mix, the wrong volume or a truck that cannot reach the pour. Describe your project in plain terms, say what you are building and how big it is, and the right specification usually falls out of that conversation without you needing to know the terminology. There is no such thing as a stupid question at the ordering stage, and every question is cheaper asked before the pour than discovered during it. If you would rather put it in writing first, send the details through our contact page and we will come back to you.
Booking With Broadmix
We supply pre-mix concrete across Broadford, Seymour, Kilmore, Tallarook, Donnybrook, Wallan and the surrounding region.
Call +61 3 5784 1500 or email info@broadmix.com.au. Have your volume, mix, address, access and date ready and we will confirm the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice do I need to book concrete?
A couple of days is the standard for a residential pour, including weekends, so dispatch can load the run correctly. Larger pours and specialist mixes want longer. Small loads at short notice are sometimes possible, so ring and ask rather than assuming.
What information do I need to order concrete?
Volume in cubic metres, mix strength or a description of the job, the site address, the date and time you want it, and how the concrete will get from the truck to the pour. Those five answers are enough to place an order.
What happens if I order too much or too little concrete?
A small over-order is normal and unused concrete returns to the plant. Running short is the more expensive problem, since it leaves a cold joint in the slab and means a second delivery for a small volume. Always round up and add around 10 percent.
Can I book concrete delivery for a weekend?
Yes, Saturday and Sunday delivery is available and weekend pours are common with owner-builders. Book a couple of days ahead so the run can be scheduled.
Do I need to be on site for the delivery?
Someone does, and they need to be ready to place the concrete. Trucks carry a limited discharge time, so have your formwork, base, reinforcement and crew organised before the truck is due.
