Key numbers
- Bill = rate × max(hours on site, minimum) + per-yd³ charge + flat fees
- $475/h, 3 h minimum: 37 m boom pump, Steuben County, NY award, March 2026
- $413.75/h, 4 h minimum: line pumps in the same county's 2025 award
- Minimum charge dominates small pours: 5 yd³ and 30 yd³ can cost the same
- Pump mixes are often ordered wetter: NRMCA lists 7–9 in slump for pumping
On this page
- How to use the Concrete Pump Rental Cost
- How much does it cost to rent a concrete pump?
- What did public agencies pay for pump trucks in 2025 and 2026?
- Why is the minimum charge the biggest factor?
- Boom pump or line pump: which costs less?
- What else shows up on a pump bill?
- Does pumping change the concrete order?
- When to skip the pump
- Common mistakes when budgeting for a pump
- Frequently asked questions
How to use the Concrete Pump Rental Cost
- 1Enter your numbersFill in concrete to pump (yd³), hourly rate from your quote ($/h), minimum hours billed (h), real pumping output (yd³/h), setup + washout time (h), per-yard pumping charge (if any) ($/yd³) or flat fees (travel, hose, washout) ($).
- 2Check the assumptionsBilled hours = the larger of (setup + yd³ ÷ output) and the minimum. Output, minimums and fees come from your pump company; the 3-hour default is the minimum in the 2026 Steuben County, NY boom-pump award. Pumping is billed on top of the ready-mix.
- 3Read the resultsThe calculator shows estimated pump bill, hours billed, pump cost per yard of concrete, hourly part / per-yard part or concrete, metric, updated as you type.
- 4Use the resultRound up to what your supplier sells, and keep a little extra for waste.
Results update as you type. Back to the calculator ↑
How much does it cost to rent a concrete pump?
Pump companies almost always bill by the hour with a minimum, so the price depends more on how long the pump is booked than on how much concrete it moves. The public bids below show what one county actually paid. Use them as a sense check, not a quote: rates vary by region, boom length and season.
Pump bill = hourly rate × max(hours on site, minimum hours) + per-yd³ charge + flat fees
Hours on site are setup and priming, pumping at the pump’s real output, and washout. The calculator above estimates them as setup + yards ÷ output, rounded up to the next half hour, and then applies your minimum.
Worked example: 10 yd³ backyard patio with a boom pump
- Pumping: 10 yd³ ÷ 20 yd³ per hour = 0.5 h, plus 1 h setup and washout = 1.5 h on site
- Minimum is 3 h, so 3 h are billed
- 3 × $475 = $1,425 for the pump, or $142.50 per yard
- Add the ready-mix itself and the plant’s delivery fees separately
What did public agencies pay for pump trucks in 2025 and 2026?
Steuben County in upstate New York re-bids concrete pumping every year and publishes the tabulations. These are hourly “in toto” rental rates, with operator, for county jobs:
| Award | Pump | Boom length | Rate per hour | Minimum | Smallest bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | Alliance 37 boom (2016) | 37 m | $475.00 | 3 h | $1,425 |
| Mar 2026 | 43 m boom (2016) | 43 m | $495.00 | 3 h | $1,485 |
| Feb 2025 | KCP 34 boom (2023) | 34 m | $470.00 | 4 h | $1,880 |
| Feb 2025 | Sermac 37 / 42 booms (2007) | 37–42 m | $472.50 | 4 h | $1,890 |
| Feb 2025 | Everdigm LP970 / Reed B70 line pumps | — | $413.75 | 4 h | $1,655 |
| Feb 2025 | Alliance 37 boom (2016) | 37 m | $470.00 | 4 h | $1,880 |
Source: Steuben County Public Works Committee bid tabulations PW-26-100-B and PW-25-100-B (links below). One county’s government contract is not your local residential market, and private jobs may carry travel, hose or washout fees that a standing county contract does not. The value of these numbers is that they are real, dated and public.
Why is the minimum charge the biggest factor?
Because most homeowner pours finish well inside it. Under a 3-hour minimum, 5 yd³ and 30 yd³ cost the same, so the cost per yard falls steeply as the pour grows. This table uses the 2026 rate of $475 an hour, a 3-hour minimum and 1 hour of setup:
| Concrete | Output assumed (yd³/h) | Hours on site | Hours billed | Pump bill | Pump cost per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 yd³ (3.8 m³) | 15 | 1.5 | 3.0 | $1,425 | $285.00 |
| 10 yd³ (7.6 m³) | 15 | 2.0 | 3.0 | $1,425 | $142.50 |
| 20 yd³ (15.3 m³) | 15 | 2.5 | 3.0 | $1,425 | $71.25 |
| 30 yd³ (22.9 m³) | 15 | 3.0 | 3.0 | $1,425 | $47.50 |
| 40 yd³ (30.6 m³) | 15 | 4.0 | 4.0 | $1,900 | $47.50 |
| 40 yd³ (30.6 m³) | 25 | 3.0 | 3.0 | $1,425 | $35.63 |
| 60 yd³ (45.9 m³) | 25 | 3.5 | 3.5 | $1,663 | $27.71 |
| 80 yd³ (61.2 m³) | 25 | 4.5 | 4.5 | $2,138 | $26.72 |
The output figures are assumptions for illustration. Real output depends on the pump, the line length, the mix and, most of all, how fast the ready-mix trucks arrive. A pump waiting on the next truck still bills by the hour.
Boom pump or line pump: which costs less?
A line pump often has the lower hourly rate, but the cheaper job is the one with fewer billed hours. In Steuben County’s 2025 award, line pumps were $413.75 an hour against $470–472.50 for booms, all with a 4-hour minimum, so the smallest line-pump bill was $1,655 and the smallest boom bill $1,880.
- Boom pump: truck-mounted, with a folding arm sized in metres (34–43 m in the bids above). It reaches over houses and fences and places concrete without laying hose across the yard, so setup is quick and output is high. Best for slabs, foundations and walls where the truck can park within reach.
- Line pump: trailer-mounted, pushing concrete through hose laid to the pour. Lower rate and fits tight driveways, but hose must be laid, moved and cleaned, and output is usually lower. Common for backyard patios, sidewalks and footings far from the street.
Ask both pumpers how many hours they expect for your yards and line length, then run each quote through the calculator.
What else shows up on a pump bill?
The hourly rate is only one line. Ask every pumper about each of these before you book:
- Minimum hours and whether travel time counts toward them.
- Per-yard charge. Some companies add a charge per cubic yard pumped on top of the hourly rate.
- Extra hose or pipe beyond what comes with the pump, priced per length.
- Washout: where the pump and hopper are cleaned, and whether you must provide a washout area.
- Overtime, weekend or after-hours rates.
- Cancellation: weather calls on the morning of the pour are common, so ask how late you can cancel without paying.
Does pumping change the concrete order?
Yes, so tell the ready-mix plant you are pumping. Pump mixes are often ordered with a higher slump: NRMCA’s guide to ordering ready-mix lists 7–9 in for walls and pumping against 3–5 in for typical work. Some pumps also need a smaller coarse aggregate. Let the plant and pumper agree the mix; adding water on site to make concrete pump easier weakens it.
Order a little extra to cover the concrete left in the hopper and line. The pumper can tell you roughly how much its line holds; add it to the 10% waste allowance from the concrete yards calculator.
When to skip the pump
For small pours close to the street, a pump may cost more than the concrete. A 10 × 10 ft slab at 4 in is 1.23 yd³; at a $1,425 minimum the pump would add over $1,100 per yard. If the ready-mix truck’s chute can reach, or a few people with wheelbarrows can cover the distance, skip it. For anything under about a yard, bagged concrete mixed on site avoids both the pump and the plant’s short-load fee.
A pump earns its fee when access is the problem: backyard slabs behind a house, basement walls, upper-floor decks, long footings, or any pour where wheelbarrowing several yards before the concrete stiffens is not realistic.
Common mistakes when budgeting for a pump
- Comparing hourly rates without the minimum. $413.75 with a 4-hour minimum ($1,655) costs more than $475 with a 3-hour minimum ($1,425) on a short pour.
- Forgetting truck spacing. If the plant sends trucks 30 minutes apart, the pump waits and bills. Ask the plant to space trucks to the pump’s output.
- Leaving the pump off the slab budget. Put the pump bill alongside concrete, labour and base in the cost to pour a concrete slab estimate.
- Not telling the plant you are pumping, then getting a mix that will not pump.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a concrete pump?
Most pump companies bill an hourly rate with a minimum number of hours. In Steuben County, NY's 2026 award a 37 m boom pump was $475 an hour with a 3-hour minimum, so the smallest bill was $1,425. Ask your local pumper for its rate, minimum and any per-yard or travel fees.
How much is a concrete pump truck per hour?
Public bids give a reference point: $475 an hour for a 37 m boom and $495 for a 43 m boom (Steuben County, NY, 2026), and $470–472.50 for 34–42 m booms in 2025. Rates vary by region, boom length and season, so get a local quote.
Is a line pump cheaper than a boom pump?
Often, per hour. In Steuben County's 2025 award, line pumps were $413.75 an hour against $470–472.50 for boom pumps, both with a 4-hour minimum. A line pump needs hose laid to the pour and usually moves concrete more slowly, so compare total hours, not just the rate.
Is it worth paying for a concrete pump?
When the truck cannot back up to the forms. A pump moves concrete over a house, up a slope or into a backyard; the alternative is wheelbarrows or a buggy crew. At $1,425 minimum, pumping 10 yd³ adds about $142.50 per yard; on 40 yd³ the same pump adds about $36–48 per yard.
How long does it take to pump 10 yards of concrete?
Pumping itself may take under an hour, but setup, priming, washout and waiting on trucks add time. At an assumed 20 yd³ per hour plus 1 hour of setup, 10 yd³ takes about 1½ hours on site, and a 3-hour minimum means you pay for 3 regardless.
What is the minimum charge for a concrete pump?
It is set by each pump company, usually as a number of hours. Steuben County's awards show a 3-hour minimum for booms in 2026 and a 4-hour minimum for booms and line pumps in 2025. On a small pour the minimum is often the whole bill.
Does the concrete pump price include the concrete?
No. The pumper bills for the pump and operator; the ready-mix plant bills separately for the concrete and its own fees. Add both, then divide by the yards for the real cost per yard placed. Our concrete delivery cost calculator handles the ready-mix side.
3 Sources
- Steuben County, NY, Public Works Committee: PW-26-100-B Concrete Pumping Services bid tabulation, bid date 5 Feb 2026, awarded 2 Mar 2026 (boom pumps $475/h and $495/h, 3 h minimum)
- Steuben County, NY, Public Works Committee: PW-25-100-B Concrete Pumping Services bid tabulation, bid date 16 Jan 2025, awarded 3 Feb 2025 (booms $470–472.50/h, line pumps $413.75/h, 4 h minimum)
- NRMCA CIP 31, Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete: slump 7–9 in for walls and pumping, ASTM C94/C94M
Last reviewed October 11, 2026 by M Bilal. Found an error? Tell us.