Concrete is the core ingredient used while undertaking any and every sort of construction. There are different types of concrete mixes available on the market, designed and customized as per the requirement of the construction project. The aggregates that make up the concrete mixture; cement, sand, and admixtures can be mixed together in different manners. Two such methods include ready mix concrete from dedicated plants or mixing it on-site in an organized and planned manner.  Both these methods provide relatively different advantages and we’re here to discuss these benefits as well as challenges presented by the same.

Consistency- an essential differentiating factor

As one can expect in any aspect, there is a distinct distinguishing factor performed by a machine and a man. The batching plants that are dedicated to mixing the concrete have specific settings to present the exact outcome and consistency in the mixture every time. This advantage is extremely useful while working on large scale projects that demand huge quantities of concrete that have exact texture and consistency. Site-mixed concrete on the other hand is perfect for small domestic undertakings and tasks where the manager deems fit to manually mix the concrete as per the desired measurements. This might lead to small discrepancies as there is always some room for human error.

Time consumed in each process

Another critical factor that helps one decide whether to opt for ready mix or on-site concrete is the amount of time required to mix all the ingredients appropriately. The data suggests that on-site mixed concrete takes about fifty percent more time in comparison to ready-mix concrete. This can be justified due to the fact that material procurement, availability, and concrete estimation need to be accounted for beforehand. The schedule for on-site concrete mixing is, therefore, lengthier than the one involved in preparing ready-mix concrete.

The overall cost of the concrete

The on-site mixing of concrete is supposedly inexpensive when compared to ready-mix concrete. It also accommodates the flexibility of the additives and admixtures required to obtain the mixture best suited to the environment at that moment. Ready-mix concrete charges according to the perfection of consistency as well as the timely delivery of the concrete mixture. The amount that one might save by opting for on-site mixing is spent on hiring extra labor in order to mix the concrete as well as reserving space for the storage of the concrete mixture. This may affect the quality and longevity of the product sometimes.

Material wastage and applications

As mentioned above, the concrete mixed on site is stored but often in a staggering place which increases the chances of material wastage. One should opt for on-site mixed concrete only if they have storage space and in-house technical capability whereas ready-mix concrete is best suited for construction sites with logistical restraints like lack of storage space. The application mainly includes the construction of low-rise buildings in case of onsite mix and undertaking large and high volume concrete works in case of ready-mix concrete.

Conclusion

Both, ready-mix and on-site mix of concrete present their share of advantages like consistent quality and minimal waste for the former whereas customization and economic advantage in the latter. One should analyze the desired outcome and make sure that the shortcomings requirement of space for onsite and restriction on the minimum quantity of material for ready-mix concrete do not present grave repercussions in your construction project. With appropriate supervision, one can obtain the desired economic, quality, and standard outcome in both cases. Choose the appropriate option for the project by reconciling with external agencies and staff members for valuable inputs.