Booking a concrete pump or mixer truck: what to look at
Concrete pump, mixer truck or both
People often mix these two up. A mixer truck brings the concrete and unloads it, while a concrete pump delivers the mix where the mixer cannot reach: onto a roof slab, up to a height, over a wall. A boom pump has its own arm; a stationary pump is connected with a pipe or hose when the machine cannot get close. Many providers also offer a package: concrete plus a pump.
First decide what you are pouring: a foundation, a slab, a floor screed or columns. That sets the volume, the grade (the strength class of the concrete) and the boom length you need.
What affects the cost
- Volume in m³: for small volumes a pump is less economical, because the call-out fee and minimum hire stay the same.
- Boom length and delivery height: a longer boom means a bigger machine.
- Concrete separately or supplied with it: grade, additives, distance from the plant.
- Time: pump hire is often for a minimum of a few hours, and delays in unloading cost extra.
- Access and preparation: you need a firm spot for the outriggers and no wires above the boom.
What to put in your request
- Machine — boom pump, stationary pump or mixer truck.
- Concrete volume — for example, 20 m³.
- Concrete — whether you need it supplied, which grade, or only the pumping.
- What you are pouring — foundation, slab, screed.
- Boom and delivery — length, distance, height.
- Date and duration — Saturday morning, 4 hours.
- Access — narrow gate, wires, ground.
- Address and budget.
Example: “I need a boom pump with a boom of 36 m or more and structural concrete, 20 m³, to pour a foundation slab in Kuala Lumpur. Saturday morning, for 4 hours. The gate is narrow and there are no wires above the plot. Budget up to RM 1,000.”
How to compare offers through BlaBlaPrice
You write one request, and equipment owners reply in the chat: which machine, the price (or what it depends on), the arrival time. Each of them sees where their offer stands among the others, so they often improve their terms. The platform shows the best-fitting offer first, with reviews next to each. Your contacts stay hidden until you choose a provider.
Compare offers on the same basis: whether the concrete is included, which grade and whether the plant gives a delivery slip, who washes out the pump and where, and whether waiting time during unloading is counted. Agree on the exact arrival time and on a backup plan in case of rain or a delay. Concrete must be placed within a limited time after it is mixed, so agree in advance when the mixers will arrive one after another, to keep the pumping continuous. Have the reinforcement and shuttering ready before the machines arrive.
For groundwork before the pour, see an excavator and bulldozer, and for sand and aggregate see a tipper truck. To see how it all works, read the “How it works” page.
