Concrete Prices in Turkey: A Fully Detailed Guide 2023

Understand Concrete Prices in Turkey. This in-depth guide examines key factors like raw materials, location, order size, strength grade, delivery distance, and automation that influence cost per m3. Get useful average price ranges in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities. Learn smart ways to optimize your concrete budget.

Concrete is the foundation of Turkey’s expanding construction industry. With mega projects underway, demand for ready mix concrete is at an all-time high. This has led to questions around how concrete is priced in Turkey’s complex building materials market. This detailed guide examines key factors influencing concrete costs, provides average price estimates, and answers some common questions on concrete quantity calculations.

Important Things To Know Before Reading

All the prices and costs in this article is updated as of September 2023, the price of 1 USD is 26.77 TL, and the Price of 1 Euro is 28,91.

Prices may change depending on when are you reading this article.

What Impacts Ready Mix Concrete Prices in Turkey?

Ready mix concrete prices depend on several variables. Focusing only on 1 m3 concrete price can be misleading. Real costs depend on:

Location

Concrete prices vary across different cities and regions of Turkey based on:

• Raw material availability and transportation costs
• Wages and overhead costs which differ regionally
• Level of competition among suppliers in that area

For instance, 1 m3 concrete will cost higher in Istanbul vs Trabzon.

Concrete Supplier

Each ready mix company has different operational costs depending on:

• Scale of operations
• Transportation fleet capacity
• Plant modernization
• Energy and equipment costs
• Profit margins

Bigger suppliers with automated plants can offer lower prices. Opting for established suppliers is advisable.

Concrete Specifications

Type of concrete grade and mix design impacts price. Higher strength concrete with additional reinforcements costs more.

• Standard grades – C16, C20, C25 etc. have different base prices
• Added aggregates, plasticizers, chemicals increase cost

Order size also matters. Bulk orders get discounted rates.

Distance from Plant

Transport distance adds to cost. Fuel and vehicle expenses are incorporated into price quotes. Plants situated further away charge more.

Average Ready Mix Concrete Prices in Turkey (September 2023)

• Below prices exclude VAT and transport cost
• Transport additional at ~50 TL/m3 + VAT
• Admixtures extra at ~100 TL/m3 + VAT
• Istanbul Avg. Price – C25: 1600 TL, C30: 1800 TL per m3

Accurate pricing requires getting quotes from local suppliers that factor in exact project requirements. National averages serve as a general benchmark.

How Much Concrete Can a Mixer Truck Carry in Turkey?

Standard concrete mixer trucks in Turkey have loading capacities ranging from 6 m3 to 12 m3.

However, as per regulations, the drum cannot be filled to maximum capacity. Only 80% of drum volume can be occupied by concrete to allow proper mixing.

For example, for a 10 m3 capacity mixer:

• Total drum volume is 10 m3
• But max concrete that can be loaded is 10 x 0.8 = 8 m3

This key point must be checked when ordering concrete trucks to avoid waste and shortages.

How Much Area Does 1 m3 of Concrete Cover?

To calculate how much floor space 1 m3 covers, we need to know the thickness (height) of the slab. Then:

Area (m2) = Length (m) x Width (m)

Volume (m3) = Area (m2) x Height (m)

For example, for a 15m x 10m slab of 0.1m thickness:

• Area = 15 x 10 = 150 m2
• Volume = 150 x 0.1 = 15 m3

So 15 m3 concrete will cover 150 m2 area for a 0.1m thick slab. Adjusting slab thickness gives the area covered.

Factors Impacting Ready Mix Concrete Prices in Turkey

Now that we have a broad idea about concrete rates in Turkey, let us examine the key factors that influence pricing in detail:

1. Cost of Raw Materials

Basic ingredients like cement, aggregates (sand and stone), water, and admixtures account for the major raw material expenses. Their availability and transportation costs impact final concrete rates.

• Cement: Prices are impacted by production costs, fuel rates for kilns, import duties, and supply-demand dynamics.
• Aggregates: Locally sourced aggregates keep prices lower compared to transported material. River sand scarcity has made aggregates costlier.
• Admixtures: Chemical additives imported from abroad are pricier. Some admixtures are manufactured locally under foreign licenses at competitive rates.
• Reinforcements: Steel rod prices depend on grade, diameter, and steel market rates. Their wastage and overlap should also be considered.

2. Labor Expenses

Concrete production requires specialized manpower for batching, mixing, loading, and delivery. Their wages and cement factory worker salaries contribute to overall expenses.

The availability of skilled labor also impacts pricing.

3. Fuel Costs

Diesel and electric power is needed at concrete plants for aggregate heating, lighting, machinery, and transit mixer fleet. Fuel price rise directly affects the budget.

Longer transit distance from batching plant to site means higher fuel cost passed on to the customer.

4. Equipment Investments

Batching plants require heavy machinery like hoppers, mixers, pumps, weigh batches, and testing equipment imported from EU. Their cost is recouped through concrete sales.

Upgrading to automated plants needs large capex but improves productivity and quality control.

5. Maintenance

The mechanical equipment and fleet of transit mixers need periodic servicing, repairs and spare part replacements. Their maintenance cost gets built into the pricing.

6. Electricity Costs

Concrete plants have high electricity consumption for running heavy machinery, lighting, and computers. Power tariffs levied by utilities affect budgets. Reliable grid supply also minimizes diesel genset usage.

7. Depreciation

The machines, fleet, and facilities have sizable capital costs but limited economic life. Their cost is recovered by factoring in depreciation expense in price calculations.

8. Taxes, Levies & Insurance

Licensing costs, local taxes, import duties on equipment or materials, and insurance premiums paid by suppliers add to their operating costs impacting pricing.

9. Financing Costs

Supplier working capital needs and equipment loans mean interest costs. Some also incur forex risks for imported inputs. These financial costs influence concrete rates.

10. Logistics Management

Coordinating raw material procurement, inventory, production planning, and delivery fleet routing requires resources. Optimizing logistics enhances cost efficiency.

11. Economies of Scale

Larger plants gain from economies of scale. Their higher volumes allow cost savings compared to smaller suppliers. This gets reflected in pricing advantage.

12. Competition Intensity

In regions with many players, competition forces suppliers to limit premium pricing to attract demand. Areas with fewer suppliers may see higher prices due to limited options.

Ready Mix Concrete Prices for Different Strength Grades

While estimates help, contact reputed local suppliers like Çimsa, Akçansa, Limak etc. to get accurate quotations for your project. Rates differ based on the specified concrete class or strength grade measured by the mix’s 28-day cube compressive strength.

Higher strength concrete is pricier as it needs:

• Lower water/cement ratio
• Better quality raw materials
• Closer quality control

Low grade concrete uses:

• Higher water content
• Poorer aggregates
• Relaxed quality norms

This table indicates approximate price differences between common grades assuming same location, quantity and delivery conditions:

The strength grade should match the structural design. Using overly strong concrete inflates costs. Consulting structural engineers is advised.

Ready Mix Concrete Prices Based on Order Size

Bulk orders get discounted rates due to:

• Lower production costs per unit
• Assured sales volume
• Reduced delivery runs

Small batch orders attract higher prices due to:

• Higher batching costs per m3
• Inefficient material usage
• Increased transit costs

Cost savings from ordering full truckloads can be 10% or more.

Check with suppliers on price advantage for bulk purchases. It helps in cost planning.

How Transit Distance from Plant Affects Concrete Prices

Longer travel distance means higher transport costs passed on to customers. Additional factors leading to price increase are:

• Extra fuel consumption
• Added vehicle wear-and-tear
• Increased fleet maintenance
• Lower daily trips possible
• Higher driver wages for longer hours

As thumb rule, every extra 10 kms from plant may increase cost by ~3-5 TL/m3.

Plants located within city limits offer lower pricing due to quicker turnaround. Plants in outskirts have higher transport expenses reflected in concrete rates.

Difference in Ready Mix Concrete Pricing for Wet vs Dry Batch Plants

Wet batching plants combine all ingredients including water at the plant itself into ready mix concrete. It is directly dispatched to site in transit mixer trucks.

Dry batching plants mix all ingredients except water at the plant. Water is added later at site into the transit mixer drum. This on-site mixing extends transit time.

Wet batching allows faster delivery, consistent quality and lower pricing. Difference may be ~50-80 TL per m3 compared to dry concrete batching.

How Do Admixtures Impact Concrete Prices?

Admixtures are additives added in small doses to concrete mix to achieve certain properties like:

• Increased workability
• Faster setting
• Reduced water content
• Improved strength
• Resistance to chemicals, weathering etc.

Some popular admixtures used are plasticizers, accelerators, retarders, air entertainers, pigments etc.

Admixtures increase cost due to:

• Raw material import costs for specialty chemicals
• Precise dosage and mixing
• Quality assurance for even distribution

Typical admixture costs range from 80 – 150 TL per m3 extra depending on type used.

Effect of Reinforcements on Concrete Prices

Reinforcements like steel rods and mesh are added to improve concrete’s tensile strength. The reinforcements bear the load once concrete has cracked.

Reinforced concrete is ~15-20% higher priced than plain cement concrete. Cost depends on:

• Grade of steel used – Fe250, Fe500 etc.
• Diameter and density of rod layout
• Total steel quantity as per structural design
• Wastage due to binding overlaps

Correct steel quantity ensures optimum cost. Excess usage causes inefficiency.

How Do Ready Mix Concrete Suppliers Price Their Products?

Reputed ready mix suppliers adopt scientific costing models considering:

• Base material costs like cement, aggregates etc.
• Production and delivery expenses
• Overheads and profit margins
• Market forces of demand/supply

The aim is to cover costs and make reasonable profits while remaining price competitive.

Discounts for large wholesale customers and premium for small orders is also built into the pricing strategy. Market rates are monitored to align with competition.

Ready Mix Concrete Prices in Major Turkish Cities

While exact rates require quoting, here are indicative price ranges in Turkey’s major construction markets:

Rates vary across neighborhoods based on plant proximity, construction activity, etc. Get location-specific quotes from at least 3 suppliers before finalizing.

Frequently Asked Questions on Concrete Prices in Turkey

Is ready mix concrete cheaper than site mix?

Yes, ready mix concrete from suppliers is 15-20% cheaper than small volume mixing done at construction site using manual labor.

Which is the best ready mix concrete brand in Turkey?

Leading ready mix concrete suppliers in Turkey include Çimsa, Akçansa, Limak, Nuh Beton and Saraylar Beton among established brands.

How to get lowest price on ready mix concrete?

Order in bulk, minimize extras like admixtures, use standard grades, compare quotes from multiple suppliers, and opt for nearby plants to get the lowest pricing.