Line pumps and boom pumps
What does concrete pump hire cost?
There is no national day rate, and anyone quoting you one down the phone has not asked enough questions. Pump hire is priced against the job: line pump or boom, how many cubes, how far the concrete has to travel, how long the machine stands waiting on your trucks, and how far it came from the depot. Tell us about the pour and local concrete pumping contractors will price your actual job.
What moves the price of a concrete pump: the eight cost drivers
Last updated
Every honest pump quote is built from the same short list of variables. This table is the list, what each one does to the number, and the question that pins it down before you book. It carries no headline day rate on purpose: a rate without a volume, an access description and a standing time policy is not a price, it is a hook.
Compiled from how concrete pumping is quoted and charged on UK sites: pump type, volume and pour rate, access and set-up, hose distance, standing and part-load time, travel from depot, site management requirements, and washout. Deliberately no monetary figures, because the same machine can be a half day on an open site and a full day with standing time on a tight street 20 miles further out. Use the right-hand column as the checklist against every quote you receive. Reviewed August 2026.
| Cost driver | Why it moves the price | What to ask for on the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Line pump or boom pump | Different machines entirely. A line pump pushes concrete along hose at ground level; a boom pump places it from a folding arm over walls, scaffold and buildings. Boom machines cost more to own, run and crew. | Which pump they are sending, and why that one suits your pour |
| Volume and pour rate | Volume decides whether you are buying part of a day or all of it, and the rate at which concrete can be placed decides how long the gang and the trucks are tied up. | Whether the price is a half day, a full day, or per cubic metre with a minimum |
| Access and set-up space | Outriggers need firm, level ground clear of drains, cellars and soft fill. Narrow entrances, parked cars and shared driveways can rule a machine out on the day, and a wasted visit is chargeable. | A site visit or photos before booking, and confirmation the machine fits |
| Overhead obstructions and reach | Power lines, trees and buildings limit where a boom can be slewed. Reach is measured to the furthest point of the pour, not to the gate. | The reach they are quoting and where the pump will actually stand |
| Hose distance and pipe runs | Long hose runs and vertical lifts need extra pipe, extra labour to move it, and slow the pour down. On line pump work this is often the difference between two jobs. | How much hose is included and the charge for extra lengths |
| Standing time and part loads | The pump is idle while it waits for the next mixer. Late concrete, short loads and a pour that stops and starts are the most common reason a quote and an invoice disagree. | The included time, the standing time rate, and when it starts |
| Distance from the depot | Mobilisation is real cost: driver hours, fuel and a machine off the yard. Rural sites and sites far from a pumping depot price higher for the same pour. | Whether travel is inside the price or added per mile or per hour |
| Site requirements: banksman, traffic management, washout | Setting up on a road or footway can need permissions and traffic management. A banksman may be needed for reversing mixers. Washout water is highly alkaline and cannot go to a surface water drain. | Who supplies the banksman, who arranges any road permissions, and who takes the washout away |
- Concrete pump hire has no national day rate: pump type, volume, access, hose distance, standing time and distance from the depot are the variables nearly every quote is built from.
- A line pump and a boom pump are different products. A line pump pushes concrete through hose at ground level; a boom pump places it overhead from a folding arm and needs firm outrigger ground and clear airspace.
- Standing time is the most common gap between a concrete pump quote and the invoice, because the pump is charged while it waits for late or short mixer loads.
- Concrete pumps are work equipment under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, so maintenance, inspection and operator competence are fair questions before you book.
- Washout water from a concrete pump is highly alkaline and must not be discharged to surface water drains; unless the quote says otherwise, providing a washout point and dealing with the waste falls to the customer.
Cite this page
“What moves the price of a concrete pump: the eight cost drivers”, Concrete Pumping Hire, https://concretepumpinghire.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Compiled from how concrete pumping is quoted and charged on UK sites: pump type, volume and pour rate, access and set-up, hose distance, standing and part-load time, travel from depot, site management requirements, and washout. Deliberately no monetary figures, because the same machine can be a half day on an open site and a full day with standing time on a tight street 20 miles further out. Use the right-hand column as the checklist against every quote you receive. Reviewed August 2026.
How it works
- Tell us the pour: what it is, roughly how many cubes, what the access looks like. Two minutes, no account.
- We pass it to concrete pumping contractors covering your postcode, and to no one else.
- They ring you with a price for your job, including how they charge for standing time. Compare, book, or walk away.
Concrete Pumping Hire is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd; we pass your details to local concrete pumping contractors who quote you directly. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are not a pumping contractor and we are not affiliated with the HSE or any other body named on this site. Nothing here is engineering, safety or legal advice: the cost drivers are guidance for comparing quotes, and site-specific decisions belong to the competent people doing the work.
The questions we get
How much does it cost to hire a concrete pump?
There is no fixed national rate. Contractors price against the pump type (line or boom), the volume and pour rate, access and set-up space, the hose or reach distance to the furthest point of the pour, how long the machine stands waiting on mixer loads, and how far the site is from the depot. Ask for a day or half-day price, what is included and the standing time rate.
Do I need a line pump or a boom pump?
A line pump pushes concrete along hose at ground level, so it suits rear gardens, footings and interior pours where a vehicle cannot reach. A boom pump places concrete from a folding arm, so it suits large slabs, upper floors and anywhere concrete must go over a wall, hoarding or scaffold. Booms need firm, level outrigger ground and clear airspace.
What is standing time on a concrete pump?
Time the pump is on site but not pumping, usually because it is waiting on the next mixer. It is charged beyond whatever period is included in the quote, and it is the most common reason a pumping invoice exceeds the price you were given. Get the included time and the hourly rate in writing.
Does the pump hire price include the concrete?
No. Pumping and ready-mixed concrete are bought separately. The pump price covers the machine, the operator and placing the concrete; the concrete comes from your supplier by the cubic metre. Keeping supply continuous is what keeps the pump price honest.
Are concrete pumps covered by safety regulations?
Yes. A concrete pump is work equipment, so the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 apply, covering suitability for the task, maintenance, inspection and the competence of operators. Asking a contractor about maintenance records and operator training is entirely normal.
Is this quote service really free?
Yes, free to you, with no obligation to accept any quote. We pass your details only to concrete pumping contractors covering your postcode, who price your job directly. We may receive a fee from those contractors, which is how the service is funded.