Local Concrete Cost Guide
Concrete Footing Cost in Memphis, TN
Concrete footings cost about $75 to $250 each for small isolated deck-post footings, or $15 to $45 per linear foot for continuous wall footings, with small pours often carrying a $50 to $150+ short-load delivery fee. The per-yard cost of concrete is rarely the issue on footings — excavation, frost depth, rebar, and small-order surcharges dominate the budget.
This guide explains why small footing pours are expensive per yard and how depth and reinforcement are decided. Use the footing calculator to total the volume across all your footings and add a waste allowance.
Last updated June 10, 2026
Calculate Local Costs for Memphis
Use this calculator to estimate the volume of concrete needed and the installed cost in Memphis. Pricing is automatically adjusted for the local labor market.
What Drives the Cost in Memphis
- Excavation: Digging to frost depth in hard or rocky soil is labor-intensive and often the largest single cost on a footing job.
- Frost depth and code: Footings must reach below the local frost line, which can be 12 inches in mild climates or 48+ inches in cold regions, changing both digging and concrete volume.
- Rebar: Reinforcement is modest in cost but commonly required; the exact size and spacing follow code, soil, and load.
- Short-load fees: Ready-mix suppliers surcharge orders under about 3 cubic yards because the truck leaves mostly empty, sharply raising the effective per-yard price.
- Access and pumping: If the truck cannot reach the footings, wheelbarrowing or a concrete pump adds labor or equipment cost.
Why small footing pours cost so much per yard
A footing job might only need 1 to 2 cubic yards of concrete, but the truck, driver, batching, and crew minimums do not shrink to match. That is why a short-load fee of $50 to $150 or more is normal, and why combining footing pours with another part of the project can lower the delivered cost dramatically.
When to use bags instead of ready-mix
A handful of deck-post footings can be poured economically with bagged concrete, especially if access is tight. Once you are placing many footings or a continuous footing, ready-mix usually wins on both consistency and total cost despite the delivery fee.