Most slabs in Coimbatore and Tiruppur were once mixed on site with a small mixer. Ready mix concrete (RMC) — batched in a plant and delivered in a transit mixer — is now common even for individual houses. Here is how the two compare.
Side-by-side
| Ready mix (RMC) | Site mix | |
|---|---|---|
| Batching | Weighed in a plant to a design mix | Measured by volume (pans, buckets) |
| Consistency | Same mix in every load | Varies with labour and materials |
| Speed | A slab can be poured in hours | Slower — limited by the mixer |
| Labour | Fewer workers needed | Large gang for mixing and carrying |
| Site storage | No cement, sand or jelly stockpile | Space needed for all materials |
| Wastage | Low | Higher — spillage and leftovers |
| Small quantities | Minimum order applies | Practical for very small jobs |
When ready mix makes sense
- Roof slabs and floor slabs — one continuous pour gives a better slab.
- Sites with little space to store materials.
- When labour is hard to arrange on the day.
- Larger volumes — foundations, rafts and commercial floors.
When site mixing still works
- Very small quantities — a lintel, a small repair, a few steps.
- Sites a transit mixer cannot reach.
Before you order RMC
- Confirm the grade (M20, M25…) with your structural engineer.
- Check that the transit mixer can reach the pour point, or arrange a pump.
- Have formwork, reinforcement and labour ready before the truck arrives.
- Plan curing for at least 7 days after the pour.