THE BUYING DESKBags or bulk?
Bags or bulk?
Let your quotes decide.
Compare what you would actually buy. Whole bags, delivery fees and minimum loads all count. Use soil, mulch or compost quotes for comparable products.
Compare your options
Bagged material
Bulk material + delivery
The cheaper quote is not always the practical choice. Consider delivery access, storage, handling and whether both quotes are for a comparable material.
Review your project ↗Compare the order,
not just the unit price.
For 32 cubic feet, 1.5-cubic-foot bags at an illustrative $5 cost $110 for 22 bags. A bulk order in half-yard increments rounds 1.19 cubic yards up to 1.5. At an illustrative $45 per cubic yard plus $50 delivery, that order costs $117.50.
Bags cost $7.50 less in this example. Change the delivery charge or volume and the result can change. There is no universal volume where bulk becomes cheaper.
Read the rounding rules ↗