Pricing guide
How Much Does Concrete Cost?
Poured concrete is priced per square foot installed, driven by slab thickness, the finish, and site prep. Driveways, patios and slabs are costed individually below, with site prep called out because it is the line that moves the total most.
Founder, Smarfle · Published June 27, 2026
Average concrete (installed)
$6 to $14 / sq ft
Per square foot installed, by thickness and finish. A typical 2-car driveway runs roughly $3,600 to $8,400.
Quick answer
Poured concrete typically costs $6 to $14 per square foot installed depending on thickness and finish. A 2-car driveway (about 600 sq ft) runs roughly $3,600 to $8,400, more with a decorative finish or removal of the old slab.
Concrete price list
| Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
| 4-inch slab (per sq ft) | $6 to $10 |
| 5-inch slab (per sq ft) | $7 to $12 |
| 6-inch slab (per sq ft) | $8 to $14 |
| 2-car driveway (~600 sq ft) | $3,600 to $8,400 |
| Patio (~300 sq ft) | $1,800 to $4,500 |
| Stamped concrete (per sq ft) | $12 to $22 |
| Remove old concrete (per sq ft) | $2 to $6 |
Prices are typical U.S. ranges and vary by region, scope, and condition. Always get a written quote.
Cost by slab thickness
| Thickness | Per sq ft | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 4 inches | $6 to $10 | patios, walkways |
| 5 inches | $7 to $12 | driveways |
| 6 inches | $8 to $14 | heavy loads, RV pads |
Cost by finish
| Finish | Relative cost |
|---|---|
| Standard / broom | baseline |
| Colored | about 1.25x |
| Exposed aggregate | about 1.3x |
| Stamped | about 1.6x |
What affects the cost
Thickness and rebar
Thicker slabs use more concrete and reinforcement. Driveways are 4 to 5 inches; areas carrying heavy vehicles use 6 inches with rebar.
Finish
A standard broom finish is cheapest. Colored, exposed-aggregate, and especially stamped finishes add forms, color, and labor.
Site prep and access
Grading, a gravel base, poor soil, and hard-to-reach pours all add cost before any concrete is placed.
Removal
Tearing out and hauling away an existing slab adds roughly $2 to $6 per square foot.
What you are actually paying for
The parts of a concrete work quote that never appear as a line item, from the side of the business that has to cover them.
Once the truck arrives, nobody can stop
Concrete begins setting on a clock that does not care about your schedule, so the crew is sized to place and finish the whole pour without pausing. Crew size is set by the volume rather than the budget, and that is the single biggest reason a pour cannot be scaled down cheaply.
A partial load costs more per yard
Plants charge a surcharge for anything under a full truck, because a half-empty drum still occupies a driver and a delivery slot. It is why a small patio can come in higher per square foot than a driveway several times its size, and why combining flatwork genuinely saves money.
A canceled pour still costs the crew's day
Rain or heat can make placing concrete a bad idea, and by the time that is clear the crew is booked and the load is scheduled. Contractors who carry that risk rather than passing it on price a little of it into every job, which is part of what separates a firm bid from an optimistic one.
Where the money goes
Most of a concrete job is material plus labor for forming, pouring, and finishing. Decorative finishes shift more cost to labor. Removing an old slab and prepping the subgrade are separate line items, so a 'replace' job costs more than a fresh pour on bare ground.
Should you DIY or hire a pro?
Small slabs (a shed pad, a few stepping areas) are DIY-able if you are comfortable with formwork and finishing fast before it cures. Driveways, large patios, and anything load-bearing are best left to a pro: finishing concrete is time-sensitive and unforgiving, and a bad pour is expensive to fix.
How to save on concrete work
- Choose a broom finish. Stamped and colored work costs far more and a broom finish still looks clean.
- Combine flatwork into one pour. A partial truck carries a plant surcharge, so two small pours cost more than one larger one.
- Resurface a sound slab rather than replacing it.
- Ask what thickness and rebar the number assumes, then compare bids on that rather than on the total.
- Accept a weather delay rather than pushing a pour. Placing concrete in the wrong conditions is how a slab cracks.
What the federal data shows
Cement masons and concrete finishers are unusual among construction trades in having no Occupational Outlook Handbook profile, so the wage comes from the OEWS national table directly. The laborers and helpers who work alongside them had a $46,680 median, and a pour is rarely a one-person job, so a quote carries both rates.
Run a concrete work business? Here is what to charge
If you run a concrete or contracting business, price per square foot by thickness and finish, and quote prep, rebar, and removal as separate lines so the bid is clear and your margin is protected.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete driveway cost?
How much does stamped concrete cost?
How thick should a concrete slab be?
Does the price include removing old concrete?
Can I estimate my own concrete cost?
More pricing guides
Where these numbers come from
The dollar ranges on this page are our own editorial estimates, not survey data. We build them from the federal wage figures cited below, which set the labor floor for the trade, plus the typical job scopes we see in the field. Materials, permits, access and local demand move every one of them. Treat the ranges as a starting point for a conversation with a contractor, not as a quote.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Table 1: national employment and wage data by occupation (May 2025)Cement masons and concrete finishers (SOC 47-2051) have no Occupational Outlook Handbook profile, unlike most construction trades, so the wage figure comes from the OEWS national table directly.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Construction Laborers and Helpers (May 2025)Median of $46,680 for the laborers and helpers who work alongside cement masons setting and moving forms. A pour is rarely a one-person job, so a quote carries both rates.
Last reviewed September 2026.
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