Concrete work has some of the widest pricing variation of any trade. A basic 4-inch slab might run $6-8 per square foot installed. A stamped, colored patio with borders could be $15-25 per square foot. Same material, completely different job, and if you don't price accordingly, the fancy work subsidizes the simple work — or worse, you lose money on the complex stuff.
Here's how to price concrete jobs so you actually make money on every pour.
Concrete material costs
Ready-mix concrete is your biggest material cost. In 2026, expect to pay:
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix concrete (per cubic yard) | $140-180 | Standard 3,000-4,000 PSI mix |
| High-strength mix (5,000+ PSI) | $165-210/yard | Driveways, structural work |
| Fiber mesh additive | $5-8/yard | Reduces cracking |
| Rebar (#4 bar) | $0.75-1.25/linear ft | Required for structural slabs |
| Wire mesh (6x6 W1.4) | $0.15-0.25/sq ft | Standard reinforcement for flatwork |
| Gravel base (per ton) | $25-50 | 4-6 inches of compacted base typical |
| Forms (lumber) | $0.50-1.50/linear ft | 2x4 or 2x6 depending on thickness |
| Short load fee | $50-100/yard under minimum | Most plants have a 3-5 yard minimum |
One cubic yard of concrete covers about 80 square feet at 4 inches thick, or 65 square feet at 5 inches thick. Always order 5-10% more than your calculated need. Running short on a pour is one of the worst things that can happen on a concrete job — you can't just pause and pick up tomorrow.
Per square foot pricing by job type
Here's what the market looks like for installed concrete work in 2026:
| Job Type | Price per Sq Ft (installed) | Typical Job Total |
|---|---|---|
| Basic slab (4" with broom finish) | $6-10 | $2,400-6,000 |
| Driveway (4-5", reinforced) | $8-14 | $4,000-10,000 |
| Patio (4", broom or smooth finish) | $8-12 | $2,500-5,000 |
| Stamped concrete patio | $12-20 | $4,000-12,000 |
| Colored/stained concrete | $10-18 | $3,500-9,000 |
| Sidewalk (4") | $6-10 | $1,500-3,500 |
| Retaining wall (per face sq ft) | $20-40 | $3,000-15,000 |
| Foundation/footer | $8-15 | $5,000-25,000+ |
| Concrete steps (per step) | $200-400 | $1,000-3,000 |
| Tear-out and replacement | $10-18 | $4,000-12,000 |
How to estimate a concrete job step by step
1. Measure and calculate volume
Length × Width × Thickness (in feet) ÷ 27 = cubic yards needed.
For a 20' × 40' driveway at 5 inches thick: 20 × 40 × 0.417 ÷ 27 = 12.4 cubic yards. Order 13-14 yards to be safe.
2. Price your materials
For that driveway:
- Concrete: 14 yards × $160 = $2,240
- Gravel base: 6 tons × $35 = $210
- Wire mesh: 800 sq ft × $0.20 = $160
- Rebar (edges and joints): $150
- Forms: 120 linear ft × $1.00 = $120
- Expansion joints, curing compound, misc: $100
- Total materials: $2,980
3. Estimate labor
Concrete work is labor-intensive and time-sensitive. Once the truck shows up, the clock is ticking. You need enough crew to handle the pour.
For that 800 sq ft driveway, a typical timeline:
- Day 1 — Prep: Excavate, grade, compact base, set forms (8-12 man-hours)
- Day 2 — Pour: Place reinforcement, pour, screed, bull float, edge, finish (12-16 man-hours)
- Day 3 — Strip and clean: Remove forms, backfill, clean up (4-6 man-hours)
Total: 24-34 man-hours. With a 3-person crew, that's about 2.5-3 days on site.
At a labor cost of $40-55/hour per worker (including payroll taxes and comp), labor runs $960-1,870. Call it $1,400 for a solid crew working at a normal pace.
4. Add overhead and profit
- Materials: $2,980
- Material markup (15%): $447
- Labor: $1,400
- Equipment (Bobcat, plate compactor, power trowel rental): $350
- Overhead (truck, insurance, permits — 10%): $518
- Profit (15%): $855
- Total: $6,550
That works out to about $8.19 per square foot for a basic reinforced driveway with broom finish. Right in the expected range.
What drives the price up
Stamping and decorative finishes. Stamped concrete requires color hardener or integral color ($0.50-1.50/sq ft in material), stamp mats ($200-500 to buy), release agent, and sealer. More importantly, it requires skill and time. The finishing window on decorative work is tight — you're working the surface while it's curing, and there's no going back. Price stamped work at 1.5-2.5× your basic flatwork rate.
Demo and removal. Breaking out old concrete costs $2-4 per square foot for demolition and $50-100 per ton for disposal. A 4-inch slab weighs about 50 pounds per square foot, so an 800 sq ft driveway generates roughly 20 tons of debris. That's $1,000-2,000 just in disposal fees.
Difficult access. If the concrete truck can't reach the pour site, you're looking at pump truck rental ($800-1,500 for a boom pump) or wheelbarrowing, which is slow and expensive in labor hours.
Slope and grading work. A flat lot is easy. A sloped site that needs cut-and-fill or retaining work before you pour adds significant labor and possibly engineering requirements.
Concrete pricing mistakes
Underestimating prep. The pour itself might take a few hours. But prep — excavation, grading, base compaction, forming — often takes longer than the pour. Don't quote pour day only.
Not charging for callbacks. Concrete cracks. It's not a question of if, it's a question of how much. Control joints, proper thickness, reinforcement, and curing all minimize cracking but don't eliminate it. Set clear expectations in your contract about what's normal shrinkage cracking versus warranty work.
Ignoring weather risk. Rain on fresh concrete is a disaster. Extreme cold or heat changes your curing schedule and may require additives. If you have to postpone a pour because of weather, you're still paying your crew and the rescheduled concrete truck may cost extra. Build a small weather contingency into your price.
Pricing by the yard instead of by the job. "$400 per yard installed" is a shorthand that ignores all the variables that make jobs different. Two jobs might use the same yardage but differ dramatically in prep work, access, finish complexity, and time. Price each job individually.
Get your estimate right the first time
Concrete isn't forgiving — you can't undo a pour. Your pricing needs to be just as precise. Our pricing calculator helps you plug in materials, labor hours, and overhead to generate a quote that covers your costs and leaves room for profit.
Price your next concrete job accurately
Free calculator for trade contractors. Materials, labor, overhead, and profit — all in one place.
Try the pricing calculator →If you do other trade work alongside concrete, check out our guides on pricing plumbing jobs and lawn care pricing. The cost-plus-margin approach works across every trade — the specific numbers change, but the discipline of knowing your costs and pricing for profit never does.