Your slab
Your estimate
How much does a concrete slab cost in 2026?
A professionally installed concrete slab costs $6 to $12 per square foot for a standard 4-inch broom-finished pour in mid-2026, with the national average landing around $8.50. A typical 12×12 ft patio slab runs $1,150–$1,600 installed, while a 20×24 ft two-car garage slab costs $4,800–$7,000. Ready-mix concrete itself averages $150–$185 per cubic yard delivered, so material is roughly a third of the installed price — labor, forming, sub-base prep, and finishing make up the rest.
Concrete slab cost by size
| Slab size | Sq ft | Thickness | Installed cost (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 (hot tub pad) | 64 | 4″ | $550 – $800 |
| 10 × 10 | 100 | 4″ | $800 – $1,200 |
| 12 × 12 (patio) | 144 | 4″ | $1,150 – $1,600 |
| 10 × 20 (shed base) | 200 | 4″ | $1,500 – $2,200 |
| 12 × 40 (driveway) | 480 | 5″ | $4,300 – $6,200 |
| 20 × 24 (2-car garage) | 480 | 6″ | $4,800 – $7,000 |
| 24 × 30 (workshop) | 720 | 6″ | $7,200 – $10,500 |
Where the money goes
6 factors that change your price
1. Thickness. Moving from 4″ to 6″ means 50% more concrete and stiffer forming — expect 20–30% more on the installed price. Use 4″ for patios and walkways, 5–6″ for anything a vehicle sits on.
2. Site prep. A sloped or soft site needs excavation, grading, and a compacted gravel base — adding $1–$3 per sq ft.
3. Reinforcement. Wire mesh (~$0.50/sq ft) is standard for patios; a rebar grid (~$1.25/sq ft) is the right call for driveways and garages.
4. Finish. Broom finish is baseline. Exposed aggregate adds $3–5/sq ft, stamping adds $5–10/sq ft.
5. Your state. Labor in California, New York, and Hawaii runs 20–38% above the national average; much of the South runs 10–15% below. The calculator above adjusts automatically.
6. Truck access. If the mixer can’t get within chute distance of the pour, concrete pumping adds $150–$300.
DIY vs hiring a contractor
Material alone is roughly 30–50% of the installed price, so DIY can genuinely halve the cost — but only for small, simple slabs. A slab under about 80 sq ft is a realistic weekend project for two people using bagged concrete (about 45 bags per cubic yard at ~$5.40 per 80 lb bag). Beyond that, order ready-mix — but note most suppliers charge a short-load fee of $75–$150 on orders under 4–5 yards.
Driveways and garage slabs are usually worth hiring out: they need correct sub-base compaction, control joints cut at the right spacing, and a continuous pour that’s hard to manage solo. A failed slab costs more to demolish and re-pour than the original quote.
How this calculator works
Volume = length × width × thickness converted to cubic yards, plus a 10% industry-standard waste allowance. Material prices reflect national ready-mix and bagged-concrete averages surveyed July 2026; installed prices combine materials with regional labor rates, and your state selection applies a local cost index. Estimates are for planning — confirm with local quotes.