A concrete slab costs $6.50 to $10.50 per square foot installed in 2026 for a plain gray pour, according to Concrete Network’s July 2026 concrete price guide. A common 10×20 pad, 200 square feet, runs about $1,300 to $2,100 poured plain, and thickness is the single biggest price mover: stepping from 4 inches to 6 inches uses 50% more concrete on the same footprint.
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Find a handyman near you →Your quote also moves with site prep, reinforcement, and finish. Here’s what typical residential slab projects cost installed this year.
| Slab use | Typical size | Typical thickness | Installed cost range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shed base | 10×12 (120 sq ft) | 4 in | $800 to $1,300 |
| Patio | 10×20 (200 sq ft) | 4 in | $1,200 to $3,600 |
| Garage floor | 20×24 (480 sq ft) | 4 to 6 in | $3,100 to $5,600 |
| Driveway pad | 16×40 (640 sq ft) | 4 to 5 in | $3,200 to $13,000 |
| Small slab foundation | 24×24 (576 sq ft) | 6 in with rebar | $4,600 to $7,200 |
Concrete Slab Cost by Thickness
| Thickness | Typical use | Installed cost per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 4 inches | Patios, walkways, shed bases | $6.50 to $10.50 |
| 5 inches | Garage floors, light vehicle pads | $7.00 to $11.00 |
| 6 inches | Driveway pads, heavier loads | $7.50 to $11.70 |
| 6 inches + rebar | RV pads, workshops, small foundations | $8.00 to $12.50 |
Concrete is sold by the cubic yard, so thickness drives the material bill directly. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: it covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches, 65 square feet at 5 inches, and 54 square feet at 6 inches.
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Ready-mix ran $160 to $195 per cubic yard in most US markets as of mid 2026, and the most recent full-year national average was $179.95 per cubic yard, per Concrete Network. That works out to roughly $2.00 to $2.40 per square foot of concrete at 4 inches, $2.45 to $3.00 at 5 inches, and $2.95 to $3.60 at 6 inches.
Labor barely changes with thickness because the crew forms, pours, and finishes the same footprint either way. That’s why a thicker slab costs more per square foot, but not dramatically more.
Concrete Slab Cost by Use
Patio. Concrete Network’s 2026 patio cost data puts a 10×20 patio at $1,200 to $3,600 and a 20×20 at $3,200 to $7,200. Plain pours price near $6 per square foot, while stamped and custom work climbs to $12.50 to $18. If you’re weighing poured concrete against pavers, get numbers on both: you can compare quotes for paver patio installation near you before choosing a material.
Driveway pad. A full concrete driveway runs $3,200 to $13,000 nationally, with plain gray at $5 to $8 per square foot and decorative finishes at $8 to $21. Tearing out an old driveway adds about $1.00 per square foot. Asphalt is usually the cheaper install, so check our guide to asphalt driveway cost before committing to concrete — and if the existing asphalt just needs work, repair pricing runs a fraction of replacement.
Garage floor. A 20×24 two-car garage floor lands around $3,100 to $5,600 at 4 to 6 inches thick. Garages that will hold trucks or lifts should go 6 inches with reinforcement.
Shed base. A 10×12 shed pad at 4 inches costs about $800 to $1,300 installed. Small pours can price high per square foot because delivery minimums and crew time don’t scale down.
Small slab foundation. A 24×24 slab foundation with 6 inches of reinforced concrete runs roughly $4,600 to $7,200 before footings, plumbing rough-ins, or engineering. Foundations are code-driven, so expect permits, inspections by your city, and thicker edges where walls will sit.
Region moves the number more than any material choice. The concrete itself stays relatively stable nationwide, in the $160 to $195 per cubic yard delivered range covered above, but labor and site-prep rates do not: high-labor coastal metros tend to land in the top third of the installed ranges on this page, while many Southern and Midwestern markets price near the bottom third. That is why 2 identical slabs can be quoted $1,500 apart, and why local bids beat any national average.
What Drives the Price Up
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Find a handyman near you →Site prep and grading. Sloped, rooty, or soft ground costs money before any concrete arrives. Leveling and grading typically adds $0.40 to $2.00 per square foot. A compacted gravel base adds $1 to $3 per square foot; Today’s Homeowner’s 2026 slab guide pegs it around $1,000 per 1,000 square feet of footprint, and notes a soil test runs $500 to $2,000 when stability is in question.
Rebar vs. wire mesh. Welded wire mesh costs about $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot and controls surface cracking. A tied rebar grid adds roughly $0.50 to $1.00 per square foot but carries real structural loads, which is why garages, driveways with heavy vehicles, and foundations get steel.
Pumping. If the truck can’t back up to your forms, a trailer-mounted pump adds about $15 per cubic yard with a $125 minimum, and a boom truck runs $140 to $190 per hour. Backyard pours behind fences hit this line item constantly.
Finish. A broom finish is included in plain-slab pricing. Textured finishes run around $8 per square foot, and stamped or stained decorative work ranges from $8 to $21 per square foot on driveways. Finish is the one line where costs can double without adding an inch of concrete.
Demand is also working in your favor right now. Concrete Financial Insights, which tracks the US ready-mix industry, reports producers shipped 373 million cubic yards in 2025, 19% below the 2005 peak, as slower residential construction limited volumes. Slack demand keeps contractors competitive on plain flatwork.
DIY vs. Pro
Labor and finishing are 55% to 60% of an installed slab price, so DIY savings are real on small, simple pads. A 10×10 pad at 4 inches needs about 1.25 cubic yards of concrete, call it 1.5 with waste, which is roughly $240 to $300 of ready-mix at 2026 prices, plus lumber for forms, gravel, and mesh.
Two catches. First, most suppliers charge short-load fees on orders under a full truck, which hits small DIY pours hardest. Second, concrete is unforgiving: once the truck starts pouring, you have one continuous window to screed, float, edge, and finish, with no do-overs.
DIY makes sense for a shed pad or walkway if you have 2 to 3 helpers and the tools. Hire out anything structural, anything over about 100 square feet, and anything that needs a pump or a decorative finish.
How to Save on a Concrete Slab
- Get at least 3 bids. Flatwork pricing varies widely between crews working the same zip code, and the spread on a single job can be thousands of dollars.
- Keep it at 4 inches where loads allow. Patios, walkways, and shed bases rarely need more. Save the 6 inch pour for vehicles.
- Stick with a broom finish. Decorative stamping can add $2 to $8 or more per square foot. You can always stain or coat later.
- Do your own demolition and hauling. Tear-out adds about $1.00 per square foot. For small demo and debris runs, a local handyman often beats a concrete crew’s rate.
- Design simple shapes. Squares and rectangles form faster than curves, and faster forming means fewer labor hours.
- Coordinate with a neighbor. Sharing one truck across 2 small pours spreads delivery minimums and short-load fees.
Budgeting several projects at once? Our home repair cost guides cover dozens of related jobs with the same sourced-pricing approach.
Concrete Slab Cost FAQ
How much does a 10×20 concrete slab cost?
A 10×20 slab, 200 square feet, costs about $1,300 to $2,100 poured plain at 4 inches, based on 2026 installed rates of $6.50 to $10.50 per square foot. Concrete Network’s patio table puts the same footprint at $1,200 to $3,600 once colors, borders, or stamped finishes enter the picture.
How thick should a concrete slab be?
4 inches handles patios, walkways, and shed bases. Driveways should be at least 4 inches, and 5 to 6 inches if trucks or RVs will park on them. Garage floors and slab foundations typically run 4 to 6 inches with reinforcement, and local code always has the final say.
Is it cheaper to pour a concrete slab yourself?
Yes, on small pads, because labor is 55% to 60% of an installed price. A 10×10 DIY pad costs roughly $240 to $300 in ready-mix plus forms, gravel, and mesh, versus $650 to $1,050 installed. Finishing is time-critical and hard to correct, so keep DIY to small, non-structural pours.
Do you need a permit to pour a concrete slab?
Often, yes. Many cities require a permit once a slab passes a size threshold or supports a structure such as a garage, shed, or addition, and slab foundations always involve permits and inspections. Rules and fees vary by city, so check with your local building department before scheduling the pour.
Once you know your target range, the fastest way to find out what your slab really costs is to put it in front of several local concrete contractors. On AllBetter, homeowners can post the job and compare bids from ID-verified pros, with payment held in escrow until the work is approved.
If the slab you are pricing is a driveway, the full driveway paving cost guide compares asphalt, concrete, and pavers on installed price and lifespan.
Finishing a garage slab instead? See what epoxy flooring cost adds on top of the concrete for a sealed, showroom-style floor.
