How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost?
Three ways to pour the same slab, three very different bills. Here is the reference example used throughout this page — a 10 × 20 ft patio slab, 4 inches thick — at the standard prices from the main calculator ($6.50 per 80 lb bag, $160 per cubic yard, $75 delivery).
The two DIY figures are the concrete alone, with the standard 10% waste allowance. A real DIY project also pays for forms, a gravel base, reinforcement, and tool rental — itemized below. The pro figure is a typical installed range for a basic slab ($6–$12 per sq ft) and includes all of that plus labor. Full build-up for every method is in the tables.
What the Concrete Itself Costs: Bags vs Ready-Mix
Start with the material. These are exact figures at the example prices above — bags counted with 10% waste, ready-mix billed on the with-waste yardage at the 1 yd³ minimum, delivery included.
| Slab (4 in unless noted) | Area | DIY bags | Bags $/sq ft | Ready-mix delivered | Ready-mix $/sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10×10 | 100 sq ft | 62 bags = $403.00 | $4.03 | 1.36 yd³ = $292.28 | $2.92 |
| 10×20 | 200 sq ft | 123 bags = $799.50 | $4.00 | 2.72 yd³ = $509.57 | $2.55 |
| 10×20 at 6 in | 200 sq ft | 184 bags = $1,196.00 | $5.98 | 4.07 yd³ = $726.85 | $3.63 |
Two patterns to notice. First, the truck beats bags on material at every size past about 1 yd³, and its lead grows as the slab gets bigger, because the $75 delivery fee is spread over more concrete. Second, thickness is brutal on bags: going from 4 in to 6 in adds 50% more volume, and bag cost per square foot climbs from $4.00 to $5.98, while the truck's rises only to $3.63. For the bag counts behind these numbers, see the 10×20 slab bag guide and the 10×10 slab bag guide.
The Full Project: Cost Per Square Foot
Concrete is only part of the bill. A finished slab also needs excavation and grading, form boards, a compacted gravel base, reinforcement (wire mesh or rebar), and finishing tools. DIYers pay for those in materials and rentals; a contractor's quote bundles them with labor. Typical all-in ranges for a basic broom-finished patio slab:
| Method | Typical all-in cost | 10×20 slab (200 sq ft) | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY with bags | ~$6–$7 per sq ft | ~$1,200–$1,400 | Bags, forms, gravel base, mesh, mixer rental — and your labor |
| DIY with ready-mix | ~$4.25–$5 per sq ft | ~$850–$1,000 | Delivered concrete, forms, gravel base, mesh, finishing tool rental |
| Hired pro | ~$6–$12 per sq ft | ~$1,200–$2,400 | Everything above, plus excavation, labor, and usually a workmanship warranty |
The build-up, so you can check it against your own quotes: on the 10×20 example, the non-concrete extras typically run $350–$650 — form lumber, about 2.5 yd³ of gravel for a 4 in base, a roll of welded wire mesh or a rebar grid, and a day or two of mixer or finishing-tool rental. Add that to the $799.50 bag total and DIY-with-bags lands at roughly $1,200–$1,400 all-in. That is the surprise in this table: on a patio-size slab, doing it with bags costs about what the low end of a pro quote costs, because you are paying retail for every input and supplying the labor free. DIY with a ready-mix truck is where the real saving lives. Pro prices swing widely by region and site conditions — treat the range as a sanity check on quotes, not a quote itself.
What Moves the Price
The per-yard and per-bag prices are just the starting point. These are the factors that separate a cheap pour from an expensive one:
- Thickness. The biggest single lever. A 6 in slab uses 50% more concrete than a 4 in slab — at the example prices, the 10×20 jumps from $509.57 to $726.85 by truck, and from $799.50 to $1,196.00 in bags. Pour the thickness the job needs (4 in for patios, 6 in for vehicles) and no more.
- Delivery minimums. Ready-mix suppliers bill a 1 yd³ minimum. Order 0.6 yd³ for a small footing and you still pay for a full yard, which is exactly why bags win on small pours.
- Short-load fees. A mixer truck carries up to about 10 yd³, and suppliers price for full loads. Loads below roughly 4 yd³ often draw a short-load fee — commonly $50 to $150 — on top of the per-yard price and delivery. Ask about it before you order; it can erase the truck's price advantage on mid-size pours.
- Site access. A truck's chute reaches only so far. If the pour is in a fenced backyard or up a slope, you are looking at a long wheelbarrow relay or a pump rental, which adds a few hundred dollars. Access is the main reason bags still win some larger jobs.
- Base and prep. Excavation, grading, and a compacted gravel base run real money in materials and machine time, and skipping them is how slabs crack. Old concrete removal and disposal adds more.
- Reinforcement. Welded wire mesh is the budget option; a rebar grid costs more in material and labor; fiber added at the plant is priced per yard. Vehicle slabs deserve the rebar.
- Finish. A basic broom finish is the baseline. Stamped, stained, or exposed-aggregate finishes can double a pro quote, and they are the hardest finishes to DIY well.
- Region and permits. Ready-mix prices, labor rates, and permit requirements vary by market — sometimes by 30% or more between neighboring counties. Get two or three local quotes; the example prices here are a planning baseline, not a market average.
When Hiring a Pro Beats DIY
DIY wins on cash for small pours and for ready-mix pours you can prep yourself. The pro starts winning in four situations:
The pour is big enough that mixing speed becomes a quality problem. Concrete starts setting whether you are ready or not. One person mixing bags cannot place a 2.5 yd³ slab before the first concrete placed begins to stiffen, and the seams between early and late concrete are cold joints — the weak lines where slabs crack. A crew places, screeds, and finishes in one continuous operation. As a rough line: past about 2 yd³, bags stop being a plan and start being a risk.
Vehicles will park on it. Driveways and garage floors need a properly compacted base, real reinforcement, the right thickness, and control joints cut on schedule. A failed patio is an eyesore; a failed driveway is a tear-out. Pros also carry the warranty if it cracks early.
The honest DIY number is already close. From the table above: a 10×20 done with bags runs about $1,200–$1,400 all-in, against $1,200–$2,400 hired out. At the low end of pro quotes you are paying almost nothing extra for a crew, their tools, their experience, and your weekend back. Get the quotes before assuming DIY is the cheap route — on this size slab, it often is not, unless you order the truck and do the prep yourself.
Permits or inspections are involved. Driveway aprons, slabs tied to a structure, and anything an inspector will sign off on are smoother with a licensed contractor who pulls permits routinely. (For structural work, a pro is not optional — see the note at the bottom of this page.)
And the labor reality check for the bag route on the reference slab: 123 bags is 9,840 lb of concrete, and you handle every bag at least three times — load it, carry it, lift it into the mixer — before wheelbarrowing the mixed concrete to the forms. At 6 inches it is 184 bags and 14,720 lb. That is not a Saturday project; it is a multi-day one with a hard deadline running the whole time.
Run Your Own Numbers
Every figure on this page uses the calculator's example prices. Your store's bag price and your local ready-mix quote will move the answer, so plug them into the free calculator: it figures cubic yards and bag counts live and compares bag cost against a ready-mix quote side by side.
Concrete Slab Cost FAQ
How much does a 10x20 concrete slab cost?
At the example prices on this site, the concrete for a 10 × 20 ft slab at 4 in thick runs $799.50 in bags or $509.57 delivered ready-mix. All-in, a DIY pour lands around $1,200–$1,400 with bags or $850–$1,000 with a truck once forms, base, reinforcement, and rentals are counted. Hiring a pro typically runs $1,200–$2,400 installed for this size.
What is the average cost per square foot for a concrete slab?
For a basic patio slab: about $6–$12 per sq ft hired out, roughly $4.25–$5 per sq ft for DIY with ready-mix, and $6–$7 per sq ft for DIY with bags once all the extras are counted. The concrete alone at the example prices is $4.00 per sq ft in bags or $2.55 per sq ft by truck at 4 in thick. Decorative finishes, difficult access, and high-cost regions push every one of those numbers up.
Why is my ready-mix quote higher than the per-yard price suggests?
Because the per-yard price is only one line on the invoice. On top of it you typically pay a delivery fee ($75 in the examples here), a 1 yd³ minimum if your pour is small, and often a short-load fee of $50–$150 on loads under about 4 yd³. Add those to a small order and the effective price per yard can be double the headline rate — which is exactly why bags win under about 1 yd³.
Is it cheaper to pour a slab myself or hire a pro?
It depends on size and method. Under 1 yd³, DIY with bags is cheapest by a wide margin. On a patio-size slab, DIY with a ready-mix truck is the cheapest route at roughly $4.25–$5 per sq ft all-in — but DIY with bags can cost as much as the low end of pro quotes while eating your weekend. Past about 2 yd³, or on any slab that carries vehicles or needs a decorative finish, a pro's crew, tools, and warranty usually justify the difference.
How much does a 10x10 concrete slab cost?
The concrete alone at the example prices: $403.00 in bags or $292.28 delivered ready-mix at 4 in thick. All-in DIY runs roughly $600–$800 depending on method and what you already own, and a pro typically charges $600–$1,200 for 100 sq ft. Bag counts and the full breakdown are in the 10×10 slab guide.
Estimates Only
Results are planning estimates. Actual concrete needs vary with ground conditions, form accuracy, over-excavation, and product yield. Bag yields follow manufacturer figures for standard mixes; your product may differ slightly. Cost figures use the example prices stated on this page and typical ranges for contractor work; your local prices will differ. Always order a little extra — running short mid-pour creates a weak cold joint. For structural work (foundations, load-bearing footings, retaining walls), consult a licensed professional and follow your local building code.