Concrete Slab Cost per Square Foot (2026)
A standard broom-finish slab installs at $6–$12 per square foot in 2026. This guide shows where in that range your project lands, and what the per-square-foot number hides.
Concrete pricing gets quoted two ways: per cubic yard for the material, and per square foot for the finished slab. The per-square-foot figure is the useful one for budgeting, because it includes the labour, base and finishing that dominate the bill — but it is also where quotes hide their differences.
This guide itemises the number. Every figure is the same 2026 planning range published on the calculators it links to, so you can check any line of it against your own dimensions.
The headline number, itemised
A 4 inch broom-finish slab on a prepared gravel base typically installs at $6–$10 per square foot; call it $6–$12 once thicker slabs and tighter sites are included. Three components make up nearly all of it.
The concrete itself is the smallest part. A 4 inch slab uses about 1.23 cubic yards per 100 square feet, and ready-mix runs $140–$180 per cubic yard delivered — roughly $1.70–$2.20 per square foot of slab. Placing and finishing labour runs $3–$8 per square foot depending on finish and access, and is usually the larger half of the total. The compacted gravel base, formwork and reinforcement make up the rest.
Where each dollar goes on a standard slab
Per square foot of a 4 inch broom-finish slab, 2026 ranges.
| Component | Per ft² | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix concrete | $1.70–$2.20 | 20–30% |
| Placing and finishing labour | $3–$8 | 45–60% |
| Gravel base, forms, reinforcement | $1–$2 | 15–25% |
Cost by finish
Finish moves the price more than any other choice you control. The concrete underneath is identical; the difference is labour, skill and time on the trowel.
Installed cost by finish
Per square foot, and for a 24 × 24 ft (576 ft²) slab.
| Finish | Per ft² | 24 × 24 slab |
|---|---|---|
| Broom | $6–$10 | $3,456–$5,760 |
| Smooth trowel | $7–$12 | $4,032–$6,912 |
| Exposed aggregate | $10–$16 | $5,760–$9,216 |
| Polished | $10–$18 | $5,760–$10,368 |
| Stamped | $12–$20 | $6,912–$11,520 |
Worked totals for common sizes
Broom finish, 4 inches, on a prepared base. Use these to sanity-check a quote at a glance, then run your exact dimensions through the slab cost calculator for an itemised figure.
Typical installed totals, broom finish
| Size | Area | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 12 ft patio | 120 ft² | $720–$1,200 |
| 12 × 16 ft shed base | 192 ft² | $1,152–$1,920 |
| 20 × 20 ft driveway pad | 400 ft² | $2,400–$4,000 |
| 24 × 24 ft garage slab | 576 ft² | $3,456–$5,760 |
| 30 × 40 ft workshop | 1,200 ft² | $7,200–$12,000 |
Why small slabs cost more per square foot
Two fixed costs do not shrink with the slab. Ready-mix plants charge a short-load fee of $60–$150 below about 3–4 cubic yards, and the crew’s mobilisation — travel, setup, forms — is the same for 120 square feet as for 400. A small patio can land above $12 per square foot without anything being wrong with the quote.
Thickness changes the material line
A 6 inch slab uses half again as much concrete as a 4 inch one — about 1.85 cubic yards per 100 square feet — and driveways and garage floors should be 5–6 inches. Expect roughly $1 more per square foot per extra inch of thickness, before any extra reinforcement.
Reinforcement: mesh, bar or fibres
Welded wire mesh is the cheapest and adequate for patios and light-duty slabs. Rebar costs more — $0.70–$1.10 per pound in 2026, roughly $9–$15 per 20 ft #4 stick — but is stiffer, easier to keep at the correct height in the pour, and the right call wherever vehicles park. Fibres mixed into the concrete at $8–$15 per cubic yard control shrinkage cracking but do not replace steel where loads are involved.
The failure mode worth paying to avoid is invisible: mesh that gets walked down to the bottom of the slab during the pour does nothing at all. The rebar calculator works out grid spacing, bar counts and weight for a slab so the quote line can be checked like everything else.
What is not in the base price
The per-square-foot ranges above assume a clear, level, accessible site. These are the extras that appear on real invoices — none of them exotic, all of them commonly omitted from the first conversation.
Common extras
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Demolition of existing slab | $2–$6 per ft² |
| Short-load fee, under 4 yd³ | $60–$150 |
| Thickened edge | $5–$10 per linear ft |
| Integral colour | $1–$3 per ft² |
| Sealer | $0.50–$1.50 per ft² |
| Pump truck for restricted access | $800–$1,500 |
Access is the quiet variable
A truck that can back up and chute directly into the forms is the cheapest case. If the pour is behind a house, concrete gets pumped or barrowed, and the pump alone can add $800–$1,500. This is the single biggest driver of quote variance on back-garden slabs — two identical patios can differ by a third on access alone.
How to read a quote
A complete slab quote states five things: the thickness in inches, the base depth and material, the reinforcement type, the finish, and the concrete strength (3,000–4,000 psi is standard residential). A suspiciously low quote is usually missing one of the first three — a slab poured on graded soil with no base and no mesh is cheaper on day one and cracks within a few winters.
Get the base depth and reinforcement in writing, then compare quotes per square foot with the same spec. Comparing a $6 quote without a base against an $8 quote with one is not a comparison.
DIY has a real boundary: under about one cubic yard, bagged concrete and a rented mixer is realistic for a competent DIYer. Above that you are placing several tons against a setting clock, and finishing is a skill — a badly floated slab cannot be fixed afterwards.
Run the numbers for your project
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete slab cost per square foot in 2026?
A standard 4 inch broom-finish slab installs at $6–$10 per square foot on an accessible site; $6–$12 covers most residential work once thicker slabs and tighter access are included. Decorative finishes run $10–$20.
How much is a 24 × 24 concrete slab?
About $3,456–$5,760 installed with a broom finish in 2026 — 576 square feet at $6–$10. The slab itself needs roughly 8 cubic yards of concrete, which is $1,120–$1,440 of that total in material.
Is it cheaper to pour a slab yourself?
Materials for a 4 inch slab run roughly $3–$4.50 per square foot including base and forms, so DIY can halve the cost — below about one cubic yard of concrete. Beyond that, the working time of ready-mix and the skill of finishing make a failed pour a real financial risk.
How thick should a concrete slab be?
4 inches for patios, walkways and shed bases; 5–6 inches for driveways and garage floors; 6–8 inches where trucks or RVs park. Anything carrying structural load should be sized by an engineer, not a price guide.
Where these figures come from
Costs in this guide are 2026 US planning ranges, consistent with the figures published on the concrete calculators and their named sources. The constants behind every calculation are listed on the methodology page and asserted by automated tests on every build; corrections are logged on the changelog.
Prices vary with region, access and season. Use this guide to plan and to sanity-check quotes — not as a substitute for one.