Concrete Cost

Concrete cost has two different starting points: ready-mix is quoted by the cubic yard; an installed slab is often quoted by the square foot. Compare the finished project scope, not just the material rate. Concrete Network publishes $6.50-$10.50 per sq ft for a plain poured slab, while HomeGuide gives $6-$12 per sq ft installed.* These are national budget references, not a local bid.¹, ²

National concrete cost references*

Sources for the table: Concrete Network¹, HomeGuide², LatestCost³ and Home Depot⁶.

*National references from the named cost guides, not an independent MeasureScout survey. The $179.95 figure is a reported 2025 average; $150 is a 2026 planning estimate. The installed figures are published ranges, not measured averages. Sources differ in date, sample and scope. Do not average them into one supposedly current price. The bag listing is a separate dated retail example. Confirm current local terms.

Build a budget in two parts

1. Work out the concrete quantity

Net cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × thickness (in) ÷ 324. Add non-overlapping sections at full precision. Measure thickened edges and footings separately, and do not count them twice. Use the concrete calculator for rectangular sections.

NRMCA recommends ordering 4%-10% more than the estimate from plan dimensions for contingencies. Agree the allowance with the contractor and producer; account for measured irregularities rather than hiding them in a percentage. Ready-mix is sold as freshly mixed, unhardened volume. Confirm the supplier’s minimum billable quantity and order increment, then round once at the ordering stage.⁴

Displayed volumes are rounded for readability; use unrounded values in calculations. These thicknesses illustrate quantity, not suitability for a patio, garage, driveway or foundation. Get project-specific design, drainage, reinforcement and local requirements settled before requesting comparable quotes.

2. Compare the full scope

Ready-mix subtotal = billable yards × quoted yard rate + charges not already included.
Project total = the agreed material and installation scope + separately excluded work and tax. An installed square-foot quote may already contain the concrete and crew cost. Do not add the same material or labor again.

• Site work: demolition, excavation, haul-away, grading, access and drainage.
• Slab assembly: prepared base, forms, specified thickness, reinforcement, vapor control where required, and thickened sections.
• Delivery: mix specification, minimum quantity, number of loads, distance/fuel charges, allowed unloading time and waiting rates.
• Placement and finish: pump or other conveying, crew minimum, finishing, joints, curing/protection and cleanup.
• Commercial terms: permits or inspections where required, taxes, payment schedule, exclusions and responsibility for changes.

Concrete Network includes grading, subbase, forms, finishing and reinforcement in its price-analysis discussion. NRMCA says placement method, project specifications, access and delivery timing need to be communicated to the producer. A low yard rate cannot settle these costs.¹, ⁴

Three checked budget examples

The examples below are our arithmetic illustrations, not contractor quotes. Their selected dimensions and thicknesses are not design advice. Published installed bands give a starting budget only; fixed charges and excluded work can move a small project outside them.

Example 1: 10 × 10 ft, selected 4-inch thickness

Net volume is 100 × 4 ÷ 12 = 33.333333 cu ft, or 1.234568 yd³. A selected 10% contingency makes the target 36.666667 cu ft, or 1.358025 yd³. If a supplier hypothetically sells in quarter-yard increments, that becomes 1.5 billable yd³. Do not price the rounded display value 1.36 as though it were the order quantity.

At a hypothetical local quote of $200/yd³, concrete is $300. If separately quoted delivery is $100 and short-load charge $75, the material/delivery subtotal is $475 before tax, placement and all other excluded work. If either fee is included in $200/yd³, do not add it again.

For bags instead, the manufacturer’s approximate 0.60-cu-ft yield per 80-lb bag gives ceil(36.666667 ÷ 0.60) = 62 bags. At the dated $6.47 listing, the mix alone is $401.14. That excludes pickup or delivery, tax, tools, mixer, labor and other slab materials. Bags are not automatically the cheaper completed job.⁵, ⁶

Example 2: 20 × 20 ft installed-budget comparison

The area is 400 sq ft. Applied to that area, Concrete Network’s $6.50-$10.50 plain-slab band gives $2,600-$4,200; HomeGuide’s $6-$12 installed-slab band gives $2,400-$4,800. Keep the two source bands visible rather than calling their midpoint a national average.¹, ²

Separately, a selected 5-inch thickness needs 6.172840 net yd³. A selected 5% contingency gives 6.481481 yd³, or 6.5 yd³ under hypothetical quarter-yard ordering. At a hypothetical $180/yd³, concrete alone is $1,170. This is a different scope from the installed bands, not an extra $1,170 to add to them. Ask bidders to price the same specified assembly.

Example 3: compare two itemized bids for 12 × 16 ft

Area is 192 sq ft. Hypothetical Bid A is $9/sq ft including concrete, ordinary delivery, forms, specified reinforcement, placement, finishing, joints and curing: $1,728. It excludes a separately priced $600 demolition/haul-away item, so its comparable pre-tax total is $2,328.

Hypothetical Bid B is $11/sq ft with that same scope and demolition/haul-away included: $2,112. Despite the higher headline rate, it is $216 less for the stated scope. This assumes the actual specifications and inclusions match. Confirm base preparation, access, thickness, tax and any other exclusions before choosing; these invented bid amounts are not asserted market prices.

Bags versus ready-mix: compare the route, not just mix price

For the specific QUIKRETE Concrete Mix product, an 80-lb bag yields approximately 0.60 cu ft and a 60-lb bag approximately 0.45 cu ft. Use the yield for the exact product, not bag weight alone. Calculate from the target cubic feet and round up to whole bags only at the end.⁵

Ready-mix changes the delivery and placement plan; bags change handling, mixing equipment and crew work. Confirm that either route can supply and place the specified mix in the required sequence. NRMCA stresses that concrete is perishable and the crew should be ready when the truck arrives. Its guidance also warns that loaded trucks may not be able to maneuver on loose dirt or over residential curbs and paths.⁴

Fresh concrete can cause chemical burns, and dry mix dust has its own hazards. Follow the exact product safety data, protective-equipment instructions and mixing directions. Do not alter water content just to stretch coverage.⁴, ⁵

Concrete cost FAQ

What is the national average concrete cost?

There is no single number covering every scope. Concrete Network reports a 2025 ready-mix average of $179.95/yd³. LatestCost uses about $150/yd³ as a 2026 full-load planning estimate. Installed slab ranges are separate square-foot figures. Date, mix, quantity and included services matter.¹, ³

How much does a 20 × 20 concrete slab cost?

For 400 sq ft, the two published installed bands on this page produce $2,600-$4,200 and $2,400-$4,800. They are source-based budget ranges, not a bid for your specified thickness, ground conditions or finish. Get local itemized quotes.¹, ²

Should I add 10% to the money total for waste?

First resolve concrete volume and contingency, then the billable order. Do not add a second concrete waste percentage to a total that already prices the contingency. A separate overall project reserve is a budgeting decision, not a substitute for measured quantity or a quoted scope.

Does price per yard include delivery and labor?

Only if your quote says so. LatestCost’s full-load planning estimate excludes pumping and placement labor. Installed bids may include those costs. Ask for written inclusions and separate fees before comparing.³

Is $6.47 a guaranteed bag price near me?

No. It is the fetched Home Depot listing observed October 9, 2026, not a local-store availability check or a nationwide retail average. Confirm location, quantity, tax and transport.⁶

Related planning guides

• Concrete calculator
• Ready-mix price per yard and billable-volume examples
• How many bags of concrete?
• Concrete bags by slab size
• Concrete quantity for a 20 × 20 slab
• Concrete cure time and protection

Comparing surfaces? See the asphalt driveway cost guide for three published per-square-foot references.

Choosing a surface? The asphalt vs concrete driveway cost comparison puts six published references side by side.

Building a driveway? See the concrete driveway cost guide for plain and decorative per-square-foot references.

Sources

1. Concrete Network: Concrete Price Considerations (updated July 14, 2026; historical 2025 ready-mix average and plain-slab range)
2. HomeGuide: Concrete Slab Cost (February 3, 2026; consumer cost guide, installed slab range)
3. LatestCost: Concrete Cost Per Yard in the U.S. (October 3, 2026; planning estimates, not supplier quotes)
4. NRMCA CIP 31: Ordering Ready Mixed Concrete (2023 revision; ordering, contingency and access guidance)
5. QUIKRETE Concrete Mix 1101 data sheet (October 2022 revision; approximate packaged yield and safety)
6. Home Depot: QUIKRETE 80-lb Concrete Mix (listing observed October 9, 2026; not a verified local-store quote)

Estimates only. This is quantity and cost-planning guidance, not structural design or a contractor bid. Confirm project details with the supplier, installer and local building department.