Concrete prices

[Brian Tymchak]

Hey all,

I'm starting to scope out a driveway replacement, and extension. I like to have a ballpark idea in mind of the cost before talking to any contractors, but I don't have any idea what concrete work costs. I assume they cost it out by sq ft. Anyone able to offer some recent prices for work they've had done? I don't know if costs vary by region. I'm in central OH.

Thanks for your help.

[Clark Hussey]

Ball park range. For tear out and replace $8-10.00 per square foot. I’m in the real upstate N.Y.

[Brian Tymchak]

Ball park range. For tear out and replace $8-10.00 per square foot. I’m in the real upstate N.Y.

Thanks Clark. Appreciate your response!

I think my project is going to be more expensive than I hoped...

[Clark Hussey]

They always are.

Thanks Clark. Appreciate your response!

I think my project is going to be more expensive than I hoped...

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Ball park range. For tear out and replace $8-10.00 per square foot. I’m in the real upstate N.Y.

I was going to say $9.

[John K Jordan]

Hey all,

I'm starting to scope out a driveway replacement, and extension. I like to have a ballpark idea in mind of the cost before talking to any contractors, but I don't have any idea what concrete work costs. I assume they cost it out by sq ft. Anyone able to offer some recent prices for work they've had done? I don't know if costs vary by region. I'm in central OH.

Thanks for your help.

I think price varies widely, both in different regions and even within the same area. A guy I use last poured a 12x24 slab for me for about $300. Another guy wanted over $500. This was just the labor cost for getting the concrete poured and surfaced, not the cost of the concrete or prep work.

Are you trying to price the whole job or just the pouring and surfacing? I typically do everything but the pouring myself which saves a LOT of money, especially the dirt work and forms/rebar. Some things to add up:

- Permit
- Tear up and haul off the old driveway material. Concrete, asphalt, gravel?
- Prep the ground for the new extension: dig, level, compact the dirt.
- Grade as needed to prevent washout on edges.
- Purchase, spread and compact gravel for under the concrete.
- Build forms.
- Install drainage system depending on slope and rules
- Cost and installation of rebar (I won't do concrete without plenty of rebar)
- Cost of the concrete mix
- Pour, surface (usually rough broom finish), and edge.
- Cost of any special color or surface pattern
- Plastic sheeting to cover to cure for a week
- Cost to remove forms

Will you act as contractor, do any of it yourself, or hire someone to do it all?

When looking for a contractor get more than one bid. I'd get plenty of references and go look at work they've done and talk to the customers. (They might be willing to give and idea about the cost. Some concrete people will cut corners (skimp on prep, rebar, thickness, quality) to increase their profits - the job might look great for a few years...
Sometimes a concrete guy who orders a lot of concrete can get a special price on the mix.
Some that pour and finish will have reusable forms.
The cost of concrete can vary with the mix (quality).
You can research yourself but a local concrete guy should know the requirements for driveways in your area such as permits, footers, etc.

JKJ

[Brian Tymchak]

I think price varies widely, both in different regions and even within the same area. A guy I use last poured a 12x24 slab for me for about $300. Another guy wanted over $500. This was just the labor cost for getting the concrete poured and surfaced, not the cost of the concrete or prep work.

Are you trying to price the whole job or just the pouring and surfacing? I typically do everything but the pouring myself which saves a LOT of money, especially the dirt work and forms/rebar. Some things to add up:

- Permit
- Tear up and haul off the old driveway material. Concrete, asphalt, gravel?
- Prep the ground for the new extension: dig, level, compact the dirt.
- Grade as needed to prevent washout on edges.
- Purchase, spread and compact gravel for under the concrete.
- Build forms.
- Install drainage system depending on slope and rules
- Cost and installation of rebar (I won't do concrete without plenty of rebar)
- Cost of the concrete mix
- Pour, surface (usually rough broom finish), and edge.
- Cost of any special color or surface pattern
- Plastic sheeting to cover to cure for a week
- Cost to remove forms

Will you act as contractor, do any of it yourself, or hire someone to do it all?

When looking for a contractor get more than one bid. I'd get plenty of references and go look at work they've done and talk to the customers. (They might be willing to give and idea about the cost. Some concrete people will cut corners (skimp on prep, rebar, thickness, quality) to increase their profits - the job might look great for a few years...
Sometimes a concrete guy who orders a lot of concrete can get a special price on the mix.
Some that pour and finish will have reusable forms.
The cost of concrete can vary with the mix (quality).
You can research yourself but a local concrete guy should know the requirements for driveways in your area such as permits, footers, etc.

JKJ

thanks for the detailed reply and tips John!

Some answers - trying to do some basic research and generate a ballpark estimate for the replacement of my whole driveway pad outside our garage + add an extension so that when I talk to contractors I'm not completely uninformed. The current pad is ~600 sq ft and with the extension will take that out to ~760 sq ft. I figure the job is pretty straight-forward, tearout and replace a standard 4" pad over gravel base, no significant grading or forming needed (just 2x4s). I need to do some research on concrete, what is standard PSI for residential driveway. I've not gone thru this before, so is a whole new world for me. I know of a couple home owners in our development that have done projects recently. Plan to start there for references, and then grab a couple more highly rated in Angie's List.

This will be fully hired out. That kind of labor is long in my past. If I do this project, the only work I'll be doing is to hire the contractor and then write the check when done.

Really appreciate the input!

[Malcolm McLeod]

Another big factor can be the level of construction activity in you area. ...That supply and demand thing.

It can be a double-edged sword though. Contractors may be busy, but may also just be clearing a job 2 blocks away - - so virtually no travel time to your job. It might be worth a quick drive around the 'hood to see if someone is getting a new sidewalk? (It has worked for me!)

[Darcy Warner]

That's about 10 yards of concrete.
Plus bar, plus gravel, plus hauling old away, plus fuel for machines to rip old out, etc.

10 to 12 bucks a sqft is going to be pretty close.

You find someone to do it for significantly less, you will probably end up with some horrible concrete.

[Brian Tymchak]

Thanks Darcy! Appreciate the reply.

[lowell holmes]

Yes, however you might get bids on turn key work for comparison. You can hold a contractor responsible.

I built houses in my younger days, but I always hired a concrete contractor to set the forms, pour the concrete, and finish the concrete.
A botched concrete job is a mess to deal with. Don't ask me how I know.

[peter gagliardi]

Demo is probably by the hour, but around here it costs about $105.00 per yard for ready mix delivered for 8 plus yards, otherwise you get hit for a “short load” - essentially a fee above the cost of materials to send the truck for smaller loads.
Then it runs $80-120.per yard to place it, depending on where its going, how high a level of finish is required, etc...