2026 planning guide
How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost?
A basic four-inch concrete slab costs an estimated $4 to $8 per square foot, before minimum job charges and extra site work. The estimate uses the slab's length multiplied by its width. Enter your dimensions below to estimate the cost.
Slab cost estimator
Estimate your concrete slab cost
Enter the slab dimensions. For projects from 100 to 1,500 square feet, the estimate uses the basic four-inch slab range in this guide. It is not a local contractor quote.
Common slab sizes
Estimated cost for 100 sq ft
$400 to $800
$4 to $8 per square foot
Estimate for a basic four-inch slab before minimum charges and extra work. See the cost factors below for what your quote may need to include.
Your dimensions will carry into the project request.
What does the $4 to $8 slab range include?
The $4 to $8 range covers basic forming, concrete placement, and finishing for a simple four-inch slab. Confirm what ground preparation, reinforcement, and cleanup the contractor includes.
Homeowners sometimes call this a cement slab, but cement is one ingredient in concrete. This guide estimates site-poured concrete slabs, not cement-only surfaces or manufactured precast slab systems.
Concrete slab cost examples by size
These estimated costs multiply the slab area by $4 to $8 per square foot for a basic four-inch slab. They exclude extra work listed below and any minimum job charges.
| Slab dimensions | Area | Estimated cost before extras |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 feet | 64 square feet | Ask for a total installed quote |
| 10 × 10 feet | 100 square feet | $400 to $800 |
| 12 × 12 feet | 144 square feet | $576 to $1,152 |
| 10 × 15 feet | 150 square feet | $600 to $1,200 |
| 12 × 16 feet | 192 square feet | $768 to $1,536 |
| 12 × 20 feet | 240 square feet | $960 to $1,920 |
| 20 × 20 feet | 400 square feet | $1,600 to $3,200 |
| 24 × 24 feet | 576 square feet | $2,304 to $4,608 |
How much does a concrete pad cost?
A basic four-inch concrete pad can be estimated at $4 to $8 per square foot, with minimum job charges often raising the cost of smaller projects. In residential work, a pad usually means a slab used as a base for a shed, hot tub, or piece of equipment.
For pads under 100 square feet, this guide and calculator leave out a dollar estimate because setup and delivery charges can outweigh the area-based cost. Ask for a total installed quote. The crew still needs to prepare the ground, build forms, and place and finish the concrete.
| Pad use | What the contractor needs |
|---|---|
| Shed | Shed dimensions, anchoring, drainage, and whether the slab serves as the floor or is part of a foundation system. |
| Hot tub | The filled operating weight, dimensions, and the manufacturer's support requirements. |
| Equipment | Equipment dimensions, required clearances, utility routes, and any specified vibration isolation or support. |
These details determine whether the basic range fits the job or whether the pad needs a different design and price. For a parking pad, use the driveway cost guide, which addresses vehicle pavement. For a building foundation, use the foundation cost guide.
How does thickness affect slab cost?
A thicker slab needs more concrete, which increases material cost. The total price also depends on preparation, labor, and reinforcement, so doubling the concrete volume does not necessarily double the quote. Ask your contractor to price the thickness required for the project.
| Planned thickness | Concrete volume compared with 4 inches | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 inches | Baseline volume | Use the sourced $4 to $8 range only for a basic four-inch slab. |
| 5 inches | 25% more concrete volume | Ask the contractor to price the required thickness. Do not add 25% to the entire quote. |
| 6 inches | 50% more concrete volume | Ask the contractor to price the required thickness. Labor and other scope costs do not rise in the same proportion. |
Use the concrete slab thickness guide to understand how the project use and weight it supports affect thickness.
What increases concrete slab cost?
Removing old concrete, preparing difficult ground, restricted access, and special design or finish requirements can increase slab cost.
| Work item | Why it changes cost | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition and disposal | Saw cutting, breaking, loading, hauling, and disposal add labor and equipment | Existing material, depth, access, hauling, and disposal fees |
| Excavation and support | Unsuitable soil, fill, elevation changes, and drainage work expand the preparation scope | Digging depth, soil preparation, gravel base, compaction, and drainage |
| Access and placement | Restricted truck access may require a pump, smaller transport equipment, or extra labor | Placement method, pump or equipment charges, and site protection |
| Edges and structural details | Thickened edges, footings, embedded items, and engineered details use more material and labor | Dimensions, reinforcement, inspections, and approved plans |
| Moisture control | Enclosed floors may need a moisture barrier beneath the concrete and preparation for the planned flooring | Barrier material, sealed joints and pipe openings, and flooring requirements |
| Finish and protection | Texture, color, polishing, coatings, weather protection, and curing change materials and labor | Finish sample, curing method, weather plan, and when the slab can be used |
Which cost guide fits your project?
Use the patio, driveway, or foundation guide when you need pricing for those projects. Each covers work and design requirements beyond a basic slab.
This guide covers concrete poured on site. Factory-made concrete systems need supplier and installation quotes.
How should you compare concrete slab quotes?
To compare concrete slab or pad quotes, confirm that each contractor priced the same dimensions and work. A lower rate may exclude preparation, reinforcement, pumping, moisture control, curing, or cleanup that another contractor included.
- Dimensions, required thickness, and any footings or thicker edges
- Removal of old concrete, soil preparation, gravel base, and drainage
- Concrete specification, reinforcement, and any moisture barrier
- Joint layout, surface finish, curing, and when you can use the slab
- Delivery, pumping, minimum charges, permits, cleanup, and exclusions
Record the work you need in the concrete scope builder before checking a quote.
Already have a quote for your concrete slab?
Compare your quote with a published national planning range, then review what the price includes.
Sources and limitations
Published consumer ranges use different definitions. Some describe a simple broom-finished slab, while others combine broader residential projects, preparation, reinforcement, or contractor-reported totals. Contractors for Concrete therefore uses $4 to $8 per square foot only as a basic four-inch starting range and routes specialized projects to narrower cost guides.
- HomeGuide 2026 contractor pricing guide: $4 to $8 for a basic slab
- HomeGuide 2026 consumer cost guide: $6 to $12 installed
- This Old House 2026 concrete slab cost guide
These are national planning references, not averages of contractor bids submitted to Contractors for Concrete. Local labor, concrete supply, minimum charges, access, preparation, design, and permit requirements can move a written quote outside the range. Pricing sources reviewed August 16, 2026. Pad guidance and wording updated September 26, 2026.