Concrete Work

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,500
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Tower 13
I'm budgeting some house projects for this year and I am not ready to get an estimate. I seem to be having trouble getting an idea of how much it costs to install concrete. I only about 300 square feet or so. DO they charge more per square foot for small jobs like this? Does the price usually include prep, etc.? Just looking for a quick answer.

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Surf related cause she surfs.
 

elcalvo

Michael Peterson status
Mar 16, 2004
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NE
You will be charged based on how many yards of concrete are required, the amount of prep the contractor has to do and something extra if the concrete has to be placed in a very hard to reach area.
 
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VonMeister

Duke status
Apr 26, 2013
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JOE BIDENS RAPE FINGER
Concrete can be pretty cheap depending on what it is for. Is the location generally flat? Will it be supporting weight? Your bid will include the form and prep work.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
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Tower 13
Flat but supporting weight. Basically extending my driveway.

What am I looking at per square foot since I seem to see numbers all over the place
 

Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
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California/Hawaii
Anecdotal, but I paid 5k to have a patio poured along the entire back of my house and then a sidewalk along the side to the front. Think it was roughly 400 sqft. They had to use a pump truck to get it into the back yard.
 

VonMeister

Duke status
Apr 26, 2013
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JOE BIDENS RAPE FINGER
Flat but supporting weight. Basically extending my driveway.

What am I looking at per square foot since I seem to see numbers all over the place
With a driveway there's a compaction schedule for the earth underneath and then possibly it would be reinforced with rebar. You see lots of concrete driveways that are broken, cracked and sunk at the corners because they just poured a pad. It's still comparatively cheap compared to other home improvements and pretty hard to screw up for a licensed contractor....so going with the least expensive option isn't going to hurt you if it's apples to apples.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
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Cool. Cheers to both of you.

5K seems like a bit much for what I have but maybe you were charged a premium since it was a patio and in the backyard?

I guess I should just get a quote.
 
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Woke AF

Tom Curren status
Jul 29, 2009
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Southern Tip, Norcal
With a driveway there's a compaction schedule for the earth underneath and then possibly it would be reinforced with rebar. You see lots of concrete driveways that are broken, cracked and sunk at the corners because they just poured a pad. It's still comparatively cheap compared to other home improvements and pretty hard to screw up for a licensed contractor....so going with the least expensive option isn't going to hurt you if it's apples to apples.
Unless the contractor fcks-up. Then it is going to be very expensive.
It is not rocket science but easy to do it wrong e.g. blow-out forms, not level, low spots...

 

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
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33.8N - 118.4W
We had our garage slab redone. The house and garage are from 1926- one car garage. They had to tear out the old slab. Discovered there were no footings under the walls, so they formed footings, threw in some rebar, mesh in the slab > they added a walkway one the side and as a bonus they did our front porch with steps (about 5 x 10) as well. $9000. That was five years ago.
 

HarryLopez

Phil Edwards status
Jan 17, 2007
6,580
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Neck deep
This is mostly stuff from HI but... Concrete is in cubic yards, square feet doesn't include the thickness. Prepping the area, sub-base materials, compaction of that, rebar or other metal reinforcement, forming, pouring/mixing the concrete, finish work, including vibrator for consolidation that can help with future low spots. Most trucks have minimum amounts of concrete they will deliver, pump vs. no pump (friends with wheelbarrows and a can-do attitude). Make sure slope runs water off.
Good luck!
 

Woke AF

Tom Curren status
Jul 29, 2009
11,439
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Southern Tip, Norcal
Got anything else to add?
you usually get what you pay for.
hope that helps when trying to go cheap.

I was at a job site to pour a long driveway. 3 trucks full of cement waiting, 6 workers standing around all twiddling their thumbs for the guy with the pump to show up. The contractor and owner shitting their pants and the 1st truck is looking around to dump his load before it gets too hard.

the guy finally shows, beaten up from a bar fight and hungover.
Good times
 

everysurfer

Phil Edwards status
Sep 9, 2013
6,713
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Santa Barbara County
Quick answer
Yes, they charge by quantity, but not only by quantity.

Small jobs cost more per square foot.
Broom finish is cheap. Stamped/ colored finish isn't.

By the way, I like boobies more than skinny ass

300 as ft would be less than a full truck.

If they can chute rather than pump, you will save.

Rough budget, $6000 for a contractor to do it for you. Don't hire a landscaper, hire a concrete contractor.
 

Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
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California/Hawaii
Cool. Cheers to both of you.

5K seems like a bit much for what I have but maybe you were charged a premium since it was a patio and in the backyard?

I guess I should just get a quote.
I got 3 quotes and it was all pretty similar. It was a lot of work. They built forms along the entire back of my house, the side, and the front. If I had to guess, it was roughly at least 60 ft in length. Took three days of work.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,500
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Tower 13
Cool thanks. Looks like I should probably get an estimate. I was thinking I could do my whole driveway for 8-10K. Maybe it's even more lol.
 

JBerry

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 8, 2017
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~$10-$15/ft' complete and because its a smaller pour probably a bit more.

My across the street neighbor had driveway removed and replaced with new concrete this year, about 650' plus some drainage work and adding on to an existing front porch. cost him about $10k if I remember correctly, and he isn't even that happy with the finished product, neither am I, but I'm not out $10k!