How thick should a driveway or patio slab be?

Patios and walks are commonly thinner than driveways carrying vehicle loads. Thickness drives concrete volume, base depth and reinforcement in your estimate.

How much base gravel do I need?

Base volume is pour area times compacted base depth, converted to tons so you can order by the load.

Does the estimate cover forms and finishing?

Yes — form lumber, stakes, reinforcement, curing compound and a broom or other slip-resistant finish are all in the material list, along with labor hours.

Are the material costs accurate for my area?

Costs are regional estimates only, indexed by ZIP against national material averages. Always confirm current prices with your supplier before buying — the numbers here are for planning and budgeting, not a quote.

Do I need to confirm my measurements first?

Yes. The calculator asks you to verify key dimensions before it will produce material, cut, or shopping lists, because a single mistyped dimension changes every quantity downstream.

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Concrete flatwork · Step 1 of 5 · Type of pour

What are you pouring?

Flatwork covers everything flat and outside: driveways, walks, aprons and steps. Each one has different thickness and reinforcement expectations.

Pour type

Live estimate

Prices for your area

Enter your ZIP to re-price materials, or keep national averages.

Reviewed weekly · price book updated 2026-07-27See what changed

$2,872

Assumes driveway · 40×12 ft · 5", 10% waste, and current U.S. material prices. Estimate only — not a quote.

Materials

Area: 480 sqft
Concrete: 8.05 cu yd
Base: 8.89 cu yd
Joints: 4
Forms: 104 lf

More planning details

DIY savings, cut planning, structural guidance, and contractor bid checks.

DIY vs. hiring a pro

Free

Save about $5,170 (64%)

building this concrete flatwork yourself.

You build it$2,872

Materials only, your sweat.

A contractor builds it$8,043

Typical bids land $7,078–$9,490.

Materials: $3,590
Labor: $4,452
Est. hours: 81

Contractor figures assume a $55/hr blended labor rate (national average). Estimates only — use them to sanity-check a bid, not as a quote.

Cut-list optimizer

Free

Buy 63 boards · 21% offcut

1008 linear ft purchased, 800 ft used — 208 ft ($131) left over.

55 × #4 @ 16'
Rebar – long runs, Rebar – short runs · 1 piece per board
184 ft scrap (21%)
8 × 2 × 6 @ 16'
Forms – long sides, Forms – ends · 1 piece per board
24 ft scrap (19%)

Sheet goods and pre-built parts (Control joints) aren't cut from stock lengths — see the shopping list for those.

Estimates only. Includes a 1/8" blade kerf per cut. Measure your own site and check board lengths at the yard before buying.

Check a contractor bid

Free

Enter what a pro quoted you. We'll break it down against this project's materials and national labor rates.

Bid totalMaterials (optional)Labor (optional)

Concrete flatwork calculator questions

Common questions about this takeoff. All output is an estimate only — confirm quantities and prices before you buy.

Est. materials

$2,872