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| Basis | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installed, per square foot, 4-inch slab | $6 | $9 | $15 |
| Installed, per cubic yard equivalent | $486 | $729 | $1,215 |
| 400 sq ft driveway, installed | $2,400 | $3,600 | $6,000 |
The per-yard equivalent is the installed price divided over the area a yard covers at 4 inches, which is 81 square feet. It is useful for checking a quote; it is not the same as the plant's price for the concrete alone.
A ready-mix plant sells concrete. A contractor sells a finished slab. The gap between the two prices is not markup on the same product; it is a different scope of work, built up in layers.
That is why a plant quote and an installed quote should never match. If they do, one of them is missing scope.
| Input | Effect on the price | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| Mix and strength | Higher PSI, air entrainment, fibres and accelerators add cost | Ask for the mix design in writing |
| Order size | Small loads can carry a minimum or short-load charge | Ask for the minimum and the fee per yard |
| Distance and access | Longer hauls and difficult sites cost more | Ask for the delivery zone and pump fee |
| Timing | Saturday, after-hours and delayed pours add charges | Ask which schedule windows carry a premium |
A useful concrete quote lists the scope in the same order as the layers above. If a quote is one line and a total, ask for the breakdown before comparing it with anything.
| Line | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Area and thickness | Square feet and depth in inches, written down |
| Base and demolition | Excavation, gravel, removal and disposal included or not |
| Reinforcement | Mesh or rebar, size and spacing |
| Finish | Broom, trowel, stamped or exposed aggregate |
| Concrete volume | Yards ordered, and the waste allowance |
| Fees | Short-load, pump, wait time, delivery zone |
| Permit and cleanup | Who pulls the permit, who removes spoil |
Use three checks, not one. First, the installed price per square foot against the table at the top of this page. Second, the volume: the concrete calculator gives the yards for your dimensions, and the quote's material line should match that volume. Third, the scope: two quotes that differ by 50% are usually pricing different thicknesses, finishes or disposal, not the same job at different margins.
If the quote is within the range and the scope is clear, the price is defensible. If it is far outside, ask which line explains the gap before you assume it is a rip-off or a bargain.
One number is easy to argue with. Three checks make the answer harder to fudge. Use the same 400 square foot driveway in each line so the comparison stays honest.
| Check | How to run it | What a fair quote looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Per square foot | Total divided by area | Inside $6 to $15 per sq ft for a 4-inch slab with normal access |
| Volume | Area x thickness / 27, plus 5% | About 5.2 yards for 400 sq ft at 4 inches; the quote's concrete line should match |
| Per yard-equivalent | Total divided by the yards | Inside $486 to $1,215 installed per yard-equivalent for a 4-inch slab |
If two of the three checks fail, the quote needs a conversation before it needs a signature. If only one fails, find the line item that explains it: thickness, demolition, pump, or a decorative finish.
Concrete material travels well, but the price of a finished slab does not. Labour rates are local, and so is the number of crews competing for the work. Plant density matters: a city with several plants can price delivery more sharply than a rural area served by one. Local rules matter too, because a permit and an inspection add a step to every job that needs them.
That is why a national range is the right first check and the wrong final answer. Compare your quote with the range, then ask a local plant and one other contractor for their numbers. Three local data points beat any national average.
With those answers, you can separate the concrete cost from the delivery cost and see which one is driving the quote. Our delivery fees guide explains each charge in detail.
We do not publish a 2026 year-on-year price change, a regional average we cannot verify, or a "concrete prices are up X%" figure without a like-for-like comparison behind it. Our index is a first edition; the honest number is the current range with its checked month, which is what this page shows.
Compare its per-square-foot price and volume against the index before you sign.
We do not publish a percentage because our index has no like-for-like prior edition. The current installed range is $6 to $15 per square foot, typical about $9, checked October 2026. Ask a local plant for its current per-yard price to compare year on year.
They are different products. The plant sells concrete; the contractor sells a finished slab with forming, labour, finishing, disposal and often a permit. The gap is scope, not just profit.
Sometimes. Exterior concrete work slows in cold weather, and scheduling can be easier, but cold-weather concrete needs protection and additives that can add cost. Ask the plant and the contractor what the seasonal difference is locally.
At 4 inches deep, about 4.9 cubic yards before waste, or 5.2 with a 5% allowance. At 6 inches, about 7.4 cubic yards. Use the calculator for the exact figure.
It changes the finished price, not the concrete itself. Broom is standard; stamped, exposed aggregate and stained finishes add labour and materials, and may need a specialist crew.
Compare the delivered material price with the installed price per yard.
Estimates, not quotes. Based on our October 2026 price index. See the full index.
Estimates, not quotes. Prices are set locally and change with the market.