Concrete work has one of the tightest timing windows in the trades. Once the truck shows up, you have roughly 90 minutes to place, screed, and finish before the mix starts to set. There's no "I'll fix that tomorrow." If you underestimated the labor, ordered the wrong volume, or didn't prep the base properly, it shows — permanently.
That's why concrete estimating is as much about managing risk as calculating costs. You need to account for material volumes, weather windows, site access, base conditions, and the reality that concrete doesn't wait for anyone. A bad estimate doesn't just cost you margin — it costs you a pour.
Here's how to price concrete work accurately across the three main categories: flatwork, foundations, and decorative.
Concrete Material Costs: The Base Numbers
Before you can price a job, you need to know what concrete itself costs. In Ontario (2026), ready-mix concrete runs:
- Standard 25 MPa (3,500 PSI): $185-$220 per cubic meter ($140-$170 per cubic yard)
- High-strength 32 MPa (4,500 PSI): $210-$250 per cubic meter
- Air-entrained (freeze-thaw, required for exterior in Ontario): Add $10-$15 per cubic meter
- Fiber mesh reinforcement: Add $8-$12 per cubic meter
- Color-integrated (for decorative): Add $25-$50 per cubic meter depending on pigment
Delivery charges: most plants charge $0 for loads over 5 cubic meters and $75-$150 for short loads (under 3 cubic meters). Saturday delivery adds $50-$100. Waiting time beyond 10 minutes is $2-$3 per minute per truck.
Always order 5-10% more than your calculated volume. Running short mid-pour is a disaster — you can't stop and order more. The cost of 0.5 extra cubic meters is trivial compared to the cost of a cold joint or an incomplete pour.
Flatwork: Driveways, Patios, Walkways, Garage Floors
Flatwork is the bread and butter of residential concrete. Price per square foot installed.
| Component | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation and grading | $2-$4/sq ft | Depth depends on frost line and soil |
| Granular base (6-8" compacted) | $2-$4/sq ft | Mandatory for Ontario freeze-thaw |
| Forming (wood or steel) | $3-$5/lin ft | Perimeter + expansion joints |
| Reinforcement (wire mesh or rebar) | $0.75-$1.50/sq ft | Wire mesh standard, rebar for heavy loads |
| Concrete (material + delivery) | $3-$5/sq ft | At 4-5" thickness |
| Labor — place, screed, finish | $3-$5/sq ft | Broom finish standard |
| Curing compound | $0.25-$0.50/sq ft | Essential for proper strength development |
| Total — broom finish | $12-$18/sq ft |
Example: Standard Driveway
A 20 ft x 30 ft double-car driveway (600 sq ft), 5 inches thick, broom finish:
| Line Item | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove existing driveway (if applicable) | 600 sq ft | $4.50 | $2,700 |
| Excavation and grading (10" depth) | 600 sq ft | $3.00 | $1,800 |
| Granular A base (8" compacted) | 600 sq ft | $3.50 | $2,100 |
| Wood forming (perimeter + control joints) | 120 lin ft | $4.00 | $480 |
| Wire mesh reinforcement (6x6 W2.9) | 600 sq ft | $1.00 | $600 |
| Concrete 25 MPa air-entrained (9.5 m3) | 9.5 m3 | $210 | $1,995 |
| Place, screed, broom finish | 600 sq ft | $4.00 | $2,400 |
| Control joints (saw-cut, 24 hrs post-pour) | 80 lin ft | $2.00 | $160 |
| Curing compound application | 600 sq ft | $0.35 | $210 |
| Subtotal | $12,445 | ||
| HST (13%) | $1,618 | ||
| Total | $14,063 |
That's $20.75/sq ft including removal, or about $16.25/sq ft for the new driveway alone. Your material cost is roughly $5,200. Crew labor (4-person crew, 2 days prep + 1 day pour + 1 day cleanup) at burdened rates is about $3,200. Equipment (skid steer rental, compactor) runs $500-$800. Gross margin: roughly 30-35%.
Foundation Work
Foundation concrete is priced differently from flatwork because it involves forming complexity, depth, waterproofing, and often engineering requirements.
Foundation Rates (Ontario, 2026)
- Strip footings: $25-$40 per linear foot (24" wide x 10" deep typical)
- Poured walls (ICF or conventional): $30-$50 per square foot of wall face
- Basement slab (4" on grade): $10-$15 per square foot
- Garage slab (5-6" reinforced): $12-$18 per square foot
- Pier footings (sono tubes): $200-$400 each depending on diameter and depth
Foundation work requires permits and inspections. Always include permit fees as a pass-through line item. In most Ontario municipalities, a foundation permit runs $300-$800 depending on the scope.
Decorative Concrete: The Premium Tier
Decorative concrete commands the highest per-square-foot rates because it requires specialized skills, tools, and materials. If you can do decorative work well, it's the highest-margin concrete service.
| Finish Type | Rate (per sq ft installed) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exposed aggregate | $16-$25/sq ft | Retarder wash, popular for driveways |
| Stamped concrete | $18-$30/sq ft | Pattern, release agent, sealer |
| Stamped + color hardener | $22-$35/sq ft | Two-tone, most popular residential |
| Polished concrete (interior) | $8-$15/sq ft | Grinding, densifier, sealer |
| Acid stain / overlay | $10-$20/sq ft | Over existing concrete |
Decorative concrete is where Good/Better/Best pricing really shines. Offer broom finish as "Good," exposed aggregate as "Better," and stamped with color hardener as "Best." Most homeowners pick exposed aggregate or stamped — your average ticket doubles compared to standard flatwork.
The Concrete Estimating Mistakes That Cost You
1. Underestimating volume. Concrete is unforgiving. If you need 8.2 cubic meters and order 8.0, you'll have an incomplete pour and a cold joint. Order 5-10% extra. The cost of 0.5 extra cubic meters ($100-$110) is nothing compared to the cost of a callback or a re-pour.
2. Ignoring site access. Can the concrete truck get within 5 meters of the pour location? If not, you need a pump truck ($800-$1,500 per pour) or a conveyor. If the truck needs to back down a narrow driveway and there's a power line in the way, that's a problem you need to solve before pour day — not during.
3. Not accounting for weather. Concrete can't be poured below 5C or above 30C without special measures. In Ontario, that means cold-weather additives in spring and fall ($15-$25/m3 extra) and potential schedule delays. Include a weather contingency note in every quote: "Schedule subject to weather conditions suitable for concrete placement."
4. Skipping the base. A concrete slab is only as good as its base. If you pour on unprepared soil to save the customer $2,000 on base prep, the slab will crack and settle within 2-3 years. Then you're either doing warranty work for free or losing a customer (and their referrals) permanently.
5. Lump-sum quoting. "Concrete driveway — $12,000." That's a guess, not a quote. Break it into line items: demo, excavation, base, forming, reinforcement, concrete, labor, finishing, curing. The homeowner sees that every dollar is accounted for, and you have a paper trail if the scope changes.
FAQ
How much does a concrete driveway cost per square foot?
$12-$18/sq ft installed for standard broom finish in Ontario (2026), including excavation, base, forming, reinforcement, pour, and finishing. Decorative finishes push to $18-$30+/sq ft. A 600 sq ft driveway typically runs $7,200-$10,800 for standard.
How do I calculate how much concrete I need?
Length x Width x Thickness (all in feet), divided by 27, gives you cubic yards. For cubic meters: divide by 35.3. Always order 5-10% extra. A 20x30 ft driveway at 5 inches: 20 x 30 x 0.417 / 27 = 9.27 cubic yards (7.1 cubic meters).
What profit margin should I target on concrete work?
25-40% gross margin on flatwork, 20-30% on foundation work, 35-50% on decorative. The key variables are crew speed, waste management, and accurate estimating. Faster crews and tighter estimates yield higher margins at the same price per square foot.
Should I charge separately for concrete removal?
Always. Demo and haul-away is separate scope: $3-$6/sq ft for standard 4-inch slab. Listing it separately protects you if the existing slab turns out to be thicker or reinforced — you have a documented price per unit to calculate the change order.
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