Concrete cost per square foot: typical national ranges
These ranges come from national consumer cost guides and are rounded. They are installed prices, meaning labor and materials together. They are not Sacramento prices and not quotes. Local quotes will differ.
| Job | Typical national range | More on |
|---|---|---|
| Plain or broom-finish driveway | $6–$12 per sq ft | Concrete driveways |
| Stamped concrete | $12–$25 per sq ft | Stamped concrete |
| Patio, plain to custom | $5–$18 per sq ft | Concrete patios |
| Sidewalk or walkway | $6–$14 per sq ft | Walkways and sidewalks |
| Concrete slab | $4–$12 per sq ft | Slab cost |
| Exposed aggregate add-on | +$3–$8 per sq ft | Exposed aggregate |
| Colored concrete add-on | +$2–$6 per sq ft | Decorative concrete |
| Removal and demolition | $2–$6 per sq ft | Concrete removal |
| Resurfacing or overlay | $3–$9 per sq ft (decorative $6–$20) | Resurfacing |
| Mudjacking or slab leveling | $3–$8 per sq ft (typical job about $660–$1,900) | Leveling |
| Sealing, with labor | About $1.35–$2.50 per sq ft | Sealing |
| Concrete retaining wall | $20–$60 per sq ft of wall face | Retaining walls |
We do not publish prices for crack repair, house slab-on-grade foundations, block retaining walls specifically, or combined demolition and replacement, because we could not verify a reliable national figure for them. Ask contractors to break those jobs into line items.
What drives the price of a concrete job
Thickness and strength
A 4-inch slab is the minimum for a residential driveway carrying passenger vehicles. Thicker slabs use more concrete and cost more. Residential driveways commonly use concrete in the 3,500–4,000 psi range. Ask what the quote specifies.
Base prep on clay and hardpan
Sacramento County has widespread restrictive soil layers: cemented hardpan a few feet down, claypans, and soils with high shrink-swell potential. Expansive clay and hardpan are common, so subgrade preparation matters. Extra excavation, base rock and compaction add cost but protect the slab from settling and cracking. See concrete slabs for how base prep works.
Access
A side yard with a gate that wheelbarrows can barely clear costs more to pour than an open front driveway. Pumping concrete or carrying it by hand adds labor.
Removal of old concrete
Tearing out an old slab typically adds $2–$6 per sq ft before the new pour begins. Rebar and thick slabs cost more to break up and haul away.
Finish and design
A broom finish is the baseline. Stamping, color, exposed aggregate, borders and sealers each add cost. The spread between plain and custom is wide, which is why patio ranges run from $5 to $18 per sq ft.
Permits for driveway approaches
Flatwork on your own lot is usually exempt from a building permit when it sits no more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, but work in the street-side approach is different. In the City of Sacramento, a new or modified curb-cut driveway needs a driveway permit, with a fee that varies by driveway width. Unincorporated Sacramento County requires a SacDOT encroachment permit for approaches in the county right-of-way. Confirm with your city or county.
Job size and per-square-foot pricing
Small jobs often cost more per square foot than large ones. A contractor's fixed costs, such as mobilization, forms and a minimum truck delivery, are spread over fewer square feet. If two quotes look far apart, compare scope and thickness first, then size.
Concrete is also priced by the cubic yard for the material itself. If you want to estimate quantity, multiply length by width by thickness in feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. Contractors add extra for waste and uneven subgrade, so do not treat your own estimate as an order.
Why Sacramento heat and curing matter to price
Sacramento's July normal high is about 93–94°F, with about 20+ days a year at 100°F or hotter. Hot weather speeds hydration and evaporation from fresh concrete, so contractors plan pours for cooler hours, shade or wet the subgrade, and keep the surface moist while it cures. A common recommendation is to keep concrete continuously moist for about 7 days. Careful curing adds labor but helps strength and finish. A quote that never mentions curing is worth a question.
Common reasons a quote jumps
- The slab is thicker than you assumed, or the quote adds rebar.
- Old concrete has to come out first, and the haul-off was not in the first number.
- The soil needs more base rock or excavation than the contractor expected when they first looked.
- A street-side approach needs a permit, and the fee and paperwork are added.
- The finish changes from broom to stamped, colored or exposed aggregate. Stamped concrete alone typically runs $12–$25 per sq ft nationally, roughly double a plain driveway.
- The job is small, so fixed costs get spread over few square feet.
None of these is unusual. The point is to get them on paper before you sign, as line items you can compare across bids.
How to compare concrete quotes
- Ask each contractor to quote the same scope: dimensions, thickness, base prep, joints, finish, sealer and removal.
- Check that the quote lists the strength of concrete and the control-joint plan. For a 4-inch slab, joint spacing is commonly 8–12 feet.
- Ask who pulls permits for any street-side approach, and who pays the fee.
- Verify each license at cslb.ca.gov. Flatwork is typically done under a C-8 Concrete license.
- Watch the payment schedule. In California a home improvement down payment may not exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract, whichever is less.
- Keep the quote and contract in writing, and note the three business day cancellation right.
How to get a real price
Sacramento Crest Concrete does not quote prices or contract. It is a referral service. Submit a request and it passes your contact information to independent licensed contractors who work in your area. A contractor can visit to measure and give you a written quote. You contract with, and pay, the contractor directly. Requests cost nothing. See the FAQ for how the referral works.
Main guide: concrete contractors in Sacramento.