How do you calculate concrete for a job?

Multiply length by width by thickness in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. For a 20-by-20-foot slab at 4 inches thick, that is 20 x 20 x 0.33 / 27, about 4.9 cubic yards. Add 5 to 10 percent for waste and spillage.

How much should I charge per square foot for concrete?

Plain concrete flatwork commonly runs $6 to $12 per square foot installed, with stamped or colored work at $12 to $20 or more. Your number depends on local material prices, labor, site access, and finish. Always price the specific job, not a blanket rate.

What should a concrete bid include?

Scope and dimensions, concrete volume and PSI, sub-base and reinforcement, finish type, demolition or excavation, materials and labor, equipment, overhead and profit, exclusions, and payment terms. A clear written bid prevents disputes and wins more jobs.

How much profit margin should I add to a concrete bid?

After covering materials, labor, equipment, and overhead, many concrete contractors target a net profit of 15 to 25 percent. Thin margins on lowball bids leave nothing for the surprises every pour eventually brings.

How to bid concrete jobs, step by step

To bid a concrete job: measure the volume in cubic yards, price the materials and labor, add equipment, overhead, and profit, then present it as a clear written estimate. The order matters — most contractors who lose money on a pour either mis-measured the volume or forgot the sub-base, the rebar, or the surprise excavation. Below is the method that keeps your margin intact.

We are a web and SEO company that runs its own service businesses, so we will be specific about the math and honest about when you do not need any software or help to bid well.

Step 1: measure the volume

Multiply length × width × thickness in feet for cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 20×20-foot slab at 4 inches (0.33 ft) is 20 × 20 × 0.33 ÷ 27 = about 4.9 cubic yards. Add 5–10 percent for waste and spillage so you are not chasing a short load. For odd shapes, break the area into rectangles and add them up.

Step 2: price every cost line

→ Concrete: cubic yards × your local ready-mix price, including any short-load fee.
→ Sub-base & forms: gravel, sand, form lumber, stakes, and vapor barrier.
→ Reinforcement: rebar or wire mesh, plus chairs and ties.
→ Labor: crew hours for prep, pour, finish, and cleanup at your loaded rate.
→ Equipment: pump, saw, mixer, and any rental — plus fuel.
→ Demo & excavation: tearing out old concrete and hauling debris is a line item people forget.

Step 3: add overhead and profit

Sum your direct costs, then add overhead (insurance, truck, office, software) and your profit margin. After everything, many concrete contractors target a net profit of 15–25 percent. As a sanity check, plain flatwork commonly runs $6–$12 per square foot installed, stamped or colored $12–$20 or more. If your number lands far below the local going rate, recheck before you commit — a lowball bid that wins is the one that hurts.

Step 4: present a clear written bid

A clean, specific estimate wins jobs and prevents arguments. Include:

→ Scope and dimensions, concrete volume and PSI, finish type.
→ What is included and what is explicitly excluded.
→ Price, payment schedule, and how long the bid is valid.
→ Your license, insurance, and a couple of recent job references.

When you don't need any tools to bid

A tape measure, a calculator, and a clean estimate template are enough for most residential concrete work. You do not need bidding software or an agency to quote a driveway. Keep it simple until you are bidding often enough that a faster system genuinely saves you time. We will tell you the same on the phone.

Where we fit (and where we don't)

We do not sell estimating software — we build the website and lead system that gets homeowners and GCs to call you for a bid in the first place. A site that ranks for "concrete contractor near me," shows real pours, and answers questions after hours turns more bids into booked jobs.

See concrete SEO, a concrete estimate template, SEO for contractors, and what contractors charge. Sites start at $249/mo with a free demo in 48 hours.

We don't post stock testimonials. On a 15-minute call we screen-share the real dashboards behind our own businesses — live leads, rankings, and the exact page that produced each one. See the proof →

Common questions

How do I calculate concrete?

Length × width × thickness in feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. A 20×20-foot slab at 4 inches is about 4.9 yards. Add 5–10 percent for waste.

What should I charge per square foot?

Plain flatwork commonly runs $6–$12 per square foot installed, stamped or colored $12–$20 or more. Price the specific job, not a blanket rate.

What profit margin should I add?

After materials, labor, equipment, and overhead, many concrete contractors target a 15–25 percent net profit.

Want more jobs to bid?

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