How to Bid Concrete Jobs: Pricing Driveways, Slabs and Commercial Work
How to bid concrete work
In this article
To bid a concrete job, measure the area, calculate cubic yards (length × width × thickness ÷ 27, plus waste), add materials, labour, equipment and disposal, then add overhead and profit. Check your total against a price per square foot for similar local jobs.
Step 1: Measure and inspect
Measure length, width and thickness. Note access for the concrete truck, slope, existing concrete to remove, soil condition and drainage.
Step 2: Calculate concrete
Cubic yards = (length ft × width ft × thickness in ÷ 12) ÷ 27
Example: a 20 × 24 ft driveway at 4 inches = 160 cubic feet ÷ 27 ≈ 5.9 yards. Add 5–10% waste, so order about 6.5 yards.
Step 3: List all costs
| Cost | Examples |
|---|---|
| Concrete | Price per yard, short-load fees, additives |
| Base | Gravel, compaction |
| Reinforcement | Rebar, mesh, fibre |
| Forms | Lumber, stakes |
| Labour | Crew hours × wage including taxes |
| Equipment | Pump, skid steer, saw, compactor |
| Demolition and disposal | Tear-out and dump fees |
| Finishes | Stamping, colour, sealer |
| Permits | If required |
Step 4: Add overhead and profit
Overhead covers insurance, trucks, office and marketing. Many contractors add 10%–20% overhead plus 10%–20% profit, but use your own numbers.
Step 5: Sanity-check per square foot
Compare your total to local per-square-foot prices for similar jobs. Decorative work, tear-outs and difficult access cost more.
Residential vs commercial bids
| Residential | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Simple written quote | Formal bid based on plans and specs |
| Payment | Deposit + final | Progress billing, retainage |
| Requirements | License, insurance | Bonds, safety plans, certified payroll sometimes |
What to put in your bid
Scope of work, thickness and reinforcement, finish, removal, timeline, exclusions, payment terms and warranty.
Related: How to start a concrete business and Is concrete a good business?.
Frequently asked questions
How do you bid a concrete job?
Calculate yards and all costs, then add overhead and profit and check against local per-square-foot prices.
How do I calculate concrete for a bid?
Length × width × thickness (in feet) ÷ 27 = cubic yards, plus 5–10% waste.
How do you bid commercial concrete work?
Do a takeoff from the plans, price to the specs, and include bonds and progress billing terms.
What should a concrete bid include?
Scope, specs, finish, timeline, exclusions, payment terms and warranty.
Should I charge per square foot?
It's useful for quoting and checking, but always build your price from actual costs.
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