How this calculator works
The humble slab is the yard’s general-purpose answer — shed floor, hot-tub pad, basketball key, future garage. Price tracks two choices: footprint and what the slab must carry.
Spec it for the load
4-inch basic suits sheds and foot-traffic pads on stable soil. 4-inch reinforced adds mesh or rebar — cheap crack insurance and the sensible default. 6-inch reinforced is for wheels: garage and workshop floors, RV pads, anything a vehicle parks on. The cost step between tiers is modest; the regret of under-building is permanent, because a slab’s thickness is decided exactly once.
What the price includes — and doesn’t
These ranges cover grading, forms, a gravel base, steel where specified, the pour, and finishing. They don’t include frost footings, stem walls, or anything structural for habitable buildings — that’s foundation work at foundation prices. Tight backyard access matters too: if the truck can’t reach, pumping or barrowing concrete adds real money.
The best beginner concrete project
A small pad is where DIY concrete actually makes sense — one yard or two of mix, manageable finishing, stakes that are low if the surface ends up slightly rustic. Flip the toggle for the materials number. For driveway-scale pours, see the concrete driveway calculator; for a patio with a nicer finish, the concrete patio calculator prices decorative options.
2026 installed concrete slab cost per square foot
Ground-level slabs including grading, forms, gravel base, steel (where specified), pour, and finish. Footings, stem walls, and structural foundations are a different scope.
| Option | Low (per sq ft) | High (per sq ft) | Typical (per sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-in basic (no steel) | $5 | $10 | $7 |
| 4-in with mesh/rebar | $6 | $11 | $8 |
| 6-in reinforced (heavy duty) | $8 | $13 | $10 |
Estimated cost by state
Typical installed range for a 12×12 ft, 4-inch reinforced concrete slab, installed, adjusted by each state's construction cost index. Your actual project scales with the size and options you enter above.
| State | Estimated low | Estimated high |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $743 | $1,362 |
| Alaska | $994 | $1,822 |
| Arizona | $829 | $1,521 |
| Arkansas | $760 | $1,394 |
| California | $968 | $1,774 |
| Colorado | $847 | $1,552 |
| Connecticut | $924 | $1,695 |
| Delaware | $829 | $1,521 |
| District of Columbia | $864 | $1,584 |
| Florida | $804 | $1,473 |
| Georgia | $778 | $1,426 |
| Hawaii | $1,106 | $2,028 |
| Idaho | $838 | $1,536 |
| Illinois | $994 | $1,822 |
| Indiana | $881 | $1,616 |
| Iowa | $864 | $1,584 |
| Kansas | $812 | $1,489 |
| Kentucky | $812 | $1,489 |
| Louisiana | $786 | $1,441 |
| Maine | $829 | $1,521 |
| Maryland | $829 | $1,521 |
| Massachusetts | $1,020 | $1,869 |
| Michigan | $873 | $1,600 |
| Minnesota | $968 | $1,774 |
| Mississippi | $769 | $1,410 |
| Missouri | $933 | $1,711 |
| Montana | $864 | $1,584 |
| Nebraska | $829 | $1,521 |
| Nevada | $881 | $1,616 |
| New Hampshire | $864 | $1,584 |
| New Jersey | $1,020 | $1,869 |
| New Mexico | $778 | $1,426 |
| New York | $950 | $1,742 |
| North Carolina | $804 | $1,473 |
| North Dakota | $873 | $1,600 |
| Ohio | $916 | $1,679 |
| Oklahoma | $795 | $1,457 |
| Oregon | $899 | $1,647 |
| Pennsylvania | $881 | $1,616 |
| Rhode Island | $942 | $1,727 |
| South Carolina | $812 | $1,489 |
| South Dakota | $804 | $1,473 |
| Tennessee | $812 | $1,489 |
| Texas | $786 | $1,441 |
| Utah | $838 | $1,536 |
| Vermont | $855 | $1,568 |
| Virginia | $795 | $1,457 |
| Washington | $942 | $1,727 |
| West Virginia | $812 | $1,489 |
| Wisconsin | $916 | $1,679 |
| Wyoming | $812 | $1,489 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete slab cost in 2026?
Figure $5–$10 per square foot for a basic 4-inch slab, $6–$11 with mesh or rebar, and $8–$13 for a 6-inch heavy-duty pour. A 12×12 reinforced shed pad typically lands around $900–$1,600, and a 24×24 two-car garage slab in the 6-inch spec $4,600–$7,500, before state adjustments.
How thick does my slab need to be?
Four inches covers sheds, patios, and hot tubs; add mesh or rebar and it handles most residential loads. Go six inches with rebar where vehicles park — garages, shop pads, RV pads. Upgrading thickness later is impossible, so size for the heaviest thing you'll ever put on it.
Does a shed slab need a permit?
Often the shed does even when the slab alone wouldn't — most areas trigger permits at a certain shed size, and some want frost-depth footings rather than a floating pad in cold climates. A quick call to your building department before pouring saves expensive rework.
Can I pour a small slab myself?
A shed-sized pad is the most DIY-able concrete project there is — small enough to finish before it sets, forgiving if slightly imperfect. The DIY toggle prices materials. Past about 150 square feet, or anywhere flatness matters (garage floors), the finishing skill gap shows.
What's the difference between a slab and a foundation?
These prices cover ground-level "floating" pads. A structural foundation — footings below frost depth, stem walls, engineered slab-on-grade for a dwelling — is a different scope at a multiple of the price. If something habitable will sit on it, budget from foundation guides, not pad guides.
Disclaimer: Estimates are for planning only and reflect typical ranges, not quotes. Actual costs vary with site conditions, design complexity, local permits, and contractor availability. Pricing approach: national averages cross-referenced from public cost guides, adjusted by a state construction cost index — see our methodology.
Price data sources: HomeGuide, Concrete Slab Cost (2026): $6–$12/sq ft installed overall (materials $3–$7, labor $3–$5, labor 40–50% of total); by thickness 2-in $4–$6, 4-in $6–$8, 6-in $8–$10; as low as $4/sq ft for the most basic pours — https://homeguide.com/costs/concrete-slab-cost; Homewyse, Cost to Install Concrete Pad (May 2026): $9.81–$12.05/sq ft for a 4-in fibermesh 3500 PSI broom-finished pad, excluding excavation, gravel base and compaction — https://www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_concrete_pad.html; Alan's Factory Outlet, Concrete Slab Cost for Garages and Carports (2026): 4-in basic with wire mesh and gravel base about $5.35/sq ft; 6-in rebar-reinforced $6–$12/sq ft; rebar over mesh adds $1–$2/sq ft; 20×20 pad $2,000–$3,200 — https://alansfactoryoutlet.com/blog/concrete-slab-cost/; 2026 contractor slab guides cross-check (searched Sept 2026): 4-in residential slab $6–$12/sq ft with a national average near $8; 6-in reinforced garage floor 24×24 $3,500–$9,000, or about $5,000–$7,500 with rebar and a 4,000 PSI mix; 10×10 shed pad $600–$1,200. Last updated: September 2026.