• The KillerFrogs

OT: Concrete Prices

SuperTFrog

Active Member
I’ve learned to get at least 4 bids for every job I have done, and let each contractor know that you are getting multiple bids. Contractors prices vary wildly.

I think many of them just assume that the average homeowner doesn’t know a damn thing about how much services should cost, and they also assume that the average homeowner isn’t going out and getting a bunch of bids, so they just go in with crazy high margins and hope they get lucky.
I’m a GC here in FW and normally that is a good idea to get multiple bids and may work right now. The problem is that concrete guys are so busy that they don’t want to do small jobs like this because they could send a crew to do a job 5 times as big every day. We do some remodeling and some of our trades won’t bid smaller projects because they can pick what jobs they want to do right now.

For residential flatwork (patios/driveways), normally $5/sf to $6/sf is a good working turnkey number but that is if you are pouring more concrete than 400 sf. We are helping a friend out who is redoing their bathroom (we don’t do jobs that small) because they called 5 other contractors and the only one who gave them a bid took two months to send them a quote.

If you want to see real sticker shock, check out the price of lumber...
 

Froglaw

Full Member
Is $4,800 a good price for a 400sqft. concrete slab? Looking to install 40x10 rectangle in the backyard for a patio base.

I had a contractor build my Man Deck for $65k.

Itrs about 20 x 20, but not a square.

To keep it from moving or cracking they created two "beams" out of the concrete pour that were approximately 3 feet deep.

At the corner, they poured a huge Box of Concrete to support the weight of the outdoor stone fireplace.

Talk to a contractor who has built decks. Let him know what you intend to put on the slab and where. And don't forget plumbing and gas lines that you'll want for an outdoor kitchen.

I decided not to go cheap, I paid the premium associated with a contractor job, and i love my Man Deck. Great place to watch TCU sports, etc.

I knew this contractor pretty well as he'd done smaller jobs for me in the past.

He said to never go cheap (in my case thin) on the foundation.

Four years now and no problems.

Also, don't forget the building permits. A good contractor handles that for you. Not a good feeling when Code Enforcement shows up and starts writing citations.
 

cheese83

Full Member
I’m a GC here in FW and normally that is a good idea to get multiple bids and may work right now. The problem is that concrete guys are so busy that they don’t want to do small jobs like this because they could send a crew to do a job 5 times as big every day. We do some remodeling and some of our trades won’t bid smaller projects because they can pick what jobs they want to do right now.

For residential flatwork (patios/driveways), normally $5/sf to $6/sf is a good working turnkey number but that is if you are pouring more concrete than 400 sf. We are helping a friend out who is redoing their bathroom (we don’t do jobs that small) because they called 5 other contractors and the only one who gave them a bid took two months to send them a quote.

If you want to see real sticker shock, check out the price of lumber...

This seems to be the issue with almost everything right now. I've been trying to replace the doors/entryway to our pool and just getting guys to quote it out takes a while. They've all said they're swamped and won't be able to even start a month or two down the road if we decide to move forward. I was guessing they're just taking the larger jobs like you mentioned and after seeing you post it seems to validate that assumption.
It's really annoying, I've been trying to get it done for two months and want to pay the quoted prices but the guys who are good seem to be way too busy. Guess I'll just wait until things slow down or is the Texas market just going to be crazy for the next few years with so many people moving from out of state?
 

ECoastFrog

Active Member
I’m a GC here in FW and normally that is a good idea to get multiple bids and may work right now. The problem is that concrete guys are so busy that they don’t want to do small jobs like this because they could send a crew to do a job 5 times as big every day. We do some remodeling and some of our trades won’t bid smaller projects because they can pick what jobs they want to do right now.

For residential flatwork (patios/driveways), normally $5/sf to $6/sf is a good working turnkey number but that is if you are pouring more concrete than 400 sf. We are helping a friend out who is redoing their bathroom (we don’t do jobs that small) because they called 5 other contractors and the only one who gave them a bid took two months to send them a quote.

If you want to see real sticker shock, check out the price of lumber...



I went on contract to have a house built in Katy 2 weeks ago. Last week, the same house, with the same elevation and in the same development went up by $12K. I was told the increase was due to lumber prices. I'm sure glad I was already on contract.
 

StigFrog

Active Member
If you’re thinking about a patio, look into pavers. They are much more attractive and very easy to repair when the soil shifts.

Check out these guys. I used to sell them.


https://precisionpavers.com/our-story/

If you do get pavers, don’t use Belgard, those are the jerks that laid me off in 2016. Go with Pavestone.
Or go with clay pavers. They will not fade like pigmented concrete pavers like TCU uses. $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot for a 4"x8" clay paver.
 

SuperTFrog

Active Member
Or go with clay pavers. They will not fade like pigmented concrete pavers like TCU uses. $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot for a 4"x8" clay paver.
I know you’re not asking my advice but I wouldn’t do pavers without a concrete base. We’ve pulled up so many driveways with pavers that weren’t done on concrete because the soils shifted over time and the pavers got all whopper jawed. It may work, but you are taking a risk.
 

SuperTFrog

Active Member
This seems to be the issue with almost everything right now. I've been trying to replace the doors/entryway to our pool and just getting guys to quote it out takes a while. They've all said they're swamped and won't be able to even start a month or two down the road if we decide to move forward. I was guessing they're just taking the larger jobs like you mentioned and after seeing you post it seems to validate that assumption.
It's really annoying, I've been trying to get it done for two months and want to pay the quoted prices but the guys who are good seem to be way too busy. Guess I'll just wait until things slow down or is the Texas market just going to be crazy for the next few years with so many people moving from out of state?
I think it is going to be a while until prices pull back. It’s going to take a dramatic increase in rates to slow construction. For a few data points as to where we are compared about 6-7 years ago:

Concrete was $60/yd and now it is $120
Framing was $3.50/sf and now it is $6
Painting was $3/sf and now it is over $5
Lumber was typically $6-8/sf and now it is $15
Slab labor was $1.35 and now it is $2.50

We have to go a long way to get anywhere close to where we were 6 years ago.
 

Eight

Member
I think it is going to be a while until prices pull back. It’s going to take a dramatic increase in rates to slow construction. For a few data points as to where we are compared about 6-7 years ago:

Concrete was $60/yd and now it is $120
Framing was $3.50/sf and now it is $6
Painting was $3/sf and now it is over $5
Lumber was typically $6-8/sf and now it is $15
Slab labor was $1.35 and now it is $2.50

We have to go a long way to get anywhere close to where we were 6 years ago.

slovocians will really work for $2.50 and hour?
 
I had a contractor build my Man Deck for $65k.

Itrs about 20 x 20, but not a square.

To keep it from moving or cracking they created two "beams" out of the concrete pour that were approximately 3 feet deep.

At the corner, they poured a huge Box of Concrete to support the weight of the outdoor stone fireplace.

Talk to a contractor who has built decks. Let him know what you intend to put on the slab and where. And don't forget plumbing and gas lines that you'll want for an outdoor kitchen.

I decided not to go cheap, I paid the premium associated with a contractor job, and i love my Man Deck. Great place to watch TCU sports, etc.

I knew this contractor pretty well as he'd done smaller jobs for me in the past.

He said to never go cheap (in my case thin) on the foundation.

Four years now and no problems.

Also, don't forget the building permits. A good contractor handles that for you. Not a good feeling when Code Enforcement shows up and starts writing citations.

Look at me...I gotta big deck.
 

Paradoxotaur

Full Member
I mean, it’s his Man Deck, dude. He’s never presented his deck to a man that didn’t drool all over it. He takes his buddies over by the fireplace, shows them the solid “beam”, and their mouths just drop wide open.
 
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