A concrete estimate has one job: tell the customer exactly what they're paying for, so the price holds up when the truck shows up. Most of the arguments on concrete jobs, like "I thought removal was included" or "why is it more than you said?", come from estimates that skipped a line. Here's a straightforward way to build one, plus a free template you can copy.

Estimate or quote?

Contractors use both words. Many use "estimate" for an approximate price and "quote" for a fixed price the customer can accept. Whichever you call it, say on the document whether the price is fixed, how long it's valid, and what would change it.

Step 1: Measure every area separately

Write down the length, width and thickness of each slab: driveway, apron, walkway, patio. Odd shapes are easier when you split them into rectangles and add them up. Note anything that changes the work: slope, access for the truck or a pump, old concrete to remove, tree roots, and how far you'll be wheeling.

Step 2: Do the yardage math

Ready-mix is ordered by the cubic yard, and there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard.
Cubic yards = length (ft) x width (ft) x thickness (in) / 12 / 27

Worked example: a 12 x 20 ft driveway at 4 inches.
12 x 20 = 240 sq ft
240 x (4 / 12) = 80 cubic feet
80 / 27 = 2.96 cubic yards

Then add a waste allowance for over-excavation, uneven subgrade and spillage. Many contractors use something in the 5 to 10 percent range; use what your own jobs have taught you. At 8 percent, 2.96 becomes about 3.2 yards, and you'd round up to whatever increment your supplier sells. Also ask your supplier about short-load fees on small orders. If they charge one, it belongs on the estimate as its own line.

A note on thickness: 4 inches is common for residential walks, patios and many driveways, and heavier loads usually call for more. Follow local code, the plans, or an engineer's spec when there is one. Writing the thickness on the estimate protects you if a customer later asks why the price went up for a thicker slab.

Step 3: Break the price into line items

A single lump sum invites haggling and leaves you nothing to point to. Line items show the work. A typical flatwork estimate covers:

Removal and haul-off of existing concrete (sq ft)
Excavation and grading (sq ft)
Compacted gravel base (tons or cubic yards; state the depth)
Forms and layout (linear ft)
Reinforcement: rebar, wire mesh or fiber (state which, and the spacing if rebar)
Ready-mix concrete (cubic yards; state the mix or PSI if you specify one)
Short-load or delivery fee, if your supplier charges one
Placing and finishing (state the finish: broom, trowel, stamped)
Control joints, tooled or saw-cut
Curing and sealing
Permit and inspection, if required
Cleanup and disposal

Price each line from your own costs. If you're not sure what a line costs you, that's worth finding out before the next bid.

Step 4: Offer options instead of writing a second estimate

Customers often want to compare. Put the choices on the same document, each fully priced:
Option A: 4 in. broom finish
Option B: 5 in. with rebar
Option C: stamped and colored
Options turn "that's too much" into "which one?", and they save you rewriting the estimate.

Step 5: Spell out what's included and what isn't

List exclusions plainly: sprinkler line repair, landscaping restoration, unknown buried obstructions, soil corrections beyond the base you listed, and permits you didn't include. If you'll need the customer to mark private utilities or move vehicles, say so. Call 811 before digging so public utilities get located; that request is free in the US.

Step 6: Put the terms on the page

Short, plain terms save phone calls:

Deposit: how much is due at signing and when the balance is due.
Weather: pour dates depend on weather and temperature, and you'll reschedule rather than pour in bad conditions.
Cracking: concrete can crack. Control joints are placed to help control where cracks form. State what you do and don't warranty.
Changes: any change to size, thickness, finish or scope is priced in writing before you do the work.
Valid until: a date, because material prices move.

Have your terms reviewed for your state. This article isn't legal advice.

Step 7: Get it signed before you order material

A verbal yes isn't enough when you're about to order several yards of concrete. Get a signature on the exact document you priced, with the date. Paper works. So does a link the customer can sign on their phone.

Common mistakes

Pricing from area only and forgetting thickness, so a 5-inch slab gets priced like a 4-inch one.
No waste allowance, and you come up short on the pour.
Leaving out removal and haul-off, which is often a big part of the job.
One lump-sum price with no options.
No exclusions, so every surprise turns into a free extra.
No expiration date.

Free template

Download the Concrete Estimate Template (PDF, no signup). It walks you through the yardage math, your waste percentage and rounding up to the nearest quarter yard, and lists the line items, options, exclusions and terms above. Your prices stay blank so you fill in your own.

Download PDF

Doing this from your phone

QuoteMaven is an Android quoting app built by contractors, for contractors. Type a line like "Concrete pad 55 x 5" and the quantity (275) fills in with the math shown, add optional line items, and text your customer a link they sign in their browser. A signed quote moves to Invoices automatically. The free Bronze plan covers the basics, and you check every number before you send. The template works fine without the app.

Not engineering or legal advice. Follow local code, and have your terms reviewed for your state.

Free Concrete Estimate Template