Concrete contractor pricing

[Food Scientist]

Has anyone poured a slab lately and wouldn't mind sharing costs? I'm trying to get a slab poured before winter (I'm in Michigan) and so far only one contractor has called me back with a quote of $8k for labor only of placement and finishing of a roughly 30x50' slab.

I'm doing the foundation work, forms, rebar, and buying the concrete. Literally he just has to show up with his crew for one day and follow up the next day to saw the control joints. It seems expensive to me but I know the labor market is crazy right now but $8k for 4 people for 1 day worth of work seems excessive.

 

[georgemiller]

21X 19 garage slab three months ago I did nothing sub provided all material and labor in New York $ 8600.

 

[Speedbird001]

FWIW: Summer '21 I was looking at a no frills brushed basic ~12x24 slab. Contacted 5 parties in Virginia and gave them the basic details:
o 2 never called back
o 1 said they only did deluxe whole back yard make-over stuff ($$,$$$)
o 1 was very upfront and said due to supply/demand/shortages they were not doing any work materials etc.
o Last one (Small independent contractor) after about 2 weeks came out; estimate: $7.5k and a 2 month wait (He advised unless I really needed it done (I didn't ) I should wait it out a year or two.

 

[JTK]

It seems like all this type of work has more than doubled in cost since ~2020.

Deals can be found through word of mouth, FB marketplace or neighborhood apps sometimes. Have to keep looking.

 

[jhellwig]

They don't need the work.
They don't want the work.
They don't have the people to do the work.
They don't want to deal with only doing half the job. 90% of the time when a homeowner wants to do part of the work it is because they are a tight wad that thinks they know better than the contractor. No one likes to come into the middle of the job because it is never to the point where it needs to be for them to begin or it was done wrong and needs to be fixed before they can do any work. Then there is the liability side of it.

I am not saying you are one of those homeowners but there are enough of them out there that people steer clear or make it well worth their time.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Has anyone poured a slab lately and wouldn't mind sharing costs? I'm trying to get a slab poured before winter (I'm in Michigan) and so far only one contractor has called me back with a quote of $8k for labor only of placement and finishing of a roughly 30x50' slab.

I'm doing the foundation work, forms, rebar, and buying the concrete. Literally he just has to show up with his crew for one day and follow up the next day to saw the control joints. It seems expensive to me but I know the labor market is crazy right now but $8k for 4 people for 1 day worth of work seems excessive.

Seems high but for reference a friend in the construction industry does side concrete work on the weekends. All his construction worked buddies like to pick up side work “for wages” if he needs extra guys which is usually $300-400 in cash per guy for a roughly 6 hour day on a weekend.

 

[64bawagon]

I have never run across a concrete contractor that would do anything other than the entire job. Too many ways for things to go sideways and end up with a crew wasting a day standing around doing nothing. Around here they are slammed, there is a local ready mix co that travels by my house frequently. The trucks are running non stop.

 

[zzyzzx]

o Last one (Small independent contractor) after about 2 weeks came out; estimate: $7.5k and a 2 month wait (He advised unless I really needed it done (I didn't ) I should wait it out a year or two.

Yes, wait at least a year! Exactly what I figured.

 

[MNgopher]

You even pointed out part of your problem - you are trying to get this done before winter. Around here, good reputable contractors were booked through winter about 2 months ago... So if you want it done, you are going to make it worth their while - ie: $$$

 

[wpod]

From my experience with concrete slabs and do not take excuses from the contractors Get fiber [hair] in the concrete it will almost guaranteed to reduce and eliminate cracking. I woe at one time 2 , 30 ft x 70 ft tx 16 high foot pole buildings with slabs and the one with Hair didn't crack. Remember there are different grades / strengths of concrete and as mentioned who needs the work with all the building going on at the moment? Also concrete is long term, so a high quality material and quality finish is important.

 

[ironman_gq]

Don't plan on getting a good contractor for less than $10/sq ft these days. That's labor and material, concrete is going for 140-200yd depending on where you are and whats in it so figure $2800-4000 in material

 

[Food Scientist]

Thanks for the replies - I don't need to do it this winter, was hoping to get it done but for that kind of money I can wait till spring. It's an enclosed building and I'm only doing a portion of in concrete for an insulated workshop and needed the slab to work on the interior walls over the winter. For fiber I know that helps and initially I wasn't going to include it but I think it's only a couple bucks a yard so for $200 extra I can help with the cracking since I plan on putting epoxy over it

 

[Food Scientist]

But it does sound a little high from the responses and seems like I'm in the wrong profession if $5.33 per square foot in labor is the norm now, almost double the price of the concrete.

 

[64bawagon]

To the degree that you can you should find a contractor by reputation and line them up for the spring. Sometimes flexibility will help. With your job being inside they may come out and prep the site and then wait for a weather day to pour it.
The guy that did all my flatwork in 2016 is always slammed, if you dont get on the book by April it likely wont get done that year.