A skid steer lifting broken slabs from a torn-out concrete driveway into a dumpster

Concrete cost guide

Concrete Cost per Square Foot and What Moves the Price

A new concrete slab in Kenosha typically runs $7 to $13 per square foot. Where yours lands depends on what comes out first, how thick it goes and how it is finished, and we price it on a free site visit.

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The short answer

Concrete cost per square foot

Concrete flatwork is priced by the square foot, and a new reinforced concrete slab in Kenosha typically runs $7 to $13 per square foot.

That range is the typical figure for the area, not our quote. The number on your job comes from measuring it: what has to come out first, how thick the slab goes, the steel inside it and the finish on top. We come out, measure, and write the whole price down before anything is poured.

Typical new slab, Kenosha

$7 to $13

per square foot

Taking out an old slab comes on top, priced by the volume hauled away.

Price factors

What moves the price

Removal, access, thickness, reinforcement, joints, drainage, finish and cure time move the price of concrete work, and here is what each one does to yours.

Removal of the old slab

Tear-out is priced by the volume of old concrete hauled away, not its surface area, so a thick old driveway costs more to remove than its size suggests.
Access for the truck

A chute that reaches the forms is the simplest pour. A backyard behind a fence or down a narrow side yard means moving concrete by hand, and that is labor.
Slab thickness

Every extra inch is more concrete in the truck and more strength in the slab. A driveway carries cars, so it goes thicker than a walk.
Reinforcement

Rebar or wire mesh in the slab is material and labor on top of the concrete, and what the slab has to carry decides how much it needs.
Joints

The seams in a slab, the trade's "control joint", are saw-cut the first day so the cracks form where we plan them. More panels mean more cuts.
Drainage and base

The slab has to shed water away from the house. The gravel under it, the "base course", goes as deep as what we find when we dig.
Finish

A plain "broom finish" is the standard outdoor surface. Stamped concrete with several colors and patterns costs more than a plain slab.
Cure time

Fresh concrete needs time to cure before it takes traffic, and that time sets how the pour is scheduled, protected and opened back up.

Outdoor slabs that freeze get "air-entrained concrete", the freeze-resistant mix; the Portland Cement Association explains why it stands up to freeze and thaw.

Thickness

Thickness and cost

Each extra inch of driveway thickness adds almost 50% to the slab's load-bearing capacity and only about 20% to its material cost.

That trade is why we never thin a driveway to bring a number down. The inch you would skip saves a small share of the material and gives up much of the strength, and the slab that cracks under a loaded truck costs far more than the concrete you saved.

A walk carries feet and a driveway carries cars, so we size each slab for what will cross it and put that thickness on the estimate in writing.

Almost 50%

Strength gained

About 20%

Material added

A ready-mix chute pouring concrete into a small patio form behind a house

Small jobs

Small jobs and short loads

A small pour costs more per square foot because it needs less concrete than a ready-mix truck's minimum load, and the supplier adds a "short-load charge" for the difference.

That charge can come close to the cost of the concrete itself. On a small patio, a stoop or a single walk panel it is a big part of the bill, which is why a small slab never prices like a slice of a big one.

The way around it is to group the work. Sidewalk panels cost much less each when several are replaced together, because the setup and the minimum truck load are about the same. If a step, a walk panel and a patio corner all need work, have us price them on the same visit.

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Tell us everything on the list; we quote it as one job.

Concrete or asphalt

Concrete versus asphalt

Asphalt costs less to install, while concrete lasts longer, needs less upkeep and gives you more ways to finish it, as the table below sets out.

Concrete and asphalt driveways compared on cost, life, upkeep and finish
Question	Concrete	Asphalt
Cost to install	Higher up front	Lower up front
How long it lasts	Longer	Shorter
Upkeep	Less	More
How it performs	Holds up better	Does not perform as well
Design choices	Broom, stamped, colored or exposed aggregate	Fewer

If the lower first price decides it, asphalt is a fair choice. If you plan to stay in the house, the longer life and lighter upkeep are what the extra concrete cost buys.

Next to the price

What Our Neighbors Say

Our Google reviews, as written by the people who left them.

Sophisticated Concrete did a fantastic job on my driveway! The team was on time and professional, completing the project exactly as promised. The quality of their work was impeccable, and they offered great prices too. I am extremely satisfied with the outcome and would highly recommend them to anyone in need of concrete services. Great work Mike I will definitely be recommended you with all friends and family’s !!

Yosi ZaragozaGoogle review

I recently had the pleasure of working with Sophisticated Concrete for my driveway and side walks, and I couldn't be happier with the results. They did an amazing job, exceeding all my expectations. The team was incredibly punctual, arriving right on time and completing everything perfectly. Not only was the workmanship top-notch, but their prices were also very reasonable. I highly recommend Sophisticated Concrete for anyone looking for high-quality concrete work. Thank you so much Mike it was a pleasure.

luke martinezGoogle review

Great work, very detailed and great price. I would recommend to anyone looking to get concrete work done!!! Great company overall.

Tyler ColonGoogle review

Get the Price for Your Slab

Tell us what you want poured, replaced or repaired. We come out, measure it and write the whole price down before any work starts.

Call Sophisticated Concrete (262) 583-6057

We quote the whole job before we start, with no surprise charges after.