Free concrete estimate template (driveway, patio, sidewalk)

A fill-in estimate for concrete flatwork: driveways, patios, sidewalks, and slabs. It has lines for price per square foot, thickness, reinforcement, base prep, tear-out of old concrete, and finish or sealing add-ons. Type it in on this page, then print it or save it as a PDF to send. The gray hints in each line are only suggestions and don't print.

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What a concrete estimate should spell out

"Pour a new driveway" leaves a lot open: how big, how thick, what goes under it and inside it, what the surface looks like, and what happens to the old slab. Writing those down keeps quotes comparable and avoids an argument after the pour. A few habits help:

• Price by the square foot, and say how you measured. Write the size, the total square feet, and how you got it (measured on site with a tape or wheel, or taken from a plan the customer gave you). Say whether aprons, steps, or curves are counted in the footage or priced on their own lines (made-up example: "driveway 20 ft x 30 ft = 600 sq ft, measured on site with a tape, apron to the street included").
• Thickness, written down. Write the thickness you'll pour, for example 4 in for a patio or walk, or 5 to 6 in for a driveway if that's what you use. It's your call as the contractor (unless a plan, permit, or HOA sets it), so put it on the estimate and the customer knows what the price buys.
• Reinforcement as its own line. Say what goes in the slab: wire mesh, rebar (with size and spacing), fiber in the mix, or none. Giving it its own line shows the customer what they're paying for and makes quotes easier to compare.
• Base prep: digging, gravel, and compaction. Say how deep you dig, what base goes down (for example gravel, and how thick), and that it gets compacted before the pour. Price it on its own line or say it's included.
• Tear-out and haul-away of old concrete, separately. Breaking out an old driveway, patio, or walk and hauling it away is real work with its own disposal cost. Put it on its own line, priced per square foot or flat, or say it's not included.
• Forms and control joints. Say that forms are set to the shape and height shown, and that control joints are tooled in or saw-cut (and roughly where), so they're not a surprise later.
• Say plainly that concrete can crack. Concrete can crack even when it's poured right. Control joints are there to guide where cracks are more likely to show up. Put that in plain words on the estimate, and say what your own warranty does and doesn't cover, if you offer one.
• Finish: what's included and what's an add-on. Say which finish is in the base price (for example a broom finish), and list upgrades like exposed aggregate, stamped, or colored concrete as separate optional lines.
• Sealing as an optional add-on. If you offer sealer, list it as its own optional line, and say when it goes on (at the end of the job or on a return visit).
• Pump and access charges. If the concrete truck can't get close to the pour, say how the concrete gets there (pump, buggy, or wheelbarrow) and put any pump or access charge on its own line. If your supplier charges extra for a small load, say so on its own line too.
• Drainage and slope. Say which way the slab will slope so water runs off (for example away from the house or garage), and that existing drainage problems, low spots in the yard, or drains aren't included unless they're on a line of their own.
• Surprises underground: stop and price. You can't always see what's under the old slab or the dirt. Say that if you hit large roots, soft or wet ground, or buried debris, you'll stop, show the customer, and price the extra work as a change before going on.
• Call 811 before digging. Say that buried utility lines will be marked before any digging. 811 is the free national before-you-dig service: contact 811 or your state 811 center's website a few business days before digging, and wait until the utilities have marked their lines; see call811.com. Also ask the customer where any private lines run (for example sprinklers, lighting, or a line to a shed), since those may not be marked.
• Permits and HOA approval. Permit and HOA rules for driveways, patios, and sidewalks vary by city, county, and neighborhood (a new driveway apron or a sidewalk along the street may need the city's OK). Say who applies for any permit or HOA approval, and put the fee on its own line.
• Weather rule. Write your own rule for when you won't pour (for example rain in the forecast, or temperatures outside the range you work in) and how rescheduling works, so a weather delay isn't an argument.
• Cure time and when they can use it. Write your own instructions for when the customer can walk on the new slab, when they can drive or park on it, and anything to avoid while it cures. Give it to them in writing.
• Cleanup and what's not included. Say you'll clean up leftover concrete, forms, and dirt. Say that work not listed (for example fixing sod or landscaping along the edges, moving sprinkler heads, or steps and walls) isn't included unless it's on a line of its own.
• Valid-until date, deposit, and payment terms. How long the price holds (concrete and material prices can change), any deposit to schedule the pour, when the balance is due, and how you take payment, including your own payment link if you use one.

For the longer walk-through (scope wording, exclusions, change orders, sign-off), see how to write a contractor estimate.

This is a general template, not legal advice. Contractor licensing, permit rules for driveways, patios, and sidewalks, HOA rules, and sales tax vary by state, county, and city, so check yours before you quote.

Your estimate

Job done? Use the free printable invoice template to bill for it. Need a plain version without concrete hints? Use the general estimate template. Putting up a fence along the new slab? Use the fence estimate template. Cleaning an old driveway or patio instead of replacing it? Use the pressure washing estimate template.

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