The cost of your concrete driveway project can be broken down into 5 categories.
Removal
Subgrade
Reinforcement
Forming
Concrete Finish
It is best to get an in-person quote from a concrete contractor to determine the price of your specific project, but here are the price point breakdowns, and how you can determine if your project will cost more or less than a typical driveway.
5 Things to consider when pricing out a concrete driveway cost.
Removal
If your concrete driveway project is a replacement, the concrete contractor must remove the previous driveway. The level of effort for the removal is based on 4 categories, depth of the removal, concrete reinforcement, how far the contractor has to travel in order to dispose of the old concrete and is the removal accessible to equipment or must it be removed by hand.
Most driveways are poured at a depth of 4 inches and reinforced with rebar. Candor Contracting uses these measurements to make estimates. However, a contractor cannot determine the exact level of reinforcement until they start the removal process.
Sub Grade
Subgrade is the foundation of a concrete slab and plays a critical role in the driveways enforcement. The subgrade is a compacted and improved natural soil or brought infill to help improve the lifetime of the driveway. If the subgrade of the driveway is bad, the contractor will need to remove the base that is there and replace it with a road base.
Reinforcement
The cost of the driveway will be reliant on what type of reinforcement is required. Concrete contractors can use a fiber mesh as an additive to concrete mix, wire mesh to install in the driveway, or use individual pieces of metal installed in a strategic pattern called rebar.
At Candor Contracting we always use fiber mesh and rebar to reinforce the concrete driveways we pour. This gives you the confidence that your driveway is strong enough to survive weight, wear and tear, and the elements.
Forming
The forming of a concrete driveway refers to the shape of the driveway. If the shape is straightforward you can expect a normal pricing structure. Some driveways are designed to fit the layout of the yard and require more attention in the forming process. If a special formation of the driveway is required, the price of the driveway will vary by the form.
Concrete Finish
Concrete finishing refers to the skilled laborers required to leave the concrete formed and smooth. The size of the job can affect how many finishers the job requires.
This is also the step in the process that the contractor determines how much concrete is required to complete the job. The cost of the actual concrete has a big impact on the price of the job whether it is big or small. If the project is under 4 yards there is typically a short load fee applied to the cost of concrete. If the length of your driveway is short but requires more depth, you will see a varying price in concrete.
Find Out How Much Your Concrete Driveway Costs
We are here to help guide you to make the best decisions for your concrete driveway. We offer free estimates to help you understand the cost of your project. If you are interested in a new driveway, call us at (303) 435-2198.