How Much Does a 30×50 Concrete Slab Cost in 2024?

Concrete slabs are structural features you’ll often see in construction projects. They provide support to structures and can act as roofs or floors. Concrete slabs can also function as pathways or driveways. If you are building a barndominium, a 30×50 concrete slab is an affordable choice for foundation and flooring. 

Because of its many elements and materials, computing the cost of a concrete slab can be complicated. You also have to consider the slab’s thickness and size. This article is a comprehensive explanation of concrete slab costs. It will allow you to determine how much your planned slab will cost so you can prepare an accurate budget. 

What Factors Determine the Cost of a 30×50 Concrete Slab?

As mentioned, several factors determine the cost of a 30×50 or 1,500-square-foot concrete slab. The first factor is size. A large slab will require more materials, so it will cost more. Aside from the building materials, size also affects labor costs because a large slab will take longer to complete. 

Another factor is your location. Location affects the cost of building materials because they can be more expensive depending on your location. If the price of building materials is pretty steep in your area, get quotes from multiple suppliers. This will allow you to compare prices and get products from a supplier offering competitive prices. Another option is to source building materials out of state. Check prices and delivery rates and compare them to local prices. This will help determine if ordering out of state is more economical than locally but steeply-priced materials. 

How Much Does a 30×50 Concrete Slab Cost?

Let’s look at the common characteristics of concrete slabs and see how they affect costs. 

Per Thickness

Slabs come in varying thicknesses. A slab’s thickness allows it to handle heavier weights without deforming or breaking. For example, if you are making a 30×50 concrete slab as the floor for your barndominium, you need to make it thick enough to handle the weight of its occupants, furniture, walls, columns, and other fixtures. A thin slab should do the trick for non-load-bearing purposes like walkways around barndominiums and pole barn homes. 

Thickness	Cost per square foot
4 inches	$5.35
5 inches	$5.80
6 inches	$6.20
8 inches	$7

Inclusions

There are some basic tools, materials, and pieces of equipment you will need in making a 30×50 concrete slab, and we call these inclusions. Concrete mixers are great examples of inclusions. Although it is possible to mix concrete manually, a concrete mixer can help you do it quickly. 

The said equipment can also help ensure that you mix concrete properly to attain maximum strength and durability upon curing. You can hire a cement mixer, but buying one for large projects might be cheaper. If you are building a barndominium, you can buy a mixer and add the expense to the overall barndominium cost since you will use the equipment throughout the entire construction project.

Inclusion	Cost
Site preparation	$1-$2 per square foot (2)
Concrete Rebar	$1.40 – $1.85 per 2 feet (3)
Wire Mesh	$0.28 per square foot (4)

With Additional Features

You can add features to a concrete slab, making the slab more suitable for its intended use. For example, if you are making a 1,500-square-foot concrete slab floor, you can stain it to make it look more attractive. Staining concrete gives it color. Staining can also make a concrete floor smoother and more comfortable to walk on. Stained concrete is more expensive than plain concrete but is cheaper than tile or wood flooring. This more affordable option can help you keep the cost of financing a barndominium within manageable levels. 

Features	Cost
Vapor barrier	$0.50-$0.70 per square foot (5)
Stamped concrete	$9 – $20 per square foot, inclusive of materials (6)
Stained concrete	$2 – $4 per square foot, staining only (7)

30×50 Concrete Slab Cost Breakdown

Let us now break down the costs of a concrete slab to help you understand what makes a concrete slab expensive. 

Concrete Bag Cost Estimate

A concrete bag mixture is the chief building material you need, costing between $4.50 and $27 each ⁽⁹⁾. A 1,500-square-foot slab will use many bags of concrete mix, so shop around to get the cheapest ones available. Remember, though, that prices will depend on the type of mixture you buy and the size of each bag. 

Labor Cost Estimate

Labor costs for making a concrete slab range between $2 and $3 per square foot ^(10). Just like the cost of materials, labor costs can depend on your location because rates can be higher in some areas. 

Truck Cost Estimate

A 30×50 concrete slab is a huge project, and it is better to get wet concrete delivered. This costs between $125 and $133 per cubic yard ⁽¹¹⁾. Aside from the cost of the actual concrete, some suppliers have fuel surcharges of between $40 and $50 per truckload, depending on your location ⁽⁸⁾. 

How Do You Calculate the Cost for a 30×50 Concrete Slab?

Let us now compute the costs of a 30×50 concrete slab. This section will present several price cost averages enabling you to compute concrete slab cost in several ways. 

We first need to determine how much concrete you need to make a 30×50 concrete slab. Using this calculator, we know that a 6-inch thick 30×50 concrete slab needs 27.778 cubic yards of concrete. We will add a 10% waste allowance, so the total that you need is 30.56 cubic yards. One cubic yard of wet concrete costs $137 per data from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association ⁽¹⁰⁾, so the total cost is $4,186.72. 

We can also compute costs on a per-square-foot basis. One square foot of 6-inch thick concrete costs $6.20 ⁽¹⁾. There are 1,500 square feet in a 30×50 concrete slab, so the total cost is $10,230, inclusive of the 10% waste allowance. 

Should You DIY or Hire a Contractor for Your 30×50 Concrete Slab Project?

For large projects such as this, we strongly recommend hiring a contractor. Although it is more expensive, hiring a professional can help ensure that your concrete slab is done correctly. Professionals also work faster and ensure that your project stays within schedule.

Conclusion

Knowing how to compute the costs of construction projects, like concrete slabs, is a valuable skill. It can help determine if you have enough funds to complete your project. It can also help you check if the estimates given to you by a supplier or contractor are too high. With this knowledge, you can save money and ensure that you always stay within budget. Like and follow our Facebook page for more informative articles about barndominiums, sample floor plans, and design ideas. 

References

1. How Much Does A Concrete Slab Cost In 2023? Homeadvisor.
2. Cost Of A Concrete Driveway ConcreteNetwork
3. What Are Common Rebar Prices for Concrete Projects? Angi
4. How to Compare the In-Place Cost of Wire Mesh Versus Synthetic Fibers ABC Polymer Industries
5. How Much Does Crawl Space Encapsulation Cost? Angi 
6. Stamped Concrete Cost For Patios, Driveways & More ConcreteNetwork
7. Concrete Floor Cost – What You’ll Pay For Polished Or Stained Concrete ConcreteNetwork
8. How Much Does Concrete Cost? Angi
9. How Much Does a New Concrete Slab Cost? Angi
10. How Much Does It Cost to Have Concrete Delivered in Your Area? Fixr
11. Ready Mixed Concrete Industry Data Survey. NRMCA