Concrete slab cost in San Francisco, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (400 sq ft)
- $3,150 – $6,450
- Per sq ft
- $7.70 – $15
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +26%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #3
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a concrete slab in the San Francisco area: $3,150 to $6,450 for 400 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 26% higher than the US figure. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $36.53 an hour in the San Francisco area, 33% above the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 400 sq ft in San Francisco, CA, standard level
$4,150 to $5,450
About $9.90 to $13 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,800 | $2,500 |
| Labor | $2,150 | $2,600 |
| Permits and fees | $180 | $340 |
| Total | $4,150 | $5,450 |
Cost breakdown for 400 sq ft in San Francisco, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $2,150 | $3,050 | 45% |
| Labor | $1,800 | $2,350 | $2,950 | 49% |
| Permits and fees | $60 | $260 | $460 | 5% |
| Total | $3,150 | $4,800 | $6,450 | 100% |
What is behind the San Francisco number
Labor is 49% of the midpoint bill here, against 42% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is cement masons and concrete finishers (50%), construction laborers (30%), operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10%), carpenters (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In San Francisco the blended ratio comes out at 1.48.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. San Francisco is at 108.5 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,000 nationally becomes $2,150 here (midpoint, 400 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 115.6: $60 to $460.
Cost by quality level and size in San Francisco
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to San Francisco. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x10 pad (100 sq ft) to 30x40 foundation (1,200 sq ft).
Basic
$3,150 to $4,450
4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access
Standard
$4,150 to $5,450
4-5 inch slab with rebar or heavier mesh and standard base prep
Premium
$5,150 to $6,450
6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 pad (100 sq ft) | $830 – $1,300 | $1,150 – $1,600 | $1,500 – $1,950 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $1,150 – $1,750 | $1,600 – $2,200 | $2,050 – $2,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $3,150 – $4,450 | $4,150 – $5,450 | $5,150 – $6,450 |
| 24x24 garage floor (576 sq ft) | $4,500 – $6,350 | $5,900 – $7,750 | $7,250 – $9,100 |
| 30x40 foundation (1,200 sq ft) | $9,300 – $13,000 | $12,100 – $15,700 | $14,800 – $18,500 |
Concrete slab: what moves the price in San Francisco
Finish
A broom finish is the baseline. Stamped, stained, or exposed-aggregate finishes are priced as add-ons on top of the slab.
Thickness and mix
A 4-inch slab uses about 1.23 cubic yards of concrete per 100 sq ft; a 6-inch slab uses about 1.85. Stepping up from a 3,000 PSI to a 4,000-4,500 PSI mix adds $10-$40 per cubic yard (Estimators.us).
Base and reinforcement
A compacted gravel base, vapor barrier, and wire mesh or rebar are priced separately by some contractors and bundled by others. Ask which one your quote does.
San Francisco against nearby metros and the rest of California
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 400 sq ft range from $4,100 to $4,800 across San Francisco and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CAthis page | $3,150 – $6,450 | $4,800 | |
| Vallejo, CA40 miles | $2,800 – $5,800 | $4,300 | −11% |
| Napa, CA50 miles | $2,900 – $6,000 | $4,450 | −7% |
| Santa Cruz, CA55 miles | $2,700 – $5,700 | $4,200 | −13% |
| Stockton, CA55 miles | $2,650 – $5,600 | $4,100 | −14% |
| Santa Rosa, CA65 miles | $2,800 – $5,850 | $4,300 | −10% |
| California (statewide) | $2,750 – $5,800 | $4,300 | −11% |
| United States | $2,450 – $5,200 | $3,850 | −20% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, San Francisco ranks #3 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, San Francisco is 12% above the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $2,800 – $5,850 | $4,350 | −10% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $2,650 – $5,550 | $4,100 | −15% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $2,800 – $5,900 | $4,350 | −10% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $3,050 – $6,250 | $4,650 | −3% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $2,750 – $5,750 | $4,250 | −12% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $2,600 – $5,550 | $4,100 | −15% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is San Francisco against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $2,400 – $5,100 | $3,750 | −22% |
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $2,950 – $6,100 | $4,550 | −6% |
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $2,700 – $5,650 | $4,150 | −13% |
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $2,850 – $5,900 | $4,350 | −9% |
The best months for concrete slab in San Francisco
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, San Francisco Dwtn (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for pouring concrete in San Francisco: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low of 40°F or below) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
San Francisco gets about 23 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (4.8 inches in December). The station averages about 3 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 47 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 60 | 48 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 62 | 49 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 63 | 50 | 1.6 | Workable |
| May | 64 | 51 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 67 | 53 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 66 | 54 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 68 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 54 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 64 | 51 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 47 | 4.8 | Workable |
Optional extras in San Francisco
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.28 for San Francisco, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.48) and goods price index (1.08). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $510 – $1,550 |
| Remove old concrete first | $1,050 – $3,100 |
Who does the work: San Francisco trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For San Francisco the blend is 1.48.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $36.53 an hour, 33% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $29.20 and $48.73 an hour. About 2,420 work in the metro. That is 10.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 30%) the local median is $34.91 an hour, which is 54% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $28.03 and $40.50 an hour. BLS counts 11,620 of them working in the area, 48.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 10% of the weighting: a median of $59.97 an hour, 108% above the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $38.08 and $64.34 an hour. About 4,080 work in the metro. That is 17.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $42.89 an hour, 47% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $30.45 and $48.26 an hour. About 14,010 work in the metro. That is 59.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (cement masons and concrete finishers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $360 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $210. That is a swing of roughly 4.5% to 7.4% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has 2,373,920 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 12th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 50% | $29.20 | $36.53 | $48.73 | $27.41 | 1.33 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $28.03 | $34.91 | $40.50 | $22.66 | 1.54 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $38.08 | $59.97 | $64.34 | $28.78 | 2.08 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $30.45 | $42.89 | $48.26 | $29.12 | 1.47 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.48 | |||||
What nearby projects cost in San Francisco
Jobs that often go together with concrete slab are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same San Francisco wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, gravel driveway comes out highest (+45%) and detached garage lowest (+27%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,850 – $12,600 | +36% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,550 – $5,250 | +30% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $36,700 – $73,600 | +27% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $4,050 – $10,200 | +27% |
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,100 – $10,600 | +41% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $3,650 – $14,700 | +45% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $4,150 to $5,450 for San Francisco, CA is attached.
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Multi-page report for San Francisco, CA: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Concrete slab in San Francisco: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete slab in San Francisco?
For 400 sq ft, expect $3,150 to $6,450 in the San Francisco area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,150 to $5,450. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete slab in San Francisco?
About $7.70 to $15 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $60 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $12.
+Is concrete slab cheaper in San Francisco or Vallejo?
Vallejo is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 400 sq ft there is $4,300, which is 11% less than San Francisco ($4,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in San Francisco?
About 49% at the midpoint, or $2,350 out of $4,800. Materials are 45% and permits 5%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in San Francisco?
$3,150 to $6,450. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete slab need a permit in San Francisco?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $60 to $460 for fees in the San Francisco area (our national range of $50 to $400 scaled by the local price level).
+Is San Francisco expensive for concrete slab compared with the rest of California?
San Francisco is 12% above the California statewide estimate ($4,300 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $36.53 an hour in the San Francisco area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.20 to $48.73.
+What do basic and premium concrete slab work cost in San Francisco?
For 400 sq ft, basic work runs $3,150 to $4,450 and premium work $5,150 to $6,450. Basic means: 4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access. Premium means: 6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access.
+Is there a bad season to pour a concrete slab in San Francisco?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
+What does "add rebar reinforcement" add in San Francisco?
$510 to $1,550 for 400 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete slab near San Francisco
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Estimators.us: Concrete Slab Cost in 2026 | $6-$12/Sq Ft Guide (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Patio Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020