Concrete slab cost in Dover, DE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (400 sq ft)
- $2,300 – $4,950
- Per sq ft
- $5.65 – $11.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −5%
- US $3,850
- Rank of 300 metros
- #176
- 1 = most expensive
A concrete slab in Dover, DE usually costs $2,300 to $4,950 for 400 sq ft. That works out to about $5.65 to $11.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $210 less. Cement masons and concrete finishers earn a median of $25.27 an hour in the Dover area, 8% below the US median of $27.41.
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Estimated cost for 400 sq ft in Dover, DE, standard level
$3,100 to $4,150
About $7.35 to $9.65 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,600 | $2,250 |
| Labor | $1,350 | $1,600 |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $290 |
| Total | $3,100 | $4,150 |
Cost breakdown for 400 sq ft in Dover, DE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $1,950 | $2,700 | 53% |
| Labor | $1,100 | $1,450 | $1,850 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $220 | $390 | 6% |
| Total | $2,300 | $3,600 | $4,950 | 100% |
Why Dover prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on cement masons and concrete finishers, who do 50% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $25.27 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Dover is 0.92 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 41% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dover is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $2,000 nationally becomes $1,950 here (midpoint, 400 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.5: $50 to $390.
Pick a size, pick a tier: concrete slab pricing in Dover
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dover. 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
$2,300 to $3,350
4-inch broom-finish slab, light mesh, easy truck access
Standard
$3,100 to $4,150
4-5 inch slab with rebar or heavier mesh and standard base prep
Premium
$3,900 to $4,950
6-inch slab, heavy reinforcement, thick base, pump truck or tight access
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 pad (100 sq ft) | $610 – $980 | $890 – $1,250 | $1,150 – $1,500 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $860 – $1,350 | $1,200 – $1,700 | $1,550 – $2,000 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $2,300 – $3,350 | $3,100 – $4,150 | $3,900 – $4,950 |
| 24x24 garage floor (576 sq ft) | $3,300 – $4,750 | $4,400 – $5,850 | $5,500 – $6,950 |
| 30x40 foundation (1,200 sq ft) | $6,850 – $9,700 | $9,000 – $11,900 | $11,100 – $14,000 |
Add-ons priced for Dover
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.94 for Dover, which is the average of the area's wage index (0.92) and goods price index (0.96). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add rebar reinforcement | $380 – $1,150 |
| Remove old concrete first | $750 – $2,250 |
What nearby projects cost in Dover
Jobs that often go together with concrete slab are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dover wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, asphalt driveway comes out highest (−5%) and gravel driveway lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,400 – $8,600 | −7% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,200 – $3,750 | −6% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $27,300 – $54,800 | −6% |
| Stamped concrete | 400 sq ft | $3,100 – $7,500 | −5% |
| Asphalt driveway | 600 sq ft | $2,900 – $7,050 | −5% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,300 – $9,500 | −7% |
Dover weather and the concrete slab calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Dover (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Dover are April through October: 7 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Dover gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 13 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, August and September (4.9 inches in August). Inside the workable window, April and May are the driest, at 3.7 and 3.9 inches. The station averages about 25 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 | 44 | 28 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 47 | 29 | 3.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 55 | 35 | 4.2 | Cold |
| Apr | 66 | 45 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 54 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 64 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 69 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 67 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 61 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 69 | 50 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 58 | 39 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Dec | 49 | 32 | 4.0 | Cold |
Dover against nearby metros and the rest of Delaware
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 $3,600 to $4,300 across Dover and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DEthis page | $2,300 – $4,950 | $3,600 | |
| Vineland, NJ25 miles | $2,800 – $5,800 | $4,300 | +19% |
| Atlantic City, NJ45 miles | $2,600 – $5,450 | $4,050 | +12% |
| Philadelphia, PA55 miles | $2,550 – $5,300 | $3,950 | +8% |
| Baltimore, MD60 miles | $2,450 – $5,200 | $3,800 | +5% |
| Lancaster, PA75 miles | $2,500 – $5,250 | $3,900 | +7% |
| Delaware (statewide) | $2,400 – $5,050 | $3,700 | +3% |
| United States | $2,450 – $5,200 | $3,850 | +6% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dover ranks #176 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dover is 3% below the Delaware figure.
Dover is the only Delaware metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dover against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $2,400 – $5,050 | $3,700 | +3% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $2,200 – $4,750 | $3,500 | −4% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $2,550 – $5,350 | $3,950 | +9% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $2,250 – $4,800 | $3,500 | −3% |
What local crews earn in Dover
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 Dover the blend is 0.92.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 50% of the weighting: a median of $25.27 an hour, 8% below the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $30.38 an hour. About 30 work in the metro. That is 4.4 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 $22.02 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.50 and $24.63 an hour. BLS counts 400 of them working in the area, 58.8 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 $23.49 an hour, 18% below the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $21.38 and $28.71 an hour. About 190 work in the metro. That is 27.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $25.07 an hour, 14% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.87 and $32.20 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 39.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (cement masons and concrete finishers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $95. That is a swing of roughly 2.6% to 4.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dover has 68,080 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 265th 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% | $22.09 | $25.27 | $30.38 | $27.41 | 0.92 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 30% | $18.50 | $22.02 | $24.63 | $22.66 | 0.97 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 10% | $21.38 | $23.49 | $28.71 | $28.78 | 0.82 | metro |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $22.87 | $25.07 | $32.20 | $29.12 | 0.86 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.92 | |||||
Why two Dover quotes can differ
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.
Truck and pump access
If the mixer truck can't back up to the forms, someone has to wheelbarrow it in or hire a pump. Pump or line-pump hire is typically billed per day.
Small-job minimums
Many crews have a minimum charge, so a 10x10 pad can cost more per square foot than a 20x20 slab.
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 $3,100 to $4,150 for Dover, DE is attached.
Detailed concrete slab report for Dover, DE, $9
The report lays out the concrete slab numbers for Dover, DE line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. 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 Dover: your questions
+How much does it cost to pour a concrete slab in Dover?
For 400 sq ft, expect $2,300 to $4,950 in the Dover area. A standard-spec job lands at $3,100 to $4,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for concrete slab in Dover?
About $5.65 to $11.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $390 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $6 to $12.
+Is concrete slab cheaper in Dover or Vineland?
Vineland is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 400 sq ft there is $4,300, which is 19% more than Dover ($3,600). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dover?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $1,450 out of $3,600. Materials are 53% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would 20x20 (400 sq ft) cost in Dover?
$2,300 to $4,950. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does concrete slab need a permit in Dover?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $390 for fees in the Dover area (our national range of $50 to $400 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dover expensive for concrete slab compared with the rest of Delaware?
Dover is 3% below the Delaware statewide estimate ($3,700 at the midpoint).
+What do cement masons and concrete finishers earn in Dover?
The BLS median is $25.27 an hour in the Dover area, compared with $27.41 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.09 to $30.38.
+What do basic and premium concrete slab work cost in Dover?
For 400 sq ft, basic work runs $2,300 to $3,350 and premium work $3,900 to $4,950. 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.
+When is the best time to pour a concrete slab in Dover?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are April through October. April and May are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add rebar reinforcement" add in Dover?
$380 to $1,150 for 400 sq ft, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Concrete slab near Dover
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