National figures for 2026 put a plain concrete driveway at $6 to $10 per square foot installed and a plain patio at $4 to $12. We do not print a Vacaville price sheet. Two lots on the same street can differ by a lot once you count the clay that has to come out, the slope, the old concrete to break up and how far the truck is from the pour.
The dollar figures here are national ranges that HomeGuide published for 2026. They are not quotes from us. Solano County labor rates, the price of ready-mix on the day and what we find on your lot all shift the real number. Last checked October 2026.
How much does a concrete driveway cost?
The national range is $6 to $15 per square foot, which works out to $2,400 to $8,600 for a 2-car driveway. Standard plain concrete falls at $6 to $10 per square foot and basic decorative finishes at $10 to $15.
| Driveway | National installed range |
|---|---|
| 20x20, 400 sq ft | $2,400 to $6,000 |
| 24x24, 576 sq ft | $3,500 to $8,600 |
Hillside driveways in Browns Valley or Alamo take more forming and more labor than a flat drive east of the freeway. The published ranges do not separate the two, so treat them as a starting point only.
How much does concrete cost per square foot?
The answer changes with the type of job. Here are the installed national ranges by job type.
| Type of work | Per square foot, installed |
|---|---|
| Driveway, plain | $6 to $10 |
| Driveway, basic decorative | $10 to $15 |
| Slab 4 inches thick | $6 to $8 |
| Slab 6 inches thick | $8 to $10 |
| Patio, plain | $4 to $12 |
| Patio, stained or stamped | $8 to $30 |
| Sidewalk or walkway | $7 to $17 |
How much does a concrete patio cost?
Plain patios run $4 to $12 per square foot nationally. Stained or stamped patios run $8 to $30 per square foot.
| Patio | Plain | Stained or stamped |
|---|---|---|
| 12x12 | $600 to $1,700 | no published row |
| 20x20 | $1,600 to $4,800 | $3,200 to $12,000 |
People often ask what a fair price for a 20x20 patio is. The published plain range is $1,600 to $4,800. A number inside it can still be a poor deal if it leaves out the base or the steel, and a number above it can be right for a back yard that needs a pump and a lot of clay dug out.
There is no published row for a 12x20 or a 16x20 patio. Multiplying the $4 to $12 figure by the area gives $960 to $2,880 for a plain 12x20 (240 square feet) and $1,280 to $3,840 for a plain 16x20 (320 square feet). That is plain multiplication on our part. It is not a HomeGuide figure and it is not our quote.
How much does it cost to pour a concrete slab?
Nationally a slab costs $6 to $12 per square foot installed: $6 to $8 at 4 inches thick and $8 to $10 at 6 inches.
| Slab | National installed range |
|---|---|
| 10x10 | $600 to $1,200 |
| 12x12 | $860 to $1,700 |
| 20x20 | $2,400 to $4,800 |
| 30x30 | $5,400 to $10,800 |
Garage and shop sizes are not listed. Using the $6 to $12 per square foot figure, a 24x24 garage slab (576 square feet) comes to $3,460 to $6,900 and a 30x40 shop slab (1,200 square feet) to $7,200 to $14,400. Those are arithmetic, not published rows. A slab that carries a building also needs footings, engineering to California's seismic rules and a permit, none of which is in those numbers.
How much is a yard of concrete?
Ready-mix costs $119 to $147 per cubic yard nationally, with delivery up to 20 miles included. That buys the concrete in the truck and nothing else. Digging, rock base, forms, steel, placing and finishing are the larger share of any installed price.
How much does it cost to remove and replace an old driveway?
Add two published ranges together. Driveway removal is $1,200 to $4,500 nationally and a new 2-car driveway is $2,400 to $8,600, so the pair totals $3,600 to $13,100. The total is our addition, not a published figure.
Old concrete broken out and hauled away costs $3 to $8 per square foot nationally, disposal included. Extra-thick slabs, slabs full of steel and back yards with no machine access cost more to clear. We do the tear-out and haul-away ourselves and list it on its own line.
How much does stamped concrete cost next to plain?
Stamped concrete is $8 to $19 per square foot nationally. Compare that with $4 to $12 for a plain patio or $6 to $10 for a plain driveway.
| Stamped work | National range |
|---|---|
| 20x20 patio | $3,200 to $7,600 |
| 2-car driveway | $6,900 to $10,400 |
| 4x20 walkway | $800 to $1,700 |
What about the extra for color or stain on its own? No published figure was found for a color-only upcharge, so we give no number. Integral color mixed through the load, a dry color broadcast on top and an acid or water-based stain are three different products with three different costs. We price the one you pick as a separate line.
How much does a concrete retaining wall cost?
The national average is $3,000 to $10,000, or $45 to $270 per linear foot, or $15 to $45 per square foot of wall face. Height drives the price, because a taller wall needs a bigger footing, more steel and usually an engineer. That applies to many of the hillside lots on the west side of Vacaville.
How much does a concrete walkway cost?
A sidewalk or walkway costs $7 to $17 per square foot installed nationally. For a walk 4 feet wide that is $28 to $68 per linear foot, and the average job is $1,400 to $3,400.
What does a parking pad or sidewalk cost for a small business?
No national figure was published for parking lots or commercial pads, so we do not quote a number here. A small business job is priced after a site visit because the slab thickness depends on the trucks that will use it, the city may require accessible routes and drainage, and the work often has to be phased around opening hours. The walkway and slab figures above are the nearest published guide.
My three quotes for the same patio are far apart. Which one do I trust?
Trust the one that tells you exactly what you get. When quotes are far apart, the contractors have usually priced three different patios. Line them up on these points.
- Square footage and slab thickness
- Depth of excavation and inches of compacted rock base
- Rebar or mesh, with size and spacing
- Concrete strength in PSI
- Removal and disposal of old concrete or soil
- Finish, color and sealer
- Joints, drainage slope and any drain
- Permit fees and who pulls the permit
- Payment schedule and written warranty
On Vacaville clay the base line matters most. A low quote with no excavation or rock in it is the one most likely to crack and tilt. Ask the low bidder to add the missing items and see where the price lands.
The contractor wants extra for a gravel base after demolition. Is that fair?
It can be fair, but only if the contract allowed for it. Nobody can see the ground under an old slab until it is out. If the crew uncovers soft, wet clay or old fill, more rock is a real need. What is not fair is a surprise charge with no written change order. In California a change to a home improvement contract should be in writing and signed before the extra work is done. Ask for the price per ton or per inch of base to be stated in the original quote, so the extra is a known rate.
How do I know if a concrete quote is fair?
A fair quote is specific, complete and close to other complete quotes. Check that it lists the items in the comparison above, names the contractor's licence number, and asks for a down payment within the California limit. Then compare it with the national ranges on this page as a rough sanity check, knowing local conditions move the number. A quote that is one line and a total cannot be judged at all.
To get an actual price for your job, ask for a free on-site estimate. We measure, look at the soil and the access, and put the quote in writing. Call (707) 385-5848 or text a photo of the area.