How Much Does A 12×12 Concrete Patio Cost?

Patios in a backyard are fun-making oasis that allows their user to enjoy their leisure time under the sunshine or on a stargazing night. They are a simply developed facility where you can set a patio chair to sit, a table to dine or put a barbecue machine anytime to enjoy a delicious steak. Such patio facility is simple to make and can be customized as per your home, and backyard terrain texture. So, why not have a patio in your backyard, that too is made of concrete?

If you are thinking of setting up a similar concrete patio or replacing the old one with the latest one, you may have been curious if the costs may overrun your budget. For your instant relief, we have come up with a rough estimation of $1500 to $4000 for setting up a 12×12 concrete patio setup. There is a large range because there are many factors that you need to consider for the cost of a 12×12 concrete patio setup. So let’s see all of that below!

Key Takeaways

• The cost of a 12×12 concrete patio can vary depending on the design, material, and labor costs.
• To set a 12×12 concrete patio, you will need more or less 2.67 cubic yards of concrete.
• You can DYI complete all the processes by yourself other than pouring ready-mix concrete.
• Rebars are reinforced metal bars that work as the skeleton of any concrete-made structure.

Concrete Patios And Their Cost Variables

Depending on the user’s preference, patios can be made and decorated in various ways. Each of the variations has a different purpose to use, and material to build.

From them, concrete-made patio structures are unique for their longevity and are easy to make. They can either be made using a chunk of concrete slab put together or poured readymade concrete in a designated area for better shape and customization. Like every other type of patio, the cost of setting up a concrete patio varies in different variables. Other than throwing you some non-calculated cost figures, we have taken some cost variables into consideration and have calculated the cost onwards. The factors are:

1. Size Of The Patio: The size of the concrete is the base price determiner. Bigger areas will require more amount of material to build. At the same time, the bigger the patio, the average material price will be reduced properly. For us, the area is fixed to 12×12 or 144 square feet.
2. Design Shape: After the size, the second most important variable factor is the design shape of the patio. A plain concrete patio will likely cost less than a multi-layered and structure-modified one.
3. Thickness: The thickness of the concrete patio is also a key factor. It is directly connected with the use of concrete. The higher the height, the more concrete needs to be used.
4. Material Quality: All the materials of the concrete patio aren’t made equally. There are types and subtypes based on quality and build perfection. Choosing the right materials and sourcing them can make the cost go higher or lower.
5. Customization: A concrete patio can cost you additionally based on the color and finishing design you want to put. The complex design pattern and use of various colors can hugely affect the overall cost of the patio.
6. Labor: Apart from the design and materials, the amount of additional labor other than you can impact the cost of the concrete patio. Based on the state you live in, labor availability and what different array of work has to be done impacts the overall labor cost.

Material-Based Costs for A 12×12 Concrete Patio

Now let’s go technical on the material costs of a 12×12 concrete patio. If you are making your concrete patio by yourself, or you have contracted a service provider to do the task, these rough prices will put you above them in terms of price negotiation.  Note that, these calculations are rough estimations based on average pricing and may slightly vary on your state. The materials:

Gravel

Gravel or similar base sand material is needed to set the base for the concrete patio. A square foot of these gravel sands will cost you approximately $0.6-$0.8. Depending on the thickness of using them, for a 12×12 or 144 square foot paver patio, the amount will be between $90- $120 in the least price.

Landscape fabric

Landscape fabrics are very helpful in fighting weeds and other harmful organisms to try to penetrate the patio underneath. These are suitable for all types of patios. Such beneficial fabrics come with a price of $0.3-$0.5, a square foot. To cover your 12×12 foot paver patio, the total amount will be $45-$75.

Ready mix concrete

As the patio name suggests, concrete is the costliest material for a concrete patio. In addition to the length and width of the patio, the height of the concrete pouring should be determined earlier. For instance, we take the thickness as 6 inches. So the overall concrete consumption will be more or less 2.67 cubic yards.

The overall price of 1 cubic yard of concrete in the USA is more or less 125 to 185 dollars. That means the approximate cost of concrete alone will be around $350 to $500, excluding the transportation and labor costs.

Guide strings

A guide string helps the architecture mark the designated area to maintain the length and width properly. These are construction-grade nylon and polyester-made strings made specifically for maintaining the straightness of the structure. These are relatively low-cost materials. You can use makeshift strings for this use.

Barrier form

Barrier foams are essential to hold the concrete within the designated patio area. They form the wall around and within the patio area. These are made from plastics and are cheap in price. Along with guide string, barrier foams will be the contractor’s headache to provide. If you are looking to do it yourself, then you can have DIY alternatives or just buy sufficient 2×8 timbers from your hardware store.

2×4 Lumber

These are special-purpose timbers for backing up the overall barrier structure of pre-concrete pouring. Attach the barrier foams with the 2×4 lumbers to form the structure strongly. Some additional accessories such as screws; metal strings will also be needed to keep the structure steady. These 2×4 lumbers will cost $8 per 2x4x12ft timber. You may need approx. 10 of them. So the total amount will be more or less $80-$100.

Rebar

Rebar or Reinforced metal bars are kind of a must to keep your patio setup in one piece. Just like their use in roofs and columns, these rebar works like the skeleton of concrete patio structures. Although the quantity is likely a lot less than the mentioned ones. From our calculation, you can use 3 pairs or 6 pieces of such rebar in each direction. Meaning 6 in East-West and another 6 in North-South. ¾ of an inch, diameter rebar costs more or less 1.1 dollars in the least price. You will need approximately 150 feet of such rebar, which will cost you roughly $165-$180.

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Finishing-Based Cost Variation

Apart from the basic materials cost to build a 12×12 concrete patio, the overall cost can immensely vary based on the finishing style. Different finishing design types can put an impression on the overall patio impression. Some of the finishing types and the individual costs are:

1. Broom-Finished Concrete Slab Patio: This is a standard plain finishing type made using a broom or trowel. This helps the patio to be less slippery. Broom finishing a 12×12 concrete patio can cost on average $3 to $6 per square foot, including the labor and finishing cement layer cost.
2. Stained Concrete Patio: Stained finishing on a concrete patio can cost $5 to $20 a square foot, depending on the number of stain colors used. Prices are the cheapest for 1 stain color, and the most expensive jobs include 2+ colors with stencils and custom designs.
3. Stamped Concrete Patio: Stamped concrete patio finishing costs include materials and labor for formwork and stamping with a common design and color. Depending on the design and color variation, it can cost between $6 to $15 per square foot for a 12×12 concrete patio.
4. Polished Concrete Patio: Polish finishing a concrete patio includes pouring the patio, staining, grinding, polishing, and applying a protective sealant. You can get a high-gloss surfaced finish for your concrete patio for $7 to $20 per square foot.
5. Exposed Aggregate Concrete: This type of finishing consists of added colored stones for a unique look on the patio surface. This surface provides better anti-slippery protection for the patio. The cost for such finishing is usually between $7 to $15 per square foot on average.

Other Additional Costs for 12×12 Concrete Patio Cost

Materials aren’t the only cost for setting up any patios. Some other factors can also put a stack on the cost list too. These cost criteria depend on a need-to basis only. By that I meant, you may or may not need to spend on these. Such additional costs include:

• Labor Cost: Instead of doing all the dirty work, if you think you need additional expert hands to do the work for yourself then add the labor costs into account. Depending on your state, it can cost you $50-$80/ an hour, to hire a skilled professional.
• Permit Fee: You may need a permit to set up a patio structure in your backyard from your local administrative authority. Some states may even have infrastructure tax which includes a patio setup. Patios are considered fancy infrastructure and can add up to 20% to your holding tax.
• Preparing The Place: In most cases, patio setting places need to be prepared firsthand. This includes cleaning plants, removing old patios, leveling the area, and so on. This can cost additional money depending on the intensity of the work.

How to Minimize the Cost of Concrete Patio Setup?

It doesn’t matter how hefty and costly a concrete patio setup may seem. You have always the scope for minimizing the cost by doing some of the relatively easy tasks by yourself. For example:

1. You can prepare the respective area by yourself as much as you can.
2. You can dig the soil’s top layer using homegrown tools like shovels.
3. Laying gravel and stones for setting the base and leveling them using a garden rake.
4. Use a hand tamper or drive your car over the sand and stones to set steadily.
5. Measure and set area strings to save civil engineering costs.
6. Do the barrier setup and some of the mason’s tasks by yourself.

If you can do these things by yourself, all you need is readymade concrete to pour. These will minimize your costs by a great margin. But remember that, only try doing these by yourself if you are confident enough. Otherwise, the efforts of minimizing cost can end up with a massacred piece of concrete patio.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

A patio in your backyard opens up an immense amount of opportunities. It makes your idle backyard into a fun time outdoor spot. It also leaves a serene vibe over your backyard as it defines the beautified curves of the backyard terrain. Setting up such a concrete patio can assure both durability and an easy setting process. The cost of setting up a concrete patio is relatively cheaper than most other form of patios. Because it doesn’t take many additional materials to use other than concrete. That’s why you can set up a decent concrete patio setup for $1500 to $4000. But consider the current situation of the area, the design type, the finishing process you want, and most importantly how much effort you are ready to put in by yourself.

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