One cost principle central to both the manufacturing and construction industries is the economics of scale. Although this sounds like a complex term, it's actually very simple. When manufacturing or building something, the larger in size or more numerous in quantity that something is, the less it will cost per unit to make. A 1200 square foot stamped concrete patio and a 200 square foot stamped patio will not cost the same amount per square foot. The smaller patio will cost considerably more per square foot. Let's look at the reason why.
Although we own a few sets of the most popular stamp patterns, we still rent stamps for many of our projects. Let's just say that for a project, we need to rent a set of stamps for $300. If we are stamping a 150 square foot patio it will cost $2 per square foot just for us to rent those stamps. However, if the project is a 600 square foot patio, this $300 rental equates to $0.50 per square foot.
This same concept applies to fuel and machinery. It takes the same amount of fuel to get to 150 square foot job as it does to get to a 600 square foot job. It takes the truck and excavation machinery to do those jobs. This means the cost of fuel and machinery are more per square foot on the smaller job.
Ready mix companies charge small load fees for loads of concrete under 5 cubic yards. This cost varies by company and load size but is normally somewhere in between $75 and $250. The 150 square foot patio requires two yards of concrete, which will incur the $250 small delivery charge. That's an extra $1.66 per square foot for that patio not charged to us on the larger patio.
For this reason, it’s hard to say what an “average” price is for stamped concrete. If you are expecting your patio or sidewalk to cost what a friend’s did, it's important to consider the size of your project in relation to theirs.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: (616) 254-7197
Address: Rockford, MI 49341
BUSINESS HOURS