Concrete and paver calculator
Concrete and paver calculator for Central Florida jobs
Enter length, width and the surface you want. The calculator gives cubic yards and 80-lb bags for concrete (with a waste allowance you can change), base tonnage, paver count and polymeric sand for pavers, and a planning range from the Q3 2026 Kissimmee Concrete Cost Index (2026-09-10). It does not know your subgrade, access or HOA; the site visit does. Print the result to compare quotes line by line.
Assumptions: 1 cubic yard = 27 cu ft; one 80-lb bag ≈ 0.6 cu ft; limerock base ≈ 1.5 tons per cubic yard compacted; bedding sand 1 in; polymeric sand coverage ≈ 60–80 sq ft per 50-lb bag for standard joints. Ranges are installed planning figures, not quotes; small jobs sit at the top of a range because of truck minimums.
How to use the numbers
Compare quotes on the same basis: thickness, PSI, reinforcement, base depth, joint layout, drainage and what is excluded. A quote that is far below the range is usually missing base or steel; one far above may include real site work (fill, drains, access). The Project Brief Generator writes those specs into a one-page brief. Cost guides: concrete, pavers.
What the calculator assumes
| Input | Assumption | When to override it |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete volume | Area times thickness, plus 10 percent for subgrade variation | A very uneven subgrade needs more |
| Bags versus ready-mix | An 80 lb bag yields about 0.6 cubic feet | Below about half a yard, bags are usually more practical |
| Base depth | 4 in under concrete, 6 in under a paver driveway | Ridge sand and poor subgrade both change it |
| Paver count | Area divided by unit area, plus the waste factor you choose | Herringbone and curves need 8 to 18 percent |
| Bedding sand | 1 in screeded | Not a levelling layer; it does not fix a bad base |
| Polymeric sand | Coverage from the manufacturer's chart by joint width and paver thickness | Wide joints consume far more |
| Cost range | The current Cost Index rate for that item | Your site conditions are not in the index |
The number people get wrong most often
Waste. A rectangular patio in a running bond wastes about five percent. The same area in a forty-five degree herringbone with a border wastes eight to twelve, because every perimeter unit is a diagonal cut. A curved driveway with a circle feature can reach eighteen. Ordering to the calculated area and no more is the most common way a job stops on day two waiting for material, and on a discontinued or special-order line that can mean weeks rather than days.
The second is depth. Base depth is a compacted depth, not a loose one, and loose limerock compacts by roughly a fifth. Ordering four inches of loose material and compacting it produces a base of about three and a quarter inches, which is not what the specification said.
Questions we get about this
How much concrete do I need for a 20x24 driveway at 4 inches?
About 5.9 cubic yards, or 6.4 with an 8 percent waste allowance; ready-mix, not bags.
How many pavers for 400 square feet?
About 432 12-by-12 units with 8 percent waste, or 1,944 4-by-8 bricks; more for curves and borders.
Why is the low end sometimes higher than area × low rate?
Small jobs under 200 square feet carry truck minimums and a full crew day, so the calculator applies a floor.
Does this include removing my old driveway?
Only if you select it; removal adds $2 to $4 per square foot.
Get a written estimate for your project
Tell us the size, the surface you have now and where the lot is. We visit, measure, check access and drainage, and send a written proposal. No pressure calls.
What changed in this update: 2026-09-11 — first published