Concrete Calculator › Cost by city › Knoxville, TN
Concrete Cost in Knoxville, TN
Concrete for a 20×20 ft (400 sq ft) 4-inch concrete slab in Knoxville, TN costs about $696 ($592–$801). Local 2026 price is around $141 per cuyd. Free calculator inside.
What goes into concrete cost in Knoxville
The line items below are 2026 national averages adjusted by the TN construction-cost factor (×0.94). A written Knoxville quote is usually built from these pieces — use them to sanity-check any bid line by line before you sign.
| Cost item | Typical Knoxville price | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix concrete, 3,000–4,000 PSI | $141 – $174 | per cu yd delivered |
| Labor: forming, pouring & finishing | $3.76 – $7.52 | per sq ft |
| Gravel base & subgrade prep | $0.94 – $1.88 | per sq ft |
| Wire mesh / rebar reinforcement | $0.33 – $0.94 | per sq ft |
| Short-load fee (orders under ~4 cu yd) | $70 – $141 | per delivery |
| Residential flatwork permit | $47 – $282 | per project |
Permit fees are set by the city rather than the market — confirm current fees with the local building department.
What’s different about building in Knoxville
Knoxville has no meaningful frost line — code still requires footings to bear about 12 inches into undisturbed soil, but frost heave is not the design problem it is up north. Check specifics with City of Knoxville Plans Review & Inspections.
East Tennessee karst means subgrade surprises: if excavation exposes voids or soft wet spots, fix them before the pour, not after.
Permits: for larger flatwork, driveways, or anything structural, check requirements with City of Knoxville Plans Review & Inspections before work starts.
Estimate your own Knoxville project
Prices in Knoxville, TN run about -6% versus the national average. Enter your dimensions — the calculator starts from the local $141 per cuyd rate; change it to your supplier's quote for an exact figure.
Material shopping list
- Order about 4.94 cubic yards of concrete.
- Budget about $696 before delivery, taxes, and labor.
- Add 5–10% waste for uneven subgrade, cuts, settling, or spillage.
Formula & assumptions
Area = length x width. Volume = area x depth / 12. Cubic yards = cubic feet / 27. Cost = quantity x local unit price.
- Default depth: 4 inches
- Default price: $141 per cuyd
- 80-lb bags yield: 0.6 cu ft each
These assumptions make the estimate easy for search engines and AI answer tools to verify. Replace the default price with your supplier quote for a local estimate.
Concrete cost in Knoxville by project size
Material quantities use the local Knoxville unit price; the last column adds delivery, base prep, and labor at TN-adjusted rates. Click any size for its full breakdown and calculator.
| Project size | You need | Material cost | Installed estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10×10 ft · 4 in | 1.23 cu yd | $174 | $564 – $940 |
| 12×12 ft · 4 in | 1.78 cu yd | $251 | $812 – $1,354 |
| 12×16 ft · 4 in | 2.37 cu yd | $334 | $1,083 – $1,805 |
| 16×20 ft · 4 in | 3.95 cu yd | $557 | $1,805 – $3,008 |
| 20×20 ft · 4 in | 4.94 cu yd | $696 | $2,256 – $3,760 |
| 24×24 ft · 4 in | 7.11 cu yd | $1,003 | $3,249 – $5,414 |
| 30×40 ft · 4 in | 14.81 cu yd | $2,089 | $6,768 – $11,280 |
| 40×50 ft · 4 in | 24.69 cu yd | $3,481 | $11,280 – $18,800 |
Installed ranges assume straightforward access and a buildable subgrade; steep, tight, or poor-soil sites price above the top of the range.
Concrete questions Knoxville homeowners ask
- How much does a concrete slab cost in Knoxville?
- Materials alone for a 20×20 ft (400 sq ft) 4-inch concrete slab run about $696 in Knoxville. Fully installed — gravel base, forms, reinforcement, labor, and finishing — most homeowners pay $2,256 to $3,760 for the same slab, roughly $5.64–$9.4 per square foot.
- What does ready-mix concrete cost per yard in Knoxville?
- Plan on $141–$174 per cubic yard delivered for a standard 3,000–4,000 PSI mix in the Knoxville area. Orders under about 4 cubic yards usually add a short-load fee of $70–$141, so small pours cost noticeably more per yard.
- Do I need a permit to pour a concrete slab in Knoxville?
- Driveways, sidewalks, and anything structural almost always require one; small detached patio pads sometimes fall under the permit threshold. Confirm with City of Knoxville Plans Review & Inspections before you pour — a permit costs far less than being ordered to remove finished work.
- Is it cheaper to pour concrete myself in Knoxville?
- Labor and finishing account for $3.76–$7.52 per square foot of the installed price, so DIY can roughly halve the cost of a simple pad. But concrete is unforgiving: once the truck arrives you have under two hours to place, screed, and finish. Most first-timers cap DIY at about 100–150 square feet.
- How thick should my slab be?
- Four inches is standard for patios and walkways; use 5–6 inches for driveways or anything carrying vehicles. Going from 4 to 6 inches adds 50% more concrete, so match the thickness to the real use.
- How can I save money on concrete in Knoxville?
- Combine small pours into one delivery to clear the short-load threshold, handle your own excavation and gravel base, and collect at least three written Knoxville quotes — 30% spreads between local bids are normal.
Concrete cost in nearby cities
Regional estimate = national average adjusted by a TN cost factor. Not a quote. Actual prices vary by site conditions, access, and supplier.