What a concrete work order is for
A pour day has no room for confusion: the truck is booked, the concrete starts setting, the finish must be right the first time. A work order with the thickness, slope, joint layout, finish and truck access, plus utilities and sprinkler lines, gets everyone on the same plan before the first load arrives.
What to put on a concrete work order
- Area, thickness and slope direction.
- Base and reinforcement.
- Joint layout.
- Finish type.
- Truck access and pour time.
- Utilities and private lines.
A worked example
Pour day for the driveway. Prices are hidden.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set forms, slope to street | 480 | sq ft | Your price |
| Compact base, check depth | 6 | cu yd | Your price |
| Lay mesh on chairs | 480 | sq ft | Your price |
| Pour and broom finish | 480 | sq ft | Your price |
| Saw control joints next morning | 90 | ft | Your price |
Put truck access and the sprinkler head by the walk in site notes. Note the pour time so the crew is ready when the truck arrives.
Line items concrete contractors use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete flatwork, placed and finished | sq ft | Thickness, finish (broom, smooth, stamped) and mix strength. |
| Remove and haul old concrete | sq ft | Breakout, loading and disposal. |
| Excavation and grading | sq ft | To the depth for base and slab. |
| Gravel base, compacted | cu yd | Depth of base. |
| Reinforcement, mesh or rebar | sq ft | Say which and the spacing for rebar. |
| Control joints, sawed or tooled | ft | Where cracks are encouraged to form. |
| Expansion joint at house or slab | ft | Where new meets existing. |
| Stamped or colored finish | sq ft | Pattern and color; sealer included or not. |
| Concrete sealer | sq ft | Applied after curing. |
| Steps, formed and poured | each | Per step; width and rise. |
| Footings | ft | Width and depth per plan or code. |
| Pump truck | each | When the truck cannot reach the pour. |
| Permit and inspection | each | Driveways and approaches often need one; check locally. |
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer, the site and the date.
- Add who is assigned, the arrival window and access.
- List the tasks and materials in the order the crew will need them.
- Put gate codes, pets and anything to protect in the site notes.
- Print it for the truck or send it to the crew's phone as a PDF.
Free tools for concrete
- Driveway cost calculator
- Epoxy flooring cost calculator
- Demolition cost calculator
- Satellite measuring tool
The same work order for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.