← All construction calculators

Slab takeoff calculator

The whole slab package from dimensions: concrete (with waste), aggregate base (with compaction), and rebar grid footage — geometry-consistent, one pass.

Loading calculators…

How it’s computed

Concrete cy = area × (thickness ÷ 12) ÷ 27 × (1 + waste). Base cy = area × (base depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27 × 1.12 compaction allowance. Rebar: bars each way at the grid spacing — (ceil(width ÷ grid) + 1) bars running the length plus (ceil(length ÷ grid) + 1) running the width. Defaults: 4" base, 18" grid, 10% waste. Example: a 12×51 slab at 6" → ~12.5 cy concrete, ~8.5 cy base, ~900 lf rebar.

Decimal-exact and deterministic: identical inputs always return identical results. This is the same math Ask Donnie’s estimating engine runs — not an approximation, and never a language model doing arithmetic.

Common questions

Why 12% on the base?

Compacted aggregate places denser than delivered — the calculator carries a 1.12 factor on base volume so the order covers the compacted depth.

Does the rebar number include laps and chairs?

No — it's the grid run length. Splice laps, chairs/supports, and dowels into footings are added per your structural details.

Related calculators

Need the whole estimate, not just this number?

Ask Donnie turns a description or a plan into a full itemized estimate — deterministic math, real cited pricing, an AACE accuracy class. Free to start, watermarked deliverables included.

Try Ask Donnie →See real unit costs