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Concrete & Flatwork: what bids leave out
Concrete bids are usually priced per square foot or per yard, which makes them look easy to compare. They aren't. One bidder carries base stone, vapor barrier, rebar and joint sealing. Another prices placing and finishing only, and excludes the pump, testing, winter protection and every embed. The difference is in the exclusions list, not the unit price.
Level your concrete bids with this checklist →
Standard scope checklist
Send this to every bidder and ask them to mark each line Included, Excluded or give an Add $. Silence is not inclusion.
| # | Scope item |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mobilization / demobilization (number of mobilizations assumed) |
| 2 | Layout of slabs, footings and flatwork |
| 3 | Footing & foundation excavation, and who hauls the spoils |
| 4 | Subgrade fine grading & compaction under slabs |
| 5 | Granular base / aggregate under slabs and walks (thickness) |
| 6 | Under-slab vapor retarder (thickness / spec) |
| 7 | Under-slab or perimeter insulation |
| 8 | Reinforcing: rebar, wire mesh or fibers per spec |
| 9 | Formwork, form ties and chamfers |
| 10 | Concrete mix per spec (strength, air, admixtures) |
| 11 | Pump truck or conveyor for placement |
| 12 | Finish type per area (trowel, broom, exposed, polished) |
| 13 | Floor flatness / levelness tolerances (FF/FL) if specified |
| 14 | Control and construction joints, and joint filler or sealant |
| 15 | Curing method and curing compound / sealer |
| 16 | Embeds, anchor bolts, sleeves and blockouts (furnished vs. installed) |
| 17 | Equipment pads and housekeeping pads |
| 18 | Curbs, gutters, sidewalks, ramps and detectable warning panels |
| 19 | Dumpster pads, bollard footings and site light bases |
| 20 | Cold-weather protection: blankets, heat, accelerators |
| 21 | Hot-weather placement measures |
| 22 | Concrete testing and special inspection (cylinders, slump, air) |
| 23 | Saw cutting, removal and patching of existing concrete |
| 24 | Washout area and cleanup |
| 25 | Sales tax, bond and prevailing wage |
Common exclusions and how they are worded
| Exclusion | Typical wording | Why it matters | Typical cost to cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granular base under slabs |
| Stone under slabs and walks can sit with the grader or the concrete sub. If both exclude it, it's a gap, and a slab poured on a bad base is a long-term problem. | TBD |
| Vapor retarder & insulation |
| Interior slabs that will get flooring normally need a vapor retarder per spec. Leaving it out makes the bid cheaper and risks flooring failures later. | TBD |
| Reinforcing |
| Some bidders install rebar but don't supply it. Others substitute fibers for mesh without saying so up front. Confirm the reinforcing matches the drawings. | TBD |
| Pumping |
| If the truck can't reach the pour, a pump is needed. On interior slabs and tight sites that's almost always the case. | TBD |
| Testing & special inspection |
| Cylinder testing and special inspection are usually owner-hired, but you still need to budget for them and decide who pays for retests on failed breaks. | TBD |
| Cold-weather protection |
| Concrete placed in cold weather needs protection to cure properly. A bid that excludes it assumes a warm-weather schedule. | TBD |
| Embeds, anchor bolts & sleeves |
| Steel embeds, anchor bolts and plumbing sleeves have to be in place before the pour. Decide who supplies them, who sets them and who checks the layout. | TBD |
| Equipment pads & small site concrete |
| Small pours spread across the drawings (mechanical pads, light bases, bollards) are easy to miss and often fall between concrete, electrical and site trades. | TBD |
| Joint sealing & curing compound |
| Sawn joints and curing are spec items. If excluded, they come back as a punch-list item or a separate sub. | TBD |
| Excavation & spoils |
| Footing excavation and spoil haul-off can sit with the excavator or the concrete sub. Read both bids side by side. | TBD |
“Typical cost to cover” is TBD. We will publish ranges only once we have real, sourced data. Until then, use your own estimate or a confirmed add price from a bidder.
Questions to ask bidders
- What base stone thickness, vapor retarder and insulation did you include under slabs?
- Are you supplying and installing all reinforcing per the drawings, or substituting anything?
- Is a pump included? For which pours?
- How many mobilizations did you assume?
- What finish and flatness tolerance did you price for each slab area?
- Who furnishes and sets embeds, anchor bolts and sleeves?
- Is cold-weather protection included? What does it cover?
- Which equipment pads, bollards, light bases and site walks are included?
- Are joint sealing and curing compound included?
Bid-ready concrete contractors
Contractors who agree to price against the standard checklist above, with exclusions spelled out line by line. Listings are not live yet.
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Bids on the BidGaps checklist
Featured listing
Your company · City, ST
Bids on the BidGaps checklist