Short answer at our example rates: a 12x12 concrete patio with a standard broom finish works out to $1,296, and stamped comes to $2,304. Those are example rates for sanity-checking, not market prices. The real number is whatever a contractor’s own rates say it is.
Example math for 144 square feet
| Finish | Example rate | 12x12 (144 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard broom | $9 / sq ft | $1,296 |
| Stamped | $16 / sq ft | $2,304 |
A 12x12 gives you a genuinely useful room: a four-seat dining set fits with walking space around the chairs. It is one of the most common patio sizes for a reason. At the typical 4 inch patio thickness it takes just under two yards of concrete, an easy one-day pour for a small crew, which is part of why this size quotes cleanly.
What else lands on the quote
The table assumes bare, level, ready-to-form ground, and real yards rarely cooperate. Tearing out an old slab or paver patio first adds $4 per square foot in our example add-ons, which is $576 on this size. Site prep and grading adds an example $2 per square foot, $288. Sealing, worth considering on any decorative finish, is another example $2, $288.
Then there is access. A 12x12 usually sits close to the house, and the question is whether the ready-mix truck can reach it. A narrow side gate means wheelbarrows or a pump, and either one shows up in the labor.
Same size, different job
A 12x12 utility slab for a shed gets priced differently than a patio, even at identical square footage, because the finish expectations differ. That version lives on the 12x12 concrete slab page. And if you are still weighing materials, pavers vs concrete patio covers that trade-off.
For any other footprint, the concrete patio cost calculator takes custom dimensions and every finish option.
If you quote patios yourself, PriceDesk runs this calculator with your own rates instead of the examples, free for 14 days, no card.