Concrete Pad FAQ for Phoenix, AZ
Answers on cost, RV pad thickness and size, permits and parking rules, summer pours, caliche and cracking, each traceable to a named published source.
- Costs with sources named
- Phoenix permit rules
- RV pad specs
- Heat and caliche
How much does a concrete pad cost in Phoenix?
Published 2026 Phoenix figures from HomeBlue put a reinforced concrete slab at $7 to $12 per square foot and an unreinforced pad at $6 to $11 per square foot. By size, HomeBlue lists a 10x10 slab at $1,000 to $1,600 and a 20x20 at $3,800 to $6,500. Breaking out old concrete adds $1.20 to $1.90 per square foot, and a hard caliche layer can add more.
How thick should a concrete RV pad be?
Thicker than a patio. Published practice is about 4 inches with rebar for light travel trailers, 5 to 6 inches for fifth wheels and Class C motorhomes, and at least 6 inches of 4,000 psi concrete on 4 to 6 inches of compacted base for heavy Class A coaches. For comparison, the City of Phoenix specifies 6-inch concrete for residential driveways in the street right of way.
Do I need a permit for a concrete pad in Phoenix?
Usually not for the slab itself. The City of Phoenix 'Work Exempt from Permit' bulletin exempts platforms, sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade that are not over a basement and not part of an accessible route. Driveway work in the street right of way is different: past 10.5 feet in the right of way, the City's driveway policy requires a separate permit. HOA approval is a separate question.
Can I park an RV in my side yard in Phoenix?
Generally yes, if the surface is dust-free. Phoenix requires parking and maneuvering areas in front and side yards to be dustproofed: asphalt, concrete, or for a single-family lot, at least 3 inches of crushed rock or gravel inside a permanent border. The rear yard is exempt from that surface rule. Many HOAs add their own rules on screening and gates, so check yours.
How long before I can park an RV on a new concrete pad?
Longer than you can walk on it. HomeBlue's Phoenix guide says a new slab is usually walkable in about 48 hours, heavier loads should wait about a week, and concrete takes 28 to 30 days to reach full cure. For a loaded motorhome, ask your contractor for a date in writing and lean toward the longer end.
Can concrete be poured in Phoenix in the summer?
Yes, with hot-weather practice. ACI 305.1-14 allows concrete up to 95 degrees F at discharge, and the Arizona Rock Products Association calls curing the most critical step in heat. In practice summer pours start at first light, the base is dampened, and the slab is kept moist or sealed with curing compound so the surface does not dry and crack before it gains strength.
Why do concrete pads crack, and can it be prevented?
Concrete shrinks as it dries, so some cracking is normal. Control joints decide where it happens. ACI 360R-10 guidance spaces joints at 24 to 36 times the slab thickness, so a 4-inch pad gets joints every 8 to 12 feet, cut at least a quarter of the slab's depth. Most other cracking traces back to a soft or poorly compacted base, missing reinforcement, or a pad that cured too fast in the heat.
Is gravel good enough for an RV pad?
Sometimes. Phoenix and Mesa both accept at least 3 inches of crushed rock inside a permanent concrete border as a dust-free parking surface. Gravel costs less, but it ruts under heavy tires, needs topping up and weed control, and is harder to level an RV on. A concrete pad costs more once and then needs very little.
How big should an RV pad be?
Long enough for the rig plus a few feet at each end, and wide enough to open doors and run slide-outs. Common published pad sizes range from 10x40 to 14x65. A 12-foot width suits most trailers and Class C motorhomes, and 14 feet gives a Class A with slide-outs room to walk around. Measure the rig, then add the clearance, before you pick a number.
Do you pour house or garage foundations?
No. This site quotes ground-level pads only: RV, trailer, shed, equipment, spa, patio, walkway, carport and replacement pads. A slab that carries a house, casita, garage or other enclosed building is structural work that needs engineered plans, and outside what this site covers.
What does the caliche in Phoenix mean for a concrete pad?
Caliche is soil cemented together by calcium carbonate, and the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension notes it can run from a few inches to several feet thick. Under a pad it is a firm base, not a problem. It becomes a cost when it sits high and has to be broken out to reach the right grade, which published Phoenix estimates put at roughly $0.50 to $2.00 extra per square foot.
Who actually does the work?
Our featured contractor is Richard, a licensed Arizona block and concrete contractor with more than 15 years in the Valley.
What does it cost to break out an old concrete pad?
HomeBlue's published Phoenix figure for concrete demolition is $1.20 to $1.90 per square foot, added on top of the new slab. Thicker or heavily reinforced old slabs, and spots a machine cannot reach, sit at the top of that range or above it.
How much does concrete itself cost per yard in Phoenix?
HomeBlue puts ready-mix concrete in Phoenix at $126 to $150 per cubic yard depending on strength. A cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches thick or 54 square feet at 6 inches, which is why a 6-inch RV pad uses half again as much concrete as a 4-inch patio of the same size.
Rebar or wire mesh for a pad?
Both work when they end up in the middle of the slab. Rebar on chairs is the usual choice for pads that carry vehicles; published RV pad practice uses #4 rebar on a 12 to 16 inch grid. Wire mesh is common on light pads. Mesh pulled up into the concrete during the pour, or left lying on the dirt, does very little.
Which way should a pad slope?
Away from the house and toward somewhere the water can go, usually the yard or a gravel border. Even a small fall stops water from sitting on the slab or running back against the foundation. On flood-irrigated lots, set the pad high enough that irrigation water stays off it.
Can new concrete be poured over an old pad?
Sometimes, but it is rarely the cheap fix it looks like. An overlay copies the cracks and movement of the slab below it, raises the surface height at doors and joints, and needs enough thickness to survive. If the old pad has sunk or broken up, breaking it out and pouring on a proper base is usually the better job.
Is a broom finish or a smooth finish better outdoors?
A broom finish for almost every outdoor pad. The light texture gives traction when the slab is wet or dusty and hides wear. Smooth troweled finishes are slippery outside and show every mark. Decorative finishes are a separate job and not what this site quotes.
What time of year is best to pour a pad in Phoenix?
October through April is the easiest, when the air is cool enough that new concrete does not lose water too fast. Summer pours work too, started at first light and cured carefully. The monsoon season, which the National Weather Service sets at June 15 to September 30, adds the risk of a storm hitting a fresh slab.
Do I need HOA approval for an RV pad?
Often, yes. Many Valley HOAs regulate RV parking, screening, gates and changes to the side yard more strictly than the city does. Get the HOA's written approval before the pour, and send the contractor's plan with the request if they ask for one.
How long does a concrete pad last?
Decades, when the base, thickness, joints and cure are right. Most pads that fail early do so because the ground underneath moved, the slab was too thin for its load, or it dried out too fast while curing. Those are all set at the time of the pour.
Where the longer answers live
These are the short versions. The guide library has the long ones: costs, RV pad sizes and thickness, gravel versus concrete, permits, heat and caliche. For the work itself, see all concrete pad services.