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Independent Cost Data

Outdoor Living & Hardscapes bid and true cost calculators.

Independent FatBook v3 cost indexVerified permit/source data where availableReviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
2026-07-10 Calculator Baseline

Start with the 2026-07-10 national outdoor living & hardscapes benchmark of $3,722, then choose your metro and service to compare a contractor quote against local range, lowest realistic price, and margin data.

Updated Jul 2026. Sources: BLS OEWS, FRED PPI, Craftsman labor-hour references, city permit data where available, and FatBook v3 cost-index methodology.

$3,722
Average
$3,343 to $4,131
Typical Range
$3,343
Lowest realistic price
18%
Margin
How this number is calculated

TheFatBook models outdoor living & hardscapes from Craftsman labor hours, BLS regional wages, burden, PPI-adjusted materials, permit data where available, and contractor overhead benchmarks. Cost index version: 2026-07-10. Updated Jul 2026.

Sources: BLS, Craftsman, FRED
Reference URLs: BLS OEWS · FRED PPI
Reviewed by: Leonard "Chuck" Thompson
Read methodology →
Estimate Scope

What the outdoor living & hardscapes benchmark includes.

Included in the benchmark
  • Concrete Patio Installation as the headline cost-index scope
  • labor-hour assumptions, regional wage inputs, materials, overhead, and permit data where available
  • low, average, high, lowest realistic price, margin, and savings benchmarks from the FatBook cost index
Not included automatically
  • hidden damage, change orders, emergency service premiums, or unusual site access conditions
  • contractor financing approval, warranties, provider recommendations, or guaranteed final quotes
  • permit rulings for a specific address unless the city permit panel lists verified local data
Scope methodology →
Bid Fairness Checker

Is your outdoor living & hardscapes bid fair?

Cost index by David Olson · reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson · 2026-07-10

Yardage in, true cost out. Concrete and deck math from the same data the checker grades against.

Want a shareable link? Use the standalone Bid Fairness Checker.

$
Type the number off the estimate, or drag the bar. The gauge below shows where it lands.
Or
Upload contractor estimate
Drag and drop or click here. PDF or CSV, we extract the line items.
Or paste it
Analyzed estimates are stored anonymized (names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails stripped) to improve the benchmark. No account, no tracking.
National Average
Within the fair range.
Fair range
Fair range$3,343 to $4,131
Cost to deliver$3,051
Typical market bid$3,722
Your bid$3,722
Implied margin18%
Fair range. Cost to deliver is the break-even, the red line on the gauge, not the price to demand. A fair bid sits in the green band above it, roughly 8 to 45 percent over depending on trade and market, with most landing between 18 and 28. Most contractors earn a margin in that band, and they should: nobody works for free, and if the job were easy you would not need one.
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Outdoor Living & Hardscapes Bid Fairness Checker
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/embed/bid-checker/" title="Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes Bid Fairness Checker" id="fb-embed-outdoor-living-bid-checker" width="100%" height="560" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/bid-checker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes Bid Fairness Checker by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='bid-checker'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-outdoor-living-bid-checker');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Outdoor Living & Hardscapes True Cost Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/embed/true-cost/" title="Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes True Cost Calculator" id="fb-embed-outdoor-living-true-cost" width="100%" height="640" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes True Cost Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='true-cost'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-outdoor-living-true-cost');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Concrete Cost Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/embed/concrete-calculator/" title="Concrete Cost Calculator" id="fb-embed-outdoor-living-concrete-calculator" width="100%" height="760" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/concrete-calculator/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concrete Cost Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='concrete-calculator'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-outdoor-living-concrete-calculator');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Outdoor Living & Hardscapes Financing Calculator
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/embed/financing/" title="Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes Financing Calculator" id="fb-embed-outdoor-living-financing" width="100%" height="560" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes Financing Calculator by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='financing'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-outdoor-living-financing');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Outdoor Living & Hardscapes Estimate Checker
<iframe src="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/embed/upload/" title="Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes Estimate Checker" id="fb-embed-outdoor-living-upload" width="100%" height="600" loading="lazy" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;max-width:600px"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px;color:#555;margin:6px 0 0">Powered by <a href="https://thefatbook.com/outdoor-living/calculators/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Outdoor Living &amp; Hardscapes Estimate Checker by TheFatBook</a></p> <script>window.addEventListener('message',function(e){if(e.data&&e.data.type==='fb-resize'&&e.data.calc==='upload'){var f=document.getElementById('fb-embed-outdoor-living-upload');if(f)f.style.height=e.data.height+'px';}});</script>
Specialty tool
Concrete cost calculator
Installed slab, driveway, and patio pricing for your metro, plus bag and ready-mix math for a DIY pour.
Open concrete cost calculator →
Calculator FAQ

Using the outdoor living & hardscapes calculator.

How does the outdoor living & hardscapes cost calculator work?+
It prices the job from the ground up: Craftsman labor hours times the BLS wage for your metro, plus PPI-adjusted materials, the verified permit fee where we have it, and a per-trade overhead benchmark. That gives a cost to deliver, and the fair range sits above it. Pick your city and service and it sizes the number to your market.
Is it free, and do I have to enter my contact information?+
Free, and no. There are no lead forms and no signup. The calculator runs in your browser on published cost data, so you get the number without handing over your email or phone.
How accurate are the estimates?+
They are modeled from federal wage data, a licensed cost book, current material price indices, and real city permit fees, not survey self-reports or scraped quotes. Treat the result as a fair market benchmark to check a bid against, not a binding quote. Your home's specifics and a contractor's scope still move the final number.
Can I check a contractor's bid with it?+
Yes. Paste the quote into the bid checker and it grades the number against the local range, the lowest realistic price, and the typical contractor margin. A margin between 18 and 28 percent is normal and earned, with a fair ceiling of 24 to 45 depending on the trade, so the checker flags a bid that runs well past that and gives you something concrete to negotiate with before you sign.
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Cost index built by David Olson, Creator of the Cost Index & Permit Dataset · Methodology reviewed by Leonard "Chuck" Thompson, LC Thompson Construction Co., Owner (retired) · 2026-07-10