Water, the Universal Solvent. Water is called the universal solvent because it is capable of dissolving more substances than any other liquid. This is important to every living thing on earth. It means that wherever water goes, either through the air, the ground, or through our bodies, it takes along valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients. It is water's chemical composition and physical attributes that make it such an excellent solvent.
Cost breakdown. 1  Materials: Poured slab concrete typically costs $3-$5 per square foot. Footings 1 can add an additional $1-$2 per square foot. 2  Labor: labor costs from contractors or concrete specialists typically adds another $2-$3 per square foot, for a total of $2000-$3000 for this project.
Cost to Install a Cement Slab. Updated: August 2017. For a basic project in zip code 47474 with 120 square feet, the cost to Install a Cement Slab starts at $7.69 - $9.48 per square foot*. Because job specific configurations and options will result in significantly different costs, homewyse uses industry-standard algorithms and professionally screened cost data to create estimates customized to the specific options of YOUR cement slab installation project.