RV pads, built to hold the weight

Written by Steve Kuhbacher — 25+ years in heavy industrial construction and maintenance

An RV, camper, or boat trailer parked in one spot for months puts sustained point-loads on a slab that a driveway never sees. An RV pad needs to be built for that from the start, or it settles and cracks under the jack stands within a couple of seasons.

What it costs

A typical 12×40 RV pad (480 sq ft) runs roughly $3,400–$5,800 depending on thickness and whether utility stub-outs are added before the pour.

Getting the pad right the first time

• Thickness and reinforcement for the actual weight. A loaded Class A motorhome or a truck-and-trailer combo is much heavier than a passenger vehicle — tell your contractor what's parking there, not just "an RV."
• Slope for drainage, away from the unit and any structure. Standing water under an RV for months causes problems a driveway never has to deal with.
• Utility stub-outs before the pour, not after. If you plan to add power, water, or a sewer connection later, run conduit and sleeves under the slab now — cutting into a finished pad later is expensive and ugly.
• Length and turning clearance. Measure your actual rig, not a generic size — a pad that's a few feet short forces awkward parking every time.