Concreters price guide

How much does concreting cost?

Most concreters in Australia charge around $70–$140 per m² for plain concrete laid on a prepared base, and $100–$220 per m² for exposed aggregate. A plain single driveway typically costs $2,500–$6,000 and a double $4,000–$9,000. Sydney sits at the top, and excavation, pumping and removing old concrete all add to the bill.

Get my free quote →

Plain concrete per m² $70–$140 Laid on a prepared base with mesh. Sydney and some Brisbane quotes run higher once excavation is included.

Exposed aggregate per m² $100–$220 The most popular decorative finish for driveways. Stencilled and honed finishes cost about the same or more.

What common concreter jobs cost

Job	Typical price	Notes
Plain concrete driveway, single (around 30 m²)	$2,500–$6,000	Base prep and mesh included; removing an old driveway is extra
Plain concrete driveway, double (around 50 m²)	$4,000–$9,000	Sydney quotes often sit higher
Exposed aggregate driveway, double (around 50 m²)	$6,000–$12,000
Shed, carport or patio slab (20 to 40 m²)	$2,000–$6,000	Thickened edges and post footings add cost
Stencilled or stamped concrete (per m²)	$100–$200	Patterned finishes that look like stone, brick or pavers
Concrete pump hire	$450–$800	Needed when the truck can't reach the pour
Ready-mix concrete delivered (per m³)	$375–$480	Standard 25 MPa, before labour and pumping; small loads can cost extra

Indicative prices for typical Australian homes, including GST. A guide, not a quote. Last reviewed 3 October 2026.

What drives the price

A concrete quote is built from the area, the finish, the ground underneath and how easy it is to get concrete to the spot.

Area and thickness. Set-up, formwork and travel cost much the same for a small pour as a big one, so the price per m² drops as the job gets bigger. Thicker slabs use more concrete and more steel.

Finish. A plain broom finish is the cheapest. Coloured, stencilled, exposed aggregate and honed finishes all cost more, and most decorative finishes need sealing.

Site prep. Excavating, levelling, breaking out old concrete and compacting a road base can be a big share of the bill. Sloping blocks need more formwork, and reactive clay soils need a well-prepared base and the right reinforcement.

Access. If the concrete truck can reach the pour, the concrete goes straight in. If it can’t, it’s a pump or wheelbarrows, and both add cost.

Council. The crossover from your boundary to the road usually needs council approval and has to meet council specifications.

Getting a fair quote

A good concreting quote lists the area, thickness, reinforcement, base preparation, finish, sealing, removal of any old concrete, pump hire and the crossover permit, each as its own line. Ask where the control joints will go and how the slab will be cured. Concrete shrinks as it dries, so some fine cracking is normal; good joints decide where it happens.

In NSW, residential concreting worth more than $5,000 in labour and materials needs a licensed contractor, and other states set their own rules. Check the concreter’s licence on our licence checks page before you pay a deposit.

One proper quote from a vetted concreter, read against the ranges here, tells you most of what you need. needatradie matches you with one local concreter whose licence, insurance, ABN and reviews we’ve already checked.

Concreter, landscaper or builder?

Driveways, paths, patios and shed slabs are a concreter’s bread and butter. A house slab, or footings for an extension, is engineered structural work that a builder normally manages. Small concrete retaining walls can fall to a concreter, but taller walls that need council approval are engineering and building work. For paved areas, garden paths and turf around the new slab, a landscaper is often the better fit.

Concreters prices by city

City	What to expect
Sydney	The dearest city for concreting, with council approval for driveway crossovers and pump hire both common on tight or sloping sites.
Melbourne	Usually below Sydney for plain concrete, though reactive clay in many suburbs makes a well-compacted base and proper reinforcement important.
Brisbane	Mid to high, as many quotes include excavation on sloping blocks, and summer storms can push pours back.
Perth	Often among the cheaper capitals for plain concrete, and liquid limestone is a popular local alternative for driveways and paths.
Adelaide	Usually a little under the east coast; exposed aggregate driveways are a common request, and the city's reactive clay soils make good site prep essential.
Gold Coast	Similar to Brisbane, with lots of pool surrounds, driveways and alfresco slabs on newer homes.
Newcastle	Often a touch under Sydney prices for the same driveway or slab, and the NSW licence rule for jobs over $5,000 applies here too.
Canberra	At the higher end; frosty winter mornings shorten the pouring window and slow curing, so spring to autumn is the busy season.

Concreters costs: common questions

How much does a concrete slab cost per m² in Australia?

For a simple slab like a shed base, patio or path, expect around $70 to $140 per m² for plain concrete laid on a prepared base. Thicker slabs, edge beams, extra steel, footings and difficult access push the price up. A house slab is a different job altogether, designed by an engineer and usually built by a builder.

How much does a 30 m² concrete driveway cost?

In plain concrete, a 30 m² driveway typically costs around $2,500 to $6,000 once base prep, mesh and finishing are included. In exposed aggregate, budget roughly $3,500 to $7,500. Breaking out an old driveway, a council crossover, a pump or a sloping site can add to that, so ask for each one as a separate line on the quote.

What do concreters charge per hour?

Most concreters price by the square metre or the whole job rather than the hour, because the work runs to the concrete's timetable, not the clock. Where they do charge hourly for small jobs, it's often somewhere around $60 to $100 per worker, plus materials, and many have a minimum charge. A per-m² quote is easier to compare.

Is concrete or asphalt cheaper for a driveway?

Asphalt is usually cheaper up front, often around $40 to $60 per m², while plain concrete starts around $65 to $90 in the cheaper cities. Concrete lasts longer, needs less upkeep and doesn't soften in summer heat, which is why it's so popular for homes. Asphalt can make sense for long rural driveways where the area is large.

Do I need council approval for a concrete driveway?

The driveway on your own land often doesn't, but the crossover between your boundary and the road usually does, and it has to be built to the council's specifications. Councils charge a fee to approve and sometimes inspect it. Check with your council first, and ask your concreter whether their quote includes the application.

How thick should a concrete driveway be?

Most residential driveways in Australia are poured around 100 mm thick with steel reinforcing mesh, which suits cars and light vehicles. If you'll park a caravan, boat or work truck on it, ask about 125 to 150 mm and heavier reinforcement, which adds cost. Your concreter should also cut control joints so cracks form along them, not across the slab.

Ready when you are

Want a real number? Get one good quote from a concreter.

Free, no obligation, no spam, and no calls until you say so.