How much does concreting cost per m² in Australia?

Concreting is quoted per square metre, which makes it sound simple, until you realise the finish you choose can almost triple the rate, and that what's under the slab (excavation, base, reinforcement) often costs as much as the concrete on top. This guide gives you honest 2026 per-m² rates by finish, then shows what actually moves the number on a driveway, slab or path.

All figures are estimates for Australian residential work, GST inclusive.

Concreting cost per m² by finish

The finish is the single biggest lever on price. Here are realistic 2026 installed rates.

| Finish | Installed cost (per m²) | Best for | | --- | --- | --- | | Plain (broom / trowel finish) | $65-$100 | Driveways, paths, shed slabs on a budget | | Coloured (oxide through-mix) | $100-$140 | A finished look without the premium price | | Exposed aggregate | $100-$180 | Driveways and patios that need to look good | | Stamped / patterned | $100-$170 | Decorative paths, pool surrounds, courtyards | | Polished concrete | $150-$250+ | Interior floors, alfresco living areas |

These bands line up with current Australian guides putting plain concrete broadly in the $65-$100/m² range and decorative finishes from $100-$180/m² (Trusted Tradie Network, Civil Craft, Sturdy Concreter).

Driveway vs slab vs path

The job type changes the spec, not just the area:

• Driveways take vehicle loads, so they're poured ~100mm thick with reinforcing mesh, and often need a stronger base. They're also the job most people want to look good, which is why exposed aggregate and coloured finishes are so common here.
• House and shed slabs are engineered to the soil class (an "M" or "H" reactive site needs more steel and a thicker edge beam than a stable "A" site). The structural requirement, not the finish, drives the cost.
• Paths and patios are usually thinner (75-100mm) and lower load, so they're the cheapest per m², until you add a decorative finish.

What actually drives the price

Four things move a concreting quote up or down beyond the headline rate:

• Thickness and reinforcement. A thicker pour uses more concrete (sold by the cubic metre), and heavier steel mesh or a beam-and-pier raft for reactive soil adds real cost. Under-speccing to save money is how driveways crack.
• Site prep and excavation. Clearing, digging out, levelling, compacting and laying a road base all happen before the pour. Rock, reactive clay, tree roots or a slope can make this the biggest line on the invoice.
• Pump hire. If the truck chute can't reach, a concrete pump is hired for the day, commonly several hundred to over a thousand dollars. Backyard and sloping-block pours usually need one.
• Finish. As the table shows, the decorative step (exposing aggregate, stamping, colouring, sealing) is where a plain slab doubles in price.

A worked example

Say you want a 40 m² exposed aggregate driveway (single, ~16 m long), 100mm thick with mesh, on a flat suburban block with truck access.

| Line item | Estimate | | --- | --- | | Excavation, base prep and compaction | $1,800 | | Concrete supply (~4.4 m³) + reinforcing mesh | $2,400 | | Exposed aggregate finish + sealer | $1,400 | | Labour (form-up, pour, finish) | $2,400 | | Total (inc GST) | ≈ $8,000 |

That works out to about $200/m² all-in, higher than the per-m² "supply rate" because excavation, base and the decorative finish are included. Swap the exposed aggregate for a plain broom finish and you'd save roughly $1,500-$2,000; add a pump for a backyard pour and you'd add several hundred to over a thousand.

How prices vary across Australia

Concrete supply itself is fairly consistent nationally. It's a commodity sold per cubic metre, so most of the regional swing is in labour and site conditions. Sydney and Melbourne sit at the top for labour, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide a little lower, and regional areas vary with cartage distance: if a batching plant is an hour away, the concrete and the truck time both cost more.

Ground conditions do more to the price than postcode. A flat, stable block with truck access is cheap to pour anywhere; a sloping site on reactive clay that needs a pump and extra excavation will cost more in any city. That's why two driveways of the same area and finish can differ by thousands.

How to keep concreting costs sensible

• Right-size the spec. Don't pay for a 125mm engineered slab on a path that takes foot traffic, but don't skimp on a driveway that takes a car.
• Choose the finish for the job. Plain concrete with a quality sealer can look sharp for a fraction of stamped or exposed aggregate.
• Sort access early. If a pump is unavoidable, knowing that upfront prevents a quote blow-out on the day.

Questions worth asking before you commit

• Is excavation and site prep included, or extra? This is where cheap quotes often hide the real cost.
• What thickness and reinforcement is quoted, and is it right for my soil? Ask for the soil class for a structural slab.
• Is concrete pump hire included if my site needs it? Confirm before pour day.
• What's the finish and is sealing included? Exposed aggregate and stamped finishes need a sealer to last.
• Is there a control-joint and curing plan? Proper joints and curing are what stop a slab cracking.

The cheapest quote that thins the slab or skips the base is rarely the cheapest driveway once it cracks and needs replacing.

Get a tailored number

A per-m² average can't see your site, your soil or the finish you want. Enter your dimensions and spec into Karven's concreting calculator and get an itemised, fixed-price quote in minutes.