Concrete driveway cost in Kalkallo

A plain concrete driveway in Melbourne is listed at $79 to $160 per square metre laid, which a published guide puts at $2,725 to $6,300 for a typical 40 square metre driveway. Exposed aggregate runs higher, at $125 to $210 per square metre, or $5,050 to $9,450 for a typical driveway. Both are GST inclusive and come from a Melbourne guide we checked in October 2026. Your actual price will come from a written quote by an independent concreter; Kalkallo Concreting only refers enquiries and does not set or collect any price.

Price table: Melbourne ranges for common jobs

Laid rates, per square metre:

Finish or slab type	Laid rate
Broom finish, driveway or slab	$79 to $160 per square metre
Pigmented (coloured)	$100 to $210 per square metre
Exposed stone	$125 to $210 per square metre
Stamped or stencil pattern	$125 to $210 per square metre
Side or front path	$79 to $170 per square metre
Alfresco or patio pour	$84 to $190 per square metre
Breaking out an old slab	$32 to $105 per square metre

Whole jobs in the same guide:

Example job	Total
Broom finish drive, 40 square metres	$2,725 to $6,300
Exposed stone drive, typical size	$5,050 to $9,450
Garden shed base, 20 square metres	$1,575 to $3,675

Every figure in both tables is from WhatsTheDamage, concreting cost in Melbourne. Its square metre rates cover the forms, the mesh, pouring and finishing. Digging out the base and taking away an existing slab are charged separately, so on a Kalkallo block where the builder left a crushed rock pad or an old path, ask how that is priced.

A second, national guide from hipages lists a plain driveway at $65 to $85 per square metre and a coloured one at $75 to $95 per square metre. The national figures sit lower than the Melbourne ones. Treat both as a starting point for budgeting and expect a site specific quote to land anywhere in or near those bands.

What drives the price of a driveway?

Area and shape. Concrete is priced by the square metre, but a small or awkward job carries the same fixed costs as a big one: setting out, the concrete delivery, the pump and travel. That is why a short side path can cost more per square metre than a long driveway.

Finish. Plain broom finish is the cheapest. Colour adds pigment and a different curing method. Exposed aggregate adds a special mix, retarder, wash-off labour and usually a sealer. Stamped and stencilled finishes add more finishing labour and sealing.

Base preparation. Removing topsoil, cutting to level and laying compacted crushed rock all cost money. Where the ground is soft or reactive, the CCAA data sheet on residential driveways and paths calls for poor material to be dug out and replaced, and a sub-base of about 100 mm on highly expansive clay. Ask for the base to be a separate line in the quote.

Thickness and strength. A car driveway needs at least 100 mm of N20 concrete under the CCAA guide. If a caravan, truck or boat on a trailer between 3 and 10 tonnes uses it, the guide moves to 150 mm and N25. More concrete and a stronger mix raise the price.

Access. The Melbourne guide notes that a site the truck cannot reach needs a pump or barrows, both priced on top. Backyard slabs behind a narrow side passage are the usual case.

Removal of old concrete. In older suburbs like Craigieburn, breaking out and disposing of an old slab adds $32 to $105 per square metre, before any new concrete.

Slope. hipages says a sloping driveway costs more per square metre than a flat one. A steep block may also need transitions and a coarser finish for grip.

The crossover. Work in the road reserve adds council fees, set and published by each council, plus the cost of building to council’s standard and booking inspections. The vehicle crossing guide explains the Hume, Whittlesea and Mitchell processes.

What should a quote include?

A clear concreting quote lists:

• the area of each part (driveway, paths, slab) in square metres
• excavation depth and what happens to the spoil
• base material and compacted thickness
• concrete thickness, strength grade and mesh type
• the finish, colour or stone mix, and any sealer
• joint layout, or a statement that joints will be at no more than 3 metres
• formwork, pump hire and any barrowing
• curing method and how long to keep cars off
• crossover work, permit and inspection responsibilities, if included
• clean up, and how wash-off water or slurry will be contained
• payment terms and what happens if rain delays the pour.

Items often left out, and worth asking about: removal of old concrete, extra base where soft ground is found, moving a downpipe or stormwater pit, and the council fee.

Contract rules for driveway work

The Building and Plumbing Commission explains on its landscaping page that a contract covering only driveways and paving generally falls outside domestic building work, which means the law does not require the concreter to hold building practitioner registration for it. If the same contract includes domestic building work, such as a retaining structure or an attached deck, and the price passes the threshold set out on that page, a major domestic building contract and a registered practitioner are required, and the BPC adds that staged contracts can count as one contract under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995. Even where the law does not require a major domestic building contract, put the scope, price and payment stages in writing before work starts.

How to compare quotes

1. Put the quotes side by side on the same items: area, thickness, base, mesh, finish and sealer.
2. Convert each to a price per square metre for the same scope, then add the extras separately.
3. Check who is applying for the crossover consent and who books inspections.
4. Ask to see a recent job in the same finish, ideally one that has been down for a few years.
5. Confirm the concreter’s business details, insurance and a written warranty on workmanship.

Our plain and coloured driveway page and exposed aggregate page explain what good workmanship looks like, which helps when two prices differ widely.

Red flags

• A price per square metre with no thickness, base or mesh stated.
• A large cash deposit before any materials are ordered.
• Pressure to pour the same day or week before levels and drainage are agreed.
• No mention of council consent for crossover work.
• Pouring onto grass or topsoil to save excavation.
• Adding water at the truck to make the concrete easier to spread, which the CCAA guide says lowers strength.
• Sealing a slab on the day it is poured.

Getting a price for your job

Measure each area, take photos of the street frontage, slope and access, and list the finishes you are considering. Then request a concreting quote and compare what comes back against this guide. For local notes see the Kalkallo area page.

Send a job enquiry