Coloured and plain concrete paths

A concrete path for foot traffic needs at least 75 mm of concrete on a firm base, a slight fall away from the house, and joints every few metres so drying shrinkage does not crack it at random. A Melbourne cost guide lists concrete paths at $79 to $170 per square metre and coloured concrete at $100 to $210 per square metre. The concreter you are put in touch with through this site is an independent business that sets its own price and does the job; our role ends at passing your enquiry on.

Which paths do new homes usually need?

If your building contract left the outside paving to you, check what was included, then list the paths you need. The common path jobs are:

• Side paths from the front to the backyard, often along the garage wall to the bins and the clothesline.
• Front entry paths from the driveway or footpath to the porch.
• Bin pads and hard stands beside the garage or behind a side gate.
• Paths around the back linking an alfresco slab to a shed or the yard.

Side paths are narrow and run hard against the house, which is where most of the technical care goes.

Plain, coloured or exposed: comparing path finishes

Finish	Price guide	Good for	Care point
Plain concrete, light broom	$79 to $170 per square metre	Side paths and bin areas	Shows stains; cheapest to patch later
Coloured through the mix	$100 to $210 per square metre	Front paths that match render or brick	Cure with a compatible compound, not plastic
Exposed aggregate	$125 to $210 per square metre	Paths matching an exposed driveway	Smaller stones are easier on bare feet
Stamped or stencilled	$125 to $210 per square metre	Feature entries	Needs resealing; check grip when wet

Ranges are from a Melbourne guide verified in October 2026. A national guide from hipages lists coloured concrete driveways at $75 to $95 per square metre, a reminder that small path jobs and remote sites can price differently per square metre. Our Kalkallo cost guide explains why a small path often costs more per square metre than a large driveway.

Why the fall and height next to the house matter

The CCAA data sheet on residential concrete driveways and paths summarises the National Construction Code (NCC) points for paving beside a house:

• Paving next to the house should slope away from it; the guide quotes 50 mm of fall over the first metre in most areas.
• The damp-proof course or the flashing doing that job must sit at least 75 mm above the finished paving.
• Paving must not block the visual termite inspection zone around the slab edge.
• Sub-floor vents covered by paving have to be replaced with new openings.

A side path poured too high can push water against the slab edge and bring damp into the wall. Before quoting, a careful concreter will look at the brick line, the weep holes and the termite strip, and set the path height from those, not from the fence line.

Drainage on narrow side paths

Side paths are often squeezed between the house and the boundary fence, with downpipes, a sewer inspection opening and a stormwater pit along the way. The CCAA guide says pavement drainage should leave no ponding deeper than 10 mm, 15 minutes after rain stops, and that a drain should be placed beside the building where paving cannot fall away from it. On a narrow path that usually means either a cross fall toward the fence with a grated channel, or a strip drain along the wall. Raise any stormwater question with a licensed plumber: the BPC landscaping guidance warns that driveways or paving can interfere with plumbing work such as drainage.

Keep access to sewer and stormwater inspection points. A good concreter will box around them or fit an access cover at the finished level, not pour over them.

Thickness, mesh and joints for paths

For foot traffic only, the CCAA guide sets a minimum of 75 mm. A path that will take a ride-on mower, a trailer or a car needs to be treated as driveway paving at 100 mm or more. Joints go in at no more than 3 metre centres, at every change in width and wherever the path meets the driveway. An isolation joint where the path meets the house slab, pits and fence posts lets each part move on its own.

What the work involves

1. Mark out the path and agree heights at the house, fence and driveway.
2. Excavate topsoil, trim and compact the base.
3. Set forms, mesh on chairs, and box out pits and downpipe outlets.
4. Pour, screed, float and give the surface its finish; a light broom gives grip.
5. Cut or tool joints and start curing straight away.

Curing for at least 3 days is the CCAA minimum for light traffic paving. Coloured concrete should be cured with a compound that suits the sealer, because plastic sheeting or wet hessian can leave blotches.

Do paths need a permit or registered builder?

The BPC says laying paving does not need a building permit, and that a contract only for driveways and paving is not generally domestic building work. Once paving is part of a larger contract that includes, for example, a retaining wall or an attached deck, the rules for domestic building work can apply to the whole contract. A footpath or pram crossing in the road reserve needs council consent; see the vehicle crossing and permit guide.

Paths in Kalkallo and the corridor

Many Kalkallo homes are recent builds in Cloverton, so path work is often planned together with the driveway and the alfresco or shed slab. Pouring them together on one day can cut the per square metre rate, as the truck and pump are paid for once. If you are in an older street in Craigieburn, the job may start with breaking out and removing an old cracked path.

What to do next

Sketch the path on a site plan or take photos from each end, mark the downpipes and pits, and note the width you want. Then request a concrete path quote.

Send a job enquiry