How much does it cost to concrete a driveway?

How much does a driveway cost in Australia? The national average cost for a concrete driveway is between $75 and $95 per square metre. For a decorative concrete driveway, you can expect to pay higher rates of up to $200 per square metre, while a plain concrete driveway is the more affordable option.

When considering how much installing a concrete driveway will cost, you’ll need to decide on the type of concrete and the look you want to achieve. Ensure to account for the slope of your block, the size of the driveway, and your location. A sloping driveway will cost on average $10 per square metre more than installation on a flat block.

Your total concrete driveway cost could be roughly $1,500 to $3,500 for a plain concrete driveway, or as much as $10,500 for concreting with decorative elements, such as coloured, stencilled, textured or aggregated. The overall cost depends on many factors, such as the size of the driveway project.

In this guide, we explore:

• Cost of driveway per m2 for different types of concrete
• Factors that affect new driveway cost
• How to get a concrete driveway quote, and
• Hire a professional concreter for your job.

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What factors affect concrete driveway cost?

Many factors influence the total cost of concrete driveway installation. Some things to consider that might affect driveway prices are:

• The size of the driveway
• The slope of the land
• The amount of preparation work needed to be done
• Whether you choose decorative elements
• Ease of access to the site
• Labour rates
• Your location
• If you need any demolition and removal of an existing driveway

It’s important to note that the cost for decorative concrete driveways is additional to the cost of the concrete slab for a new driveway, pushing the final driveway concrete price up much higher.

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Concrete driveway cost per square metre

How much to concrete a driveway? Concrete driveway cost per m2 is usually anywhere between $75 and $110, while a sloping block will add about $10 extra per square metre to your total driveway price. On top of the slab of concrete, you can expect to pay $100 to $200 per square metre for decorative elements.

While you can find an online driveway concrete cost calculator to help get an accurate estimate, to do it yourself simply calculate the length of your driveway by the width to work out how many square metres of concrete will be needed. Multiply this figure by the concrete cost to get a rough estimate of the total driveway cost.

Let’s look at the various costs you might find for different concrete types.

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How much does a plain concrete driveway cost?

If you’re happy with a plain, grey coloured concrete driveway, this will be the more affordable solution, while still offering you the benefits of a hard-wearing and long-lasting material. A plain concrete driveway typically costs between $75 and $85 per square metre. The overall driveway price will depend on the size of your project. Keep in mind that most councils in Australia require a minimum width of three metres.

How much does a coloured concrete driveway cost per m2?

A coloured concrete driveway will usually cost between $85 and $110 per square metre. If you opt for a coloured concrete driveway, the colour is mixed through with the cement before a new driveway is installed. This is the most durable option for lasting colour and will only cost about $10 per square metre more than plain grey concrete but will be far more visually appealing.

If you’ve decided you want a coloured concrete driveway for your existing driveway, you can choose other alternatives such as spray-on concrete or driveway paint. Driveway paints are a cheap DIY option but are not as durable and long lasting as spray-on concrete. Applied to the surface of the driveway, spray-on concrete will generally cost between $50 and $75 per square metre and is a great option for refreshing your existing driveway.

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How much is an exposed aggregate driveway?

How much does a pebblecrete driveway cost? Pebblecrete, also known as aggregate concrete, is a very popular driveway surface choice. Not only does it come in a range of colours, but it also offers your car excellent traction, which is perfect for a sloping driveway and wetter climates.

Exposed aggregate concrete driveways cost about $100 to $150 per square metre. The price will depend on the quality and type of aggregate you choose. You will also have to factor in the cost of the concrete for the slab, as well as any other additional costs.

Once your concrete slab has been poured, the pebblecrete is applied over the top. For existing driveways, you can also apply pebblecrete once the driveway has been cleaned and repaired if there are cracks or damage. It’s a great way to refurbish an older driveway and add even more durability.

How much does a stencilled concrete driveway cost?

The average cost of a stencilled concrete driveway is between $3,000 and $4,500. Stencilled concrete is the application of a pattern to your driveway concrete. You can speak with your concreter and look through their various stencils to choose the pattern you wish to have, as well as choose different colours.

Many people opt for a natural stone look. This is achieved with spray-on concrete used over the stencils so that when it’s removed the plain concrete appears as grout lines between the “pavers”. In some cases, coloured concrete is spread over the top of stencils rather than spray-on concrete.

With stencilling the choice is quite endless. You can use more than one colour to create borders or intricate designs within the driveway. Your concrete stencilling job will be unique so you will need driveway quotes from concreters for the best indication of what it will actually cost. However, you can typically expect to pay between $100 and $150 per square metre, depending on the size of your driveway and the intricacy of the design.

How much does a stamped concrete driveway cost?

Concrete stamping is at the higher end of the scale when it comes to the cost of decorative concrete driveways. Driveway prices for stamped concrete can be as much as $90 to $135 per square metre for a basic pattern, with the average stamped concrete driveway cost sitting at about $120 per square metre. For complex designs that include more colours, you can expect to pay roughly $200 per square metre.

So, what is concrete stamping? Rather than creating a smooth surface like with stencilling, concrete stamping provides a textured surface that can create designs that look like pavers or bricks. The concreters pour coloured concrete across the existing slab, before applying a release agent. Then the concreters press stamps into the wet concrete to produce the textured effect and leave it to dry for a few days. Once they have washed the driveway, they apply the sealer to the dry concrete.

Getting a concrete driveway quote

Want to know how much to concrete a driveway? Before you employ any driveway concreting services, it’s important to compare multiple quotes from concrete contractors in your area. You can get multiple free quotes with Yellow Pages to shop around and find out the local market rates.

When getting concrete driveway quotes, be sure to let the concreters know the size of your driveway area, whether you’re on a slope, and whether you require any decorative elements like stencilling.

Don’t forget to ask whether they’re licensed (if applicable in your state), insured, offer a workmanship guarantee and whether you can see a portfolio of their works and check their references. It’s important to find contractors that can provide you with quality work, rather than settling for the cheapest tradie.

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*All costs and prices quoted were sourced at the time this cost guide was written and should only be used as an estimate.