How much does concreting cost in Gold Coast?
Exposed aggregate is the finish Gold Coast readers ask about most, and it costs $120–$195 per square metre here, or $4,700–$8,800 for a whole driveway. Plain concrete is the budget option at $74–$145 a square metre, typically $110, and a plain driveway comes to $2,550–$5,900. Courtyard and patio slabs are $78–$175 per square metre. Before you settle on a number, remember that the City of Gold Coast wants to inspect the steel at the street crossing before any concrete goes in, so the pour date has to fit around council as well as the weather.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Concreting cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Concreting Cost in Gold Coast 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete slab (per sqm) | $74/sqm | $110 | $145 |
| Coloured concrete (per sqm) | $93/sqm | $135 | $195 |
| Exposed aggregate (per sqm) | $120/sqm | $155 | $195 |
| Stamped / stencilled (per sqm) | $120/sqm | $150 | $195 |
| Polished concrete — polish existing slab (per sqm) | $59/sqm | $110 | $165 |
| Spray-on resurfacing (per sqm) | $49/sqm | $64 | $78 |
| Driveway — plain (typical 40 sqm) | $2,550total | $4,400 | $5,900 |
| Driveway — exposed aggregate | $4,700total | $6,350 | $8,800 |
| Concrete path / footpath | $74/sqm | $110 | $155 |
| Concrete patio / entertaining | $78/sqm | $120 | $175 |
| Shed slab (typical 20 sqm) | $1,475total | $2,150 | $3,425 |
| Old concrete removal (stand-alone, incl. disposal) | $29/sqm | $59 | $98 |
| Ready-mix concrete, 25 MPa delivered (supply only, per m³) | $295per cubic metre | $370 | $470 |
| Polished concrete — new slab poured + mechanical polish (per sqm) | $155/sqm | $205 | $255 |
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Get Gold Coast quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Gold Coast metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What to Know About Concreting Work and Cost in Gold Coast
On the Gold Coast a vehicular crossing needs Council approval: a standard application is $456 in 2026-27, with pre-pour and post-pour inspections, a non-standard one $585 and a reinspection $289. Nothing is poured until the pre-pour inspection passes.
The drawing calls for N32 concrete and at least 4.0 m width, tapers included, and decorative surfaces need council approval — coloured concrete is $93–$195 a square metre in our table.
Gold Coast concreting prices: exposed aggregate, driveways and slabs
How much is concreting on the Gold Coast?
Per square metre on the Gold Coast: a plain slab $74–$145, coloured concrete $93–$195, exposed aggregate $120–$195 and polishing an existing slab $59–$165. Removing old concrete is $29–$98 a square metre as a job on its own, disposal included.
Exposed aggregate driveway cost on the Gold Coast
An exposed aggregate driveway is $4,700–$8,800 on the Gold Coast, typically $6,350. A plain driveway of about 40 square metres is $2,550–$5,900, typically $4,400.
Concrete slab prices on the Gold Coast
A shed slab of about 20 square metres is $1,475–$3,425 on the Gold Coast. A patio or entertaining area is $78–$175 a square metre, and a path $74–$155 a square metre.
These answers use the prices in the table on this page.
What Affects Concreting Costs in Gold Coast
Why exposed aggregate costs more
The crew has to place the stone evenly, then wash away the top layer of cement paste at just the right moment to bare it. That extra handling puts exposed aggregate at $155 typical against $110 for plain. Ask to see the actual stone blend before you sign, as the colour of the aggregate sets the look of the whole driveway.
Townhouses, units and courtyards
Only 56.8% of homes in the Gold Coast area are separate houses, well below the national 72.3%, while semi-detached homes and flats are 21.1% each (ABS 2021 Census). In a complex, a courtyard or driveway may sit on common property, so check with the body corporate before you book a concreter, and expect a pump where the truck cannot reach.
Council approval for the crossing
You need City of Gold Coast approval to build a vehicular crossing, and the owner builds and maintains it. A standard crossing application is $456.00, which covers a pre-pour and a post-pour inspection. A crossing that needs code assessment is $585.00, and each extra inspection is $289.00. Ask your concreter who lodges the application and whether its fee is in the quote.
Inspection before the pour
Formwork and reinforcement must be inspected and approved before concrete is placed at the crossing, and inspections have to be booked before 3pm at least one full business day ahead. The standard drawing calls for at least N32 concrete at the crossing, and a decorative surface there needs council approval, so plan your exposed aggregate with that in mind.
Wet summers, drier spring
February averages 183.8 mm of rain, the wettest month, and September 42.8 mm, the driest (BOM averages). Summer storms can turn a prepared base to mud or mark a fresh surface, and July to September is the driest stretch of the year to book a driveway. January highs near 28.9 °C also shorten the window the finishers have to work the surface.
Clearing an old driveway
Breaking out and carting away old concrete comes to $29–$98 for each square metre. It is charged on top of the new pour, and old slabs with steel mesh in them take longer to cut and lift than unreinforced paths. If the crossing at the street is being replaced too, it goes through council approval and both inspections like any new one.
Polishing and resurfacing
An existing floor can be ground and polished for $59–$165 a square metre. If you are building, pouring fresh concrete and machine-polishing it costs $155–$255. For a driveway that is sound but tired, spray-on resurfacing is $49–$78.
How to Save Money on Concreting Cost in Gold Coast
- Jobs valued at $3,300 or over need a QBCC-licensed contractor in Queensland, so take the concreter's licence number from the quote and search it on the QBCC register.
- Book the council pre-pour inspection as soon as the formwork date is set, because a failed or missed inspection means a second visit at the reinspection fee.
- If council issues a Work Notice because your crossing has fallen below standard, the remedial work has to be done within 5 days, so keep the crossing in good repair.
- Ask whether a sealer is included on exposed aggregate and how often it will need re-coating, so the upkeep is part of the price you compare.
- Measure the driveway mouth at the kerb before settling on a design, because the standard crossing cannot be narrower than 4.0 m including its tapers.
- Ask whether the quote allows for a pump; in tight complexes and on sloping blocks it can be the difference between two quotes that look far apart.
Frequently Asked Questions — Concreting Cost in Gold Coast
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →