How much does concreting cost in Melbourne?
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Plain concrete in Melbourne costs $79–$160 a square metre laid, typically $115, and that is the number to start from for a backyard slab, a shed base or a path. Decorative finishes cost more per metre: exposed aggregate is $125–$210 and stamped or stencilled work $125–$210. Priced as a whole driveway, plain concrete comes to $2,725–$6,300 and exposed aggregate to $5,050–$9,450. From there the quote moves with access to the site, the mix and the steel, and whether an old slab has to be broken out first.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Concreting cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Concreting Cost in Melbourne 2026
Marking out a car park, warehouse floor or loading bay? See our line marking cost guide for Melbourne.
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete slab (per sqm) | $79/sqm | $115 | $160 |
| Coloured concrete (per sqm) | $100/sqm | $145 | $210 |
| Exposed aggregate (per sqm) | $125/sqm | $170 | $210 |
| Stamped / stencilled (per sqm) | $125/sqm | $165 | $210 |
| Polished concrete — polish existing slab (per sqm) | $63/sqm | $115 | $180 |
| Spray-on resurfacing (per sqm) | $52/sqm | $68 | $84 |
| Driveway — plain (typical 40 sqm) | $2,725total | $4,725 | $6,300 |
| Driveway — exposed aggregate | $5,050total | $6,800 | $9,450 |
| Concrete path / footpath | $79/sqm | $115 | $170 |
| Concrete patio / entertaining | $84/sqm | $130 | $190 |
| Shed slab (typical 20 sqm) | $1,575total | $2,300 | $3,675 |
| Old concrete removal (stand-alone, incl. disposal) | $32/sqm | $63 | $105 |
| Ready-mix concrete, 25 MPa delivered (supply only, per m³) | $315per cubic metre | $400 | $505 |
| Polished concrete — new slab poured + mechanical polish (per sqm) | $170/sqm | $220 | $275 |
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Get Melbourne quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Melbourne metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What to Know About Concreting Work and Cost in Melbourne
The City of Melbourne requires a vehicle crossing permit to build, remove or change a crossing; a residential application is $369.60 (no year shown), and the applicant needs $20 million public liability cover.
The standard drawing asks for a 150 mm reinforced slab with SL82 mesh, at least 3.0 m wide — but a new crossing should match the footpath, generally asphalt in residential streets. A plain concrete path in our table is $79–$170 a square metre.
Concrete price per m² in Melbourne (2026): slabs, driveways and decorative finishes
Concrete in Melbourne costs $79–$160 per square metre laid for a plain slab, with $115/m² typical, rising to $100–$210/m² for coloured concrete and $125–$210/m² for exposed aggregate. As whole jobs: a plain driveway of around 40 m² is $2,725–$6,300, the same driveway in exposed aggregate $5,050–$9,450, and a 20 m² shed slab $1,575–$3,675. Per-metre prices include formwork, reinforcing mesh, the pour and the finish; excavation and removing old concrete ($32–$105/m²) are on top.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain concrete slab (per m²) | $79/m² | $115 | $160 |
| Coloured concrete (per m²) | $100/m² | $145 | $210 |
| Exposed aggregate (per m²) | $125/m² | $170 | $210 |
| Driveway — plain (typical 40 m²) | $2,725 | $4,725 | $6,300 |
| Driveway — exposed aggregate | $5,050 | $6,800 | $9,450 |
| Concrete path / footpath (per m²) | $79/m² | $115 | $170 |
| Shed slab (typical 20 m²) | $1,575 | $2,300 | $3,675 |
| Old concrete removal (per m²) | $32/m² | $63 | $105 |
Decorative concrete in Melbourne: plain grey at $79–$160/m² is the base; coloured concrete is $100–$210/m² and exposed aggregate $125–$210/m², stamped or stencilled $125–$210/m² and polished concrete $63–$180/m². The slab underneath is the same; the finish is where the difference in price and in the look sits.
What moves a concreting quote in Melbourne:
- Area: small pours cost more per square metre because the truck, pump and crew are the same for 10 m² as for 40.
- Thickness and reinforcing: a driveway that carries vehicles is thicker and more heavily reinforced than a path.
- Ground: soft or reactive soil needs more excavation, a thicker base and sometimes piers.
- Finish: broom or trowel is the base; exposed aggregate, colour, stencil and polish each add material and labour.
- Access: a site the truck cannot reach needs a pump or barrows, both priced on top.
For a concrete quote in Melbourne that compares, give the square metres, what it carries, the finish and whether anything has to be dug out or removed first.
Resurfacing old concrete in Melbourne
A spray-on resurface or a new slab in Melbourne
Resurfacing puts a new finish over the slab you already have. In our Melbourne table a spray-on resurface is $52–$84 a square metre, typically $68. Breaking out the old concrete and starting again means old concrete removal at $32–$105 plus a new plain slab at $79–$160, both per square metre: at the typical prices that is $178 a square metre against $68 to resurface.
These answers use the prices in the table on this page.
What Affects Concreting Costs in Melbourne
Choosing a finish
Coloured concrete sits at $100–$210, and exposed aggregate costs more because the crew seeds stones into the surface and washes the top paste away while it sets. On a typical driveway that gap is $4,725 for plain against $6,800 for exposed aggregate, for the same area of slab.
Terraces with no side access
Separate houses make up 67.8% of Melbourne's housing, under the 72.3% national figure, with terraces, townhouses and flats making up most of the rest (ABS 2021 Census). Where a home shares a wall with next door, the truck often cannot reach the pour, so concrete is barrowed through or pumped over the roof line. Ask whether a pump is in the price, because on a small backyard slab it can be a big part of the bill.
Breaking out the old slab
Replacing a cracked driveway means paying twice: once to remove the old concrete and once for the new pour. Stand-alone removal with disposal is $32–$105 a square metre, so clearing 40 square metres, the size of the typical driveway in our table, costs around $2,520 before any new concrete goes down.
Mix strength and steel
Delivered 25 MPa ready-mix is $315–$505 a cubic metre on its own; many concreters step up to a stronger mix where cars park. Mesh should be on every quote. As a benchmark, the City of Melbourne's standard drawing for a residential vehicle crossing asks for at least 150 mm of reinforced concrete.
The crossover is council's business
Where a driveway meets the street, the City of Melbourne requires a vehicle crossing permit to build, remove or change the crossing, with a non-refundable residential fee of $369.60. New crossings should match the adjoining footpath, which in residential streets is generally asphalt, and keeping the crossing in repair falls to the property owner. Other Melbourne councils run their own permits, so check yours.
Cold nights and wet springs
Overnight lows at the Melbourne Regional Office sit around 6.0 °C in July, and October brings the most rain of any month, 66.0 mm (BOM averages). Cold slows the chemical set, which means a driveway poured in winter needs longer before you drive on it, and rain on a fresh pour can mark the surface. Ask how your concreter protects a slab if the weather turns.
Resurfacing or polishing
If the slab is sound, a spray-on resurfacing coat at $52–$84 tops out below the typical price of a new plain slab. Grinding and polishing an existing floor is $63–$180, while pouring a new slab and polishing it is $170–$275.
How to Save Money on Concreting Cost in Melbourne
- Ask every concreter to write the area, slab thickness, mix strength, mesh and finish on the quote, so the numbers you compare describe the same job.
- Under Melbourne's permanent water saving rules you cannot hose concrete or driveways with drinking water outside a few exceptions, such as stains once a season, and in those cases the rules call for a high-pressure cleaning device if one is available, so plan to clean a new exposed aggregate surface that way.
- Pour the path, patio and driveway on one day; the pump, the crew and the delivery are then paid for once.
- For a concrete backyard, keep decorative finishes to the areas guests see and use plain concrete behind the shed and down the side.
- If the job includes the crossover, add the council permit fee to your budget before the concreter starts; the City of Melbourne charges $369.60 for a residential application.
- Take down a side fence panel or gate before the crew arrives so wheelbarrows and hoses have a clear run.
Frequently Asked Questions — Concreting Cost in Melbourne
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 →