Slabline Concreting Co. Know the number, and the spec, before you pour.
Concrete gets quoted thousands apart for the same job, because the cheap quote pours thinner than the soil calls for, names no mesh or MPa, and skips the control joints. The difference only shows up later, when the slab cracks across the middle. These guides put the spec back in the conversation: what concrete costs per m², which finish suits you, how thick the slab should be and what the soil decides, who pays for the crossover, how long before you can drive on it, and why the base and the joints decide whether it cracks. No sign-up, no sales pitch, just what to ask.
Choosing the right concreter
What to check before you let anyone pour, so you hire on the spec and the proof, not on the lowest number.
Exposed aggregate or plain concrete, which is right for me?
Plain or broom finish is the grey workhorse at about $65 to $95 a square metre, exposed aggregate washes back the stone for a textured, non-slip, decorative finish at roughly $100 to $150. A straight comparison on look, grip, upkeep and cost, on the same base and mesh underneath.
Read the guide →Who pays for a crossover, and do I need a council permit?
The crossover, the bit of driveway that crosses the council nature strip to the road, is usually the property owner cost, and most councils need it built to their spec with a permit. What the paperwork involves for a crossover, and for a structural house or shed slab that needs building approval and VBA-registered work.
Read the guide →Pricing and quotes
What concrete is worth by the m², how to read a quote, and how to compare like for like.
How the work is done
What good looks like on the pour, the base, the reo and the standards behind a slab that lasts.
How thick should a concrete driveway be, and what mesh does it need?
A residential driveway is normally 100 mm with SL72 mesh, stepped up to 125 to 150 mm with SL82 or bars where the soil is reactive or heavier vehicles use it. Why the thickness comes off the site classification under AS 2870, not a guess, and why a cheap quote leaves it vague.
Read the guide →How long before you can walk or drive on new concrete?
You can usually walk on it carefully after about 24 to 48 hours, but keep cars off a new driveway for 7 days while it cures and gains strength, longer in cold weather. Why curing matters, why driving on it early is how a driveway cracks, and how we mark the safe-to-drive date before we leave.
Read the guide →Cracking, curing and aftercare
Why concrete moves, what the guarantee covers, and how to keep the slab right for years after we leave.
The Honest Concrete Cost Guide
What is inside
- Real by-the-m² bands for plain, exposed aggregate, coloured and honed finishes
- The costs a cheap concrete quote quietly leaves out
- How the thickness, the mesh and the soil classification decide whether it cracks
- A one-page checklist to take to every concrete quote
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