Concrete Driveway Cost Sydney (2026)

How much does a concrete driveway cost per square metre in Sydney?

On a level site in Sydney Metro, a concrete driveway costs about $191–$207/m² in a plain float finish and $204–$220/m² in a broom finish, including GST. Coloured concrete runs $222–$238/m², exposed aggregate $247–$263/m² and pattern-imprinted $296–$312/m². Those rates are all-in: concrete, labour, mesh, base preparation, formwork, clean-up, overheads and GST. Many cost guides quote plain concrete at around $90–$130 per m², which is closer to the concrete and labour alone. The rate per square metre also falls as the driveway gets bigger, because fixed costs such as clean-up and the delivery surcharge are spread over more area: a 20m² single driveway works out at $215–$231/m² and an 80m² driveway at $198–$214/m². Labour is the biggest single line, from $75/m² for plain concrete to $160/m² for pattern-imprinted.

How much does site preparation add to a driveway?

Site preparation is the part of a driveway quote that varies most, and it's why two quotes for the same size driveway can be thousands of dollars apart. On a 40m² broom-finish driveway, a site that's already at finished level costs $8,100–$8,800. Minor levelling under 100mm takes it to $9,100–$10,550, a 100–300mm cut with the spoil carted away to $10,350–$12,750, and a deep cut on a sloping block to $12,550–$17,700. Taking up the old surface adds more: $10,350–$12,750 to replace pavers, $11,300–$14,250 to break out a plain concrete driveway and $12,800–$16,450 if it's reinforced. Access matters too. If only a mini-machine fits, the same level driveway costs $8,550–$9,450; by hand it's $9,250–$10,500; with a concrete pump it's $9,300–$10,000. Because these costs depend on what's under the ground, they're shown as ranges and confirmed on site.

What does it cost to replace an existing concrete driveway in Sydney?

Replacing a 40m² concrete driveway in Sydney costs $11,300–$14,250 including GST when the old slab is plain concrete and the ground only needs minor levelling. If the old driveway is reinforced with mesh or rebar, it takes longer to break out and the price rises to $12,800–$16,450. If the levels also need to change, for example to stop a driveway draining towards the garage, a 100–300mm cut brings it to $12,550–$16,450. The extra over a new driveway on bare ground comes from demolition, tip fees for the broken concrete, and the machine and truck time to cart it away. A replacement usually also touches the crossing over the footpath, which is council land: the council has to approve that section before it's rebuilt, and several Sydney councils only allow plain grey concrete there. Our suburb and region pages list each council's crossing rules, with links to the source documents.

Does the price of a driveway change across Sydney?

Location changes a driveway price less than most people expect. Concrete is delivered with a surcharge per load: none in our inner zone, $85 in the metro zone and $220 in the outer metro zone. On a 40m² broom-finish driveway on a level site, that means $8,000–$8,700 in the inner zone, $8,100–$8,800 in the metro zone and $8,300–$9,000 in the outer metro zone. The bigger local differences come from the ground and the council. Western Sydney and the Hills District sit on reactive clay that needs a well-compacted base; the Eastern Suburbs and North Shore often have sandstone close to the surface, which can turn a cut into rock removal; and inner-city terraces often need concrete barrowed or pumped through the house. Councils also set their own rules on crossing widths, finishes and where a driveway can go. The region guides below cover the ground and council rules for each part of Sydney.

What's included in a driveway price?

This is the line-by-line breakdown for a 40m² broom-finish driveway on a level site in the metro zone, exactly as our calculator produces it. Elsewhere on this page totals are rounded to the nearest $50.

How these prices are worked out

Every price on this page is generated by our concrete price calculator from the rates below, which were last reviewed in August 2026. When the rates change, this page updates with them.

• Concrete supply per cubic metre, benchmarked against Boral, Holcim and Hanson: N20 $285, N25 $315, N32 $350, plus 10% wastage.
• Labour per m² by finish: plain $75, broom $85, coloured $100, exposed aggregate $120, pattern-imprinted $160.
• Reinforcement per m²: SL72 mesh $11, steel rebar $19. Pump hire $950 up to 30m³.
• Site preparation per m², as a range: base and formwork $25–$38; excavation from $20–$35 (minor) to $90–$180 (deep cut); breaking out concrete $45–$75, or $75–$120 if reinforced. Restricted access multiplies site preparation by 1.35 (mini-machine) or 1.9 (hand access).
• Overheads and contingency 12%, GST 10%, and a minimum job charge of $2,800.

These are estimates, not fixed-price quotes. Rock, contaminated soil, drainage works, retaining walls and council fees for the footpath crossing are not included, and the final price is confirmed at a free site inspection.