How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost in Perth in 2026?
How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost in Perth in 2026?
If you've tried to get a straight answer on concrete driveway pricing, you've probably found that most responses come with a lot of "it depends." The frustrating thing is — they're right. But "it depends" is only useful if you know what it depends on. This guide breaks most costs involved in a concrete driveway in Perth, based on what we're actually quoting in 2026. By the end of it, you'll have a better picture of what to budget before you pick up the phone. All pricing below is exclusive of GST.
The two questions that shape every driveway quote
Before anything else, two things determine the structure of your quote:
Are you removing an existing driveway? If so, there are earthworks costs that apply before the new driveway begins.
What finish are you after? Grey concrete, exposed aggregate and honed concrete sit at very different price points — for reasons that are worth understanding.
Let's work through both.
Removing an existing driveway — what it actually costs
If you have an existing concrete or paved driveway that needs to come out first, that's a separate scope of work.
The process involves mobilising saw cutters and cutting in full depth cuts across the existing concrete to break it into manageable sections, then bringing in a bobcat and dump trucks to load and cart the broken material to a licensed disposal facility. Concrete waste attracts tipping fees at Perth tips, and those fees are real. If you are removing pavers these are only generally 40mm deep meaning there is a lot of sand that also needs to be removed to achieve our standard 100mm thick concrete driveway thickness.
We calculate removal volumes using a bulking factor of approximately 1.5 — meaning 5m³ of disposables in the ground becomes roughly 7.5m³ once it's broken up and loose in the truck. Truck loads and tipping fees are calculated on the loaded volume, so this matters.
What removal costs in 2026:
First load (includes mobilisation, saw cutting, removal and tipping fees): around $2,500
Each additional load: around $1,800*
If the subgrade beneath also needs reworking once it's cleared — levelling, re-grading, correcting drainage — that's an additional $200/hr or a fixed $1,500 depending on the scope.
If you're not removing an existing driveway — new build, or your site just needs preparation — subgrade work (levelling, compaction with a 100kg plate compactor) starts at around $1,500. This is the work that gives the new concrete a stable, correctly graded base to sit on. Skip it and the driveway performance suffers.
Concrete driveway pricing by finish type
Standard grey concrete — $90 to $120/m²
Plain grey concrete is the most affordable finish and the most common starting point for comparing quotes. Our pricing starts at $100/m², ranging between $90 and $120/m² depending on job size and site complexity.
This covers supply and installation of the concrete, pouring, screeding, broom or trowel finish, and all our standard quality inclusions (more on those shortly).
A typical double driveway in Perth is around 40–60m², putting grey concrete in the $3,600 to $7,200 range for the concrete work alone, before any earthworks.
Exposed aggregate concrete — $140 to $200/m²
Exposed aggregate is Perth's most popular decorative driveway finish. Our pricing starts at $160/m², ranging from $140 to $200/m² depending on the aggregate mix selected, job size and site complexity.
The premium over grey concrete comes down to two real things:
Material cost. Exposed aggregate mixes are architectural concrete products — the decorative stones (river pebbles, crushed granite, quartz and specialty blends) cost three to four times more to supply than a standard grey concrete mix. That's before any installation difference.
Additional site visits. A grey concrete driveway is essentially a single-stage job. An exposed aggregate driveway requires multiple returns:
The initial pour
Return for the pressure wash exposure — timing this correctly is critical, and getting it wrong ruins the finish
Return for the acid wash
Return for sealing
Four stages. Four mobilisations. The labour and coordination involved is substantial — and it's reflected in the per-metre price.
On the same 40–60m² driveway, exposed aggregate sits in the $5,600 to $12,000 range before earthworks.
Honed concrete — exposed aggregate price + $100 to $130/m²
Honed concrete is a smooth, refined matte finish produced by mechanically grinding the concrete surface with specialised diamond grinding equipment. It's the premium end of the driveway market and increasingly popular in Perth's better suburbs.
On top of the exposed aggregate pricing, honing adds $100 to $130/m². The finish is outstanding — but the cost reflects the specialised equipment and additional process involved.
The extras that affect your final quote
The prices above are the starting point for a straightforward driveway. Real jobs come with variables. Here's what can add to the total:
Pump hire — where truck access is restricted and concrete can't be poured directly from the truck, a pump is required. This adds up to $2,000 to the job.
Steep grades — sloped driveways require a stiffer concrete mix (lower slump) and additional labour to correctly place and finish. Expect at least $1,000 extra for a noticeably steep grade.
Steps — starting at $450 per step, reflecting the formwork required to produce a clean, safe, structural step.
Steppers — decorative stepping stones integrated into the driveway: around $250 each.
Service lids — water meter covers, stormwater access points and other service lids within the driveway area need to be carefully incorporated and finished seamlessly. Quoted as additional items.
Crossover requirements — where the driveway crosses the verge and connects to the council footpath, local government specifications apply. Requirements vary across Perth's councils. Where a council footpath section needs to be reinstated, this may be staged separately to ensure correct jointing, which adds time and cost.
Every job is priced individually and we'll be upfront about which extras apply to your specific site — there are no surprises in the final invoice.
What's included in a Colacrete driveway — the quality standard
Not all concrete is the same, and not all concreters include the same things in their base price. Here's what every Colacrete driveway includes as standard:
SL62 reinforcing mesh — structural steel mesh that significantly increases the tensile strength of the concrete, controlling cracking and improving long-term performance.
100mm slab thickness — the minimum appropriate depth for a residential driveway under vehicle loads. Thinner slabs crack sooner.
25MPa concrete mix — we always pour at 25MPa, above the 20MPa often quoted as a baseline, for greater strength and durability from day one.
8mm corner bars — additional reinforcing bars placed at corners and re-entrant angles where concrete is most susceptible to cracking.
Bar chairs — plastic supports that hold the mesh at the correct height within the slab, ensuring reinforcement sits exactly where it needs to be to do its job.
Correct slump, delivered right — concrete is batched at the plant at the appropriate workability for the job. We never add water on site to make the concrete easier to work with. Every litre added after batching weakens the final product in proportion to what's added. The strength you're paying for is in the mix design.
Carefully planned control joints — joints are placed to manage where any minor movement occurs, not left to chance.
These aren't premium add-ons — they're what a driveway that lasts looks like. Some contractors skip one or more to reduce time and cost. The driveway performs accordingly.
How to get an accurate quote
There's no substitute for a site visit. Every driveway has its own character — access constraints, grade, existing conditions, drainage, service locations. The most useful preparation is a rough measurement of the area (length × width in metres) and a clear idea of the finish you're after. That's enough to get a meaningful initial estimate, and enough for us to provide a precise quote after inspecting the site.
Contact Colacrete for a free quote — we typically respond within 24 to 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have a minimum job size? No. We'll quote on any job size.
Is demolition included in the per-square-metre price? No — removal and earthworks are separate because the scope varies significantly from job to job. Your quote will itemise both clearly.
Why are some quotes I've received significantly cheaper? There are legitimate reasons quotes vary — job timing, company size, overhead structures. But significant undercutting often involves shortcuts in concrete specification: thinner slab, lower-strength mix, no mesh, no bar chairs, no corner bars. Ask specifically what's included before comparing prices.
Can I just replace part of my driveway? Yes. Sectional replacement is straightforward and we do it regularly. Matching an existing colour or finish exactly is harder than starting fresh, but a close visual match is achievable in most cases.
Do you handle all the rubbish and tipping? Yes — removal, carting and tipping fees are all included in our earthworks pricing. Nothing is left for you to organise.
What affects where in the price range my job falls? Job size (larger jobs have better economies of scale), site access, grade, any extras like steps or a pump, and aggregate selection for exposed aggregate work are the main variables. A site visit is the only way to know precisely.
Colacrete is a Perth-based concrete specialist servicing the Perth metro area. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote.