Wollongong Concrete Driveways

Area and finish set the starting point, then the site itself does the rest. Steep blocks are the big one locally: the driveway grade, the amount of cut-and-fill and any retaining needed all shift the price. Filled or built-up blocks might call for thickened edges or a small retaining edge along the side. Soft or damp ground usually means a deeper base, rock is slower to excavate, and a property that cops water in a heavy storm may need more drainage. Access is checked too, since a pour the truck can reach directly costs less than one needing a pump or wheelbarrows. Removing an existing driveway is another line item. After a site visit you get a written, itemised quote, so you can see exactly where the money goes.

Our main trade is driveways, though we also work for businesses, builders and light industrial clients as well as homeowners. The list covers patios, paths, footpaths, house and shed slabs, footings, retaining walls, kerbing, pavers, hardstands and car parks, along with decorative finishes, repairs and resurfacing. We handle the jobs that come before and after a pour as well, like excavation, site preparation and removing old concrete. If you are unsure whether an old driveway should be replaced or could simply be resurfaced, we will look at it and give you an honest answer about which way to go.

Within the Wollongong LGA our crews regularly work in Mount Pleasant, Mount Keira, Mount Ousley, Balgownie, Fairy Meadow, Keiraville, Gwynneville, Mangerton, Figtree, Cordeaux Heights, Farmborough Heights, the CBD and North Wollongong. Up the northern coastline we look after Austinmer, Thirroul, Coledale, Scarborough, Wombarra, Bulli, Woonona and Stanwell Park. Heading south, we take on jobs in Shell Cove, Shellharbour, Kiama and Gerringong. If your suburb is not on the list, it is still worth asking, since it depends on the job size and where our crews are booked. Just send through the address and a short description, and we will come back to you about a site visit and timing.

We do. Our commercial work includes car parks, service station forecourts, warehouse and workshop floors, loading docks, turning areas, yards and plant pads. These slabs are built very differently from a residential drive, since heavy loads call for greater thickness and extra steel, and the finish needs to stay safe underfoot and under tyres in wet weather. Most are built to an engineer’s design, with AS 3600 followed where it applies. We understand a business rarely can close for days on end, so the pour can be staged to keep part of the site trading while the other section is placed and cured.

A broom finish suits most homes very well. It is good value, it wears well and the textured surface gives shoes and tyres something to hold onto in the wet. Exposed aggregate is a step up in price, but the grip is even better and it disguises wear and marks, which is why plenty of people choose it for shaded driveways and pool surrounds. For a driveway that adds real street appeal, coloured or stamped concrete offers the widest range of looks. We generally advise against a smooth steel-trowelled finish outside, since it turns slippery in heavy rain and worse still when moss and mould take hold on shady south-facing areas below the escarpment. Ask us for samples and we can go through which finish works for your property.

Concrete firms up within hours of the pour, but it continues gaining strength over the following weeks. Light foot traffic is generally fine after a day or two, and keeping vehicles off for roughly a week is a sensible rule. Full design strength arrives at about 28 days. Hot, gusty summer weather speeds up the initial set, giving less time to finish the surface and a higher chance of shrinkage cracks, so summer pours start early and the slab is kept damp. Chilly winter mornings slow things down instead. Good curing is as important as a good mix, because concrete that loses moisture too fast or gets hit by heavy rain while still green finishes up weaker. We manage the curing and give you aftercare advice suited to your slab and the weather at the time.

Yes, and removal is often more involved than people expect. Our team breaks out the existing driveway, patio or path, hauls the rubble away, digs out any base that has failed and then builds a new compacted foundation for the fresh pour. The cost comes down to how thick the old concrete is, whether it is reinforced, how easily machinery can reach it and the volume heading to the tip or recycling yard. Older homes with narrow access sometimes need compact machines and extra hand labour, so we list demolition and disposal separately on your quote.