One of the quickest and easiest ways to improve the spaces outside your home is to have new paving installed. From driveway paving to patio and pathway paving, pavers are a relatively inexpensive, long-lasting and attractive option. But how much does paving cost? 

Determining paving costs isn't always straightforward. Various factors come into play: material choice (be it brick, concrete, or stone), design intricacies, and the size of the area to be paved.

Australia's diverse climate means durability and maintenance of the chosen material can become pivotal. Some materials withstand certain conditions better than others, and this, in turn, can impact long-term costs and sustainability.

In this blog post, we’ll have a look into the expenses associated with paving in Australia. We'll delve into the different elements affecting the price, discuss potential unexpected costs, and offer insights to help you make an informed decision. Whether you're in the initial stages of research or on the verge of making a decision, we've got you covered. 

 

How much does paving cost per square metre?

Generally, you’ll pay between $30 and $90 per square metre for most paving options, with higher costs associated with special materials, unique designs and challenging spaces. This makes pavers slightly cheaper - on average - than concrete, which is the most likely alternative. 

In challenging spaces, concrete can end up being the cheaper option as tele-pumps and poured concrete can be easier to get where you need it. But in most circumstances, paving is a cost-effective option that lasts a long time, is environmentally friendly, and provides an attractive and stable finish for areas where you expect to walk and drive. 

Paving outside areas of your home offers numerous benefits. Firstly, it enhances street appeal, adding value to your property. It provides a stable, easy-to-maintain surface that withstands Australia's diverse weather conditions, from scorching summers to heavy rains. Paving minimises dust and mud, creating a cleaner environment for outdoor activities. It also reduces the risk of slips and falls, ensuring safety for family and guests. Additionally, it offers creative design opportunities, allowing you to personalise your outdoor space with various patterns and materials. Paved areas are perfect for outdoor dining, entertaining, and creating functional, beautiful landscapes that thrive in the Aussie climate.

 

How much is paving labour cost in Australia?

The cost of labour to install paving can depend on the state you’re in as labour costs vary, depending on the demand for paving tradies. As a general rule, though, the cost of trades labour is fairly consistent across industries, which means if the labour component of your paving project is more expensive in your state, it’s likely that labour for other trades is also more expensive. That means paving should retain its value for money, compared to other options. 

 

While quotes from different companies will vary, it is consistently the case that labour is more expensive in states where the cost of living is higher and where homeowners need to compete with large infrastructure, mining and gas projects when trying to find a labourer for their project. 

 

These challenges are reflected in the average price of labour in each state, based on our research and discussions with our tradies:

 

 

While these average prices provide a good indication of the general price you should expect to pay in each state, specific circumstances differ significantly and things like labour availability, location and project complexity can all be a factor. 

How much does it cost to pave a driveway in Australia?

One of the most common uses of pavers is to produce a surface on which you can drive. Some European towns and cities have paved roadways, using either bricks or stones as pavers. Some of these have lasted for hundreds of years, with individual paving stones being replaced to ensure an even and solid surface over time. While towns and cities with paved roads are a lot less common in Australia, paved driveways are very popular. You can expect to pay between $5,000 and $13,000 for driveway paving, depending on the size and complexity of your driveway. 

 

This compares favourably to a concrete driveway of a similar size which would cost between $8,000 and $16,000. We recently published a blog post about the cost of a concrete driveway to make it easier to compare these two options. 

 

Paving a driveway is a great and cost effective option and works particularly well if you’re looking to match the aesthetic of a brick house. It’s also a great way to improve the value of your property by adding a unique feature where other modern houses are built with concrete driveways. 

Is paving more expensive than concrete?

 

Generally, pavers are slightly cheaper than concrete, though it depends on the finished look you’re after and whether you want or need some of the added features of either option. 

 

 

What are the different paving materials available to choose from? 

As you can probably imagine, there are a wide range of options when it comes to paving. But the most popular choices are concrete pavers, brick pavers, and stone pavers:

 

• Concrete pavers: while a concrete slab might be more expensive, smaller concrete blocks that are mass-produced to a particular style and then delivered as pavers can be a cheaper option. With concrete pavers you get the best of both worlds; the durability of concrete with the flexibility and reduced cost of pavers. Concrete pavers are still a popular choice for non-driving areas like patios, walkways and outdoor entertaining areas. The ability to replace a single paver makes it a popular choice for BBQ areas where a single spill can ruin a timber deck or concrete slab. 

 

• Brick pavers: easily the quickest and cheapest option, bricks as pavers are a popular choice. New bricks can be used, but recycled bricks are even cheaper again and can provide some interesting aesthetic features. Herringbone, cross-hatch, and basket-weave patterns are popular and each provides a stable and attractive surface that can be driven on in most instances (though it isn’t a suitable choice for areas where cars will be driving at speed or areas of heavy vehicle traffic). Porous bricks offer great drainage, which means they are more environmentally friendly, though they will require more regular cleaning as a result. 

 

• Stone pavers: quarrying stone has become more and more expensive and so stone paving has become less popular. However, it is still available as a premium option and luxury home builders regularly choose stone paving for their customers. In New South Wales, sandstone pavers are still a popular choice, with sandstone quarries in operation throughout the Sydney outer metropolitan area and beyond. Sandstone is almost ubiquitous in Sydney and in areas like the North Shore and the Eastern Suburbs, sandstone is still a building material of choice for outdoor areas, walkways and driveways.  

 

It’s important to consider what your paved area will be used for before you settle on a material for your paving project. Make sure to do your research so that you understand the pros and cons of each option. 

 

How many brick pavers do you need per m²?

While most paving tradies will quote on the basis of a cost per square metre, if you want to buy your brick pavers in advance, save money by buying materials yourself, or attempt your own DIY paving, you’ll need to know how many pavers to buy. That means calculating the total area you want paved, and then knowing how many brick pavers there are in a square metre.

 

Depending on the design and arrangement of bricks you choose, you’ll need between 35 and 50 bricks per square metre. As above, herringbone, cross-hatch, and basket-weave patterns are popular, as are traditional alternate layering patterns, like a brick wall. Creating a straight edge or a brick paver border means cutting bricks at an angle, which will likely use even more bricks.

 

If you have multiple square metres to cover using the same pattern, you can always buy 35 to 50 bricks, lay them out in your planned pattern, and check how many bricks you’ll use by extrapolating that pattern. It’s relatively easy to work out roughly how many bricks you’ll need so that you can start your paving project with an effective plan.

 

Conclusion

In Australia, you can expect to pay between $30 and $90 per square metre for paving, and another $40 to $75 for labour to have paving installed, depending on the state you’re in. At between $70 and $165, paving is generally a cheaper option than concrete for things like driveways and walkways. But paving also has some more expensive options too, like stone paving using premium materials.

 

Calculating the cost of paving isn’t a simple task. From the choice of materials, such as natural stone, concrete, or bricks, to the size, design complexity, and labour expenses, the overall price can vary significantly. Additionally, disparities between states can further impact paving costs. While investing in high-quality pavers can enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of outdoor spaces, it's crucial to understand what your costs will be in advance. 

 

Planning a different project? Check out some of our other blog posts for advice about cleaning, renovating, and maintaining your home or business.