Concrete paths, patios and outdoor areas
Concrete side paths, front paths, patios and entertaining areas in Traralgon: levels against the house, drainage, finishes, pool barriers and price ranges.
A concrete path costs about $75 to $160 per sqm and a patio or entertaining slab about $80 to $180 per sqm, based on a national cost guide verified in October 2026. Paths and patios are small jobs compared with a driveway, but they sit right against the house, so a few millimetres of level decide whether rain drains away or soaks into the wall. Quotes arranged through this site come from independent concreters who take responsibility for their own work and pricing.
Common outdoor concrete jobs
- A side path from the front gate to the back yard and bins
- A front path and porch landing on an older home
- A clothesline or water tank pad
- An entertaining slab under an existing or planned pergola
- A path around the house to replace garden beds against the wall
- A pad for a spa, heat pump or air conditioner unit
Why levels against the house matter
The CCAA datasheet on residential concrete driveways and paths summarises what the NCC expects where paving meets a house:
- Paved areas slope away from the building by at least 50 mm over the first metre in most areas.
- Paving finishes at least 50 mm below the adjacent slab-on-ground floor in most areas.
- A damp-proof course or flashing stays at least 75 mm above the paving next to the wall.
- Sub-floor vents covered by new paving must be replaced with new openings.
- Paving must not block the visual termite inspection zone.
On any home with a timber floor, paving that buries the sub-floor vents cuts ventilation and can lead to damp under the floor. A careful provider will check vent heights before setting the path level and will not simply match the height of the old garden bed.
Finishes for paths and outdoor areas
| Finish | Where it works | Watch for | Published range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broomed plain | Side paths, bin areas, tank pads | Can look utilitarian at the front of the house | $75 to $160 per sqm |
| Coloured | Front paths, patios | Needs compatible curing and sealer | $95 to $200 per sqm |
| Exposed aggregate | Patios, front paths | Rough on bare feet if the stone is large | $120 to $200 per sqm |
| Stamped | Entertaining areas | Film sealers get slippery when wet | $120 to $200 per sqm |
The CCAA guidance says surfaces used by bare feet, for example around a pool, should not be too coarse, and suggests wood float, light broom or smaller smooth exposed aggregate finishes there. The exposed aggregate page covers stone and sealing choices.
What the provider will check
- Floor levels, weep holes, vents and damp-proof course heights along the wall.
- Where stormwater will go: to an existing pit, a new grated drain, or the garden.
- Downpipes, sewer inspection openings and gas or water meters in the path line.
- Any pool or spa nearby, since paving can change the height of a barrier.
- Tree roots and soft garden soil that need to come out.
- Access for barrows or a pump if the truck cannot reach the back yard.
How the work runs
- Mark out and agree levels and falls with you.
- Dig out to the required depth, removing topsoil and roots.
- Lay and compact a base, set forms and isolation strips against the house.
- Place mesh where specified. The CCAA datasheet gives 75 mm as the minimum thickness for foot traffic only.
- Pour, finish and tool or saw the joints. Joints go at changes of shape, such as where a path meets a patio.
- Cure the concrete, then clean up and seal if a sealer was agreed.
Permits and the rules that apply
The Building and Plumbing Commission’s landscaping guidance says laying paving does not need a building permit, but warns that badly laid paving can cause water damage to the house and that paving can affect drainage, which is plumbing work. Moving a stormwater pit, adding a drain connection or raising a sewer inspection opening is a job for a licensed plumber.
If the patio will be roofed, the roof is a separate question. Verandahs need a building permit, and pergolas only avoid one when they are within the size, height and siting limits the BPC lists. Get the roof plans settled before the slab is poured so footings for posts can go in at the right spots.
Landscaping near a swimming pool or spa can make the barrier non-compliant, for example by raising ground level near the fence. The BPC treats this as a safety issue, so tell the provider about any pool before they quote.
What a careful provider will not do
- Pour a path hard against the house without an isolation joint
- Lift the ground level over weep holes or vents to avoid digging
- Fall a patio toward the back door
- Leave a sewer or stormwater opening buried under concrete
Local angle
Much of the housing in Morwell, Moe and Newborough went up in the post-war decades, so original paths there have had a long time to settle and crack. Churchill was planned in the 1960s as a town of brick houses grouped into neighbourhoods around parks, and the Traralgon area page covers the newer estates, where an outdoor slab may be one of the first jobs after a home is handed over.
What to do next
Sketch the path or patio with rough measurements, mark doors, downpipes and pits, and take photos along the house wall. Then send the outdoor concrete details through the quote form, and see the Traralgon concreting cost guide for what affects price.
Frequently asked questions
- How wide should a side path be?
Wide enough for the way you use it. A path that only takes foot traffic can be narrow, but if wheelie bins, a mower or a wheelbarrow go along it, allow extra width. Check gate openings, meter boxes and taps before settling on a width.
- Can a concrete patio go over the old pavers?
It is rarely a good idea. Pavers on sand move, and concrete poured over them inherits that movement and sits higher against the house. Removing the pavers and preparing a proper base is the usual approach.
- Do I need a drain along a path next to the house?
Not always. If the path can fall away from the wall to the garden or yard, a drain may not be needed. Where the path is boxed in by a fence or slopes toward the house, a grated channel connected to stormwater by a licensed plumber is often needed.
- Can a pergola go on top of my new patio?
Post footings usually need to go into the ground, not just sit on a thin patio slab. Decide on the pergola or verandah before the pour so the provider can leave footing positions or thicken the slab where the posts land.
- How long before I can use a new patio?
Light foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two, but furniture, pot plants and barbecues should wait until the concrete has cured and any sealer has dried. The provider should give you a date with their handover notes.