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Exposed aggregate cost in Melbourne
Real ranges, published so you can budget before anyone visits and sanity check any other quote. Every rate is supplied and laid, base and steel included, washed and sealed.
| Job | Per m² | Typical job | Lands around |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposed aggregate driveways | $130 to $185 | Single driveway, 45 m² | $5,850 to $8,350 |
| Exposed aggregate patios and alfresco | $140 to $195 | Alfresco, 24 m² | $3,350 to $4,700 |
| Exposed aggregate paths | $130 to $180 | Side path, 15 m² | $1,950 to $2,700 |
| Resealing and restoration | $18 to $30 | Driveway reseal, 45 m² | $800 to $1,350 |
| Removal and replacement | $165 to $220 | Full replacement, 45 m² | $7,450 to $9,900 |
Supplied and laid, GST included. Resealing carries a minimum charge, so small areas price as a visit. Council application fees for crossover permits are extra. Prices are a guide and may vary with site conditions and any variations; the written quote after a site measure is fixed.
What moves the metre rate
Exposed aggregate is priced by the square metre, but the metre rate is not one number. It moves with five things, and an honest quote itemises them.
Size. A truck, a crew and a wash-off cost the same to mobilise for 15 m² as for 60 m², so small jobs carry a higher rate. Pairing jobs, a path with the driveway, a pool surround with the patio, is the single best way to buy the finish cheaper.
Removal. Breaking out and tipping an old surface adds $35 per m². Pavers come out faster than reinforced concrete; asphalt is in between. The removal and replacement page covers the full job.
Access and slope. Where the truck cannot reach the pour, concrete is pumped or barrowed, and that is labour. Tight infill blocks and the sloping streets around Doncaster and Templestowe budget 10 to 20 percent extra.
Stone. Local Castlemaine, Lilydale and Dromana stone sits in the body of each range; premium imported quartz and pebble blends push towards the top. The colours and stone guide explains where the money goes and where it does not.
Ground. The east's reactive clay asks more of the base and joints, and the bayside sand asks for proper compaction. Where base material has to be brought in, that is quoted up front rather than discovered later.
Exposed aggregate versus plain concrete cost
Plain broom finished concrete in Melbourne generally runs $95 to $130 per m², so the finish premium is roughly $35 to $55 per m². What the premium buys is set out on this site in full: the decorative stone itself, a mix designed rather than ordered, the retarder and the controlled wash-off that reveals the surface, and sealing after cure. What it saves shows up later: no coating to repaint, colour that cannot wear off because it is stone all the way through, and a maintenance schedule that is a reseal every three to five years rather than a resurfacing decision.
Run your own numbers in the calculator, or read the specification to see exactly what the rates include.
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Melbourne rates, updated September 2026. No email address needed. A site measure firms it up to a fixed written quote.
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Questions
Cost questions
How much does exposed aggregate cost per m2 in Melbourne?
Driveways run $130 to $185 per m² supplied and laid, patios and alfresco areas $140 to $195, paths $130 to $180, resealing $18 to $30 with a minimum charge, and removal plus replacement $165 to $220. Premium imported pebble blends sit at the top of each range. Prices may vary with site conditions and variations; the written quote after a site measure is fixed.
How much more is exposed aggregate than plain concrete?
Plain broom finished concrete is generally quoted around $95 to $130 per m² in Melbourne, so exposed aggregate carries a premium of roughly $35 to $55 per m². The premium buys the decorative stone, the retarder and controlled wash-off, and sealing after cure. On a 45 m² driveway that is typically $1,500 to $2,500 for a surface that reads as designed stone rather than grey slab.
What does a typical exposed aggregate driveway cost in total?
A standard single driveway in the eastern suburbs is 40 to 50 square metres, which lands between roughly $5,900 and $8,300 new, or $7,400 to $9,900 where an old driveway has to come out first. The calculator on this page gives a figure for your own measurements.
Why do small jobs cost more per square metre?
A truck, a crew and a wash-off cost much the same to mobilise for 15 m² as for 60 m², so small pours carry a higher metre rate. Pairing jobs, a path poured with the driveway or a pool surround with the patio, is the single best way to buy the finish cheaper.
Are council fees included?
No. Where a driveway needs a vehicle crossing permit, the application fee belongs to the council, changes each financial year, and is identified with the quote rather than buried in the metre rate.