What concrete & paving work really costs, and what to charge over it
For the concrete & paving jobs quoted most: the benchmark cost of actually doing the work, and the sell rates that land a floor, healthy or premium margin, on the national card and on every regional card. All ex GST, derived from Sumitt's 2026 rate cards. Type your own rate into the checker to see where you sit.
← Back to the full indexConcrete & paving: the benchmarks
| Job | Cost | Floor | Healthy | Premium | Healthy, by region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain slab / pathper m² · benchmark scope: 40 m2 plain concrete | $111 | $130 | $158 | $184 | $151 to $180Adelaide / SA metro → Darwin / NT | Check your rate |
| Exposed aggregate drivewayper m² · benchmark scope: 60 m2 exposed agg driveway 100mm | $134 | $157 | $191 | $223 | $182 to $216Adelaide / SA metro → Darwin / NT | Check your rate |
| Shed slabper m² · benchmark scope: 50 sqm shed slab | $123 | $145 | $176 | $206 | $168 to $200Adelaide / SA metro → Darwin / NT | Check your rate |
The healthy rate, card by card
The same reference scope, priced on each regional rate card at the healthy margin, ex GST. Each card has its own material and labour factor against the national average.
| Rate card | Materials | Labour | Plain slab / path | Exposed aggregate driveway | Shed slab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia-wide average (default) | 1.00 | 1.00 | $158 | $191 | $176 |
| Sydney / NSW metro | 1.06 | 1.14 | $171 | $206 | $192 |
| Melbourne / VIC metro | 1.00 | 1.00 | $158 | $191 | $176 |
| Brisbane / SEQ | 1.04 | 1.06 | $165 | $200 | $185 |
| Perth / WA metro | 1.03 | 1.02 | $162 | $196 | $181 |
| Adelaide / SA metro | 0.96 | 0.94 | $151 | $182 | $168 |
| Canberra / ACT | 1.05 | 1.12 | $169 | $204 | $190 |
| Hobart / TAS | 1.00 | 0.96 | $156 | $189 | $174 |
| Darwin / NT | 1.15 | 1.10 | $180 | $216 | $200 |
| Regional (freight + travel) | 1.08 | 1.03 | $168 | $204 | $187 |
Method. Every figure is derived, not surveyed. Sumitt’s 2026 regional rate cards price the reference scope shown under each job, with the same takeoff engine the app quotes with. Each rate is then set so the margin is a share of the price, not a markup on cost. The first eleven trades were recalibrated in July 2026 against named supplier prices. Carpentry, roofing, bricklaying and rendering were calibrated when they were added in August 2026, and formwork when it was added in September 2026. All figures ex GST. The regional spread uses the same rate cards’ material and labour factors. No AI, no user data, and nothing here reflects what any Sumitt user charges.
These are the current edition’s figures. The edition and the day it was published are on the index. Rates are a guide for your own pricing, not gospel and not advice. Your costs are the ones that matter, and every number stays editable in Sumitt.