How Much Does a Concrete Slab Cost on the Gold Coast?

Understanding Concrete Slab Costs on the Gold Coast

Pricing for concrete on the Gold Coast has shifted significantly in the last 12 months. If you are planning a shed, garage, or home extension, the “rule of thumb” pricing for a concrete slab from a few years ago no longer applies.

We know how frustrating it is to budget for a project only to be hit with a quote that is 30% higher than expected. The reality is that raw material costs—specifically cement and steel mesh—have pushed baseline rates up.

In this guide, we break down the current 2026 pricing for different slab types and explain the specific Gold Coast variables, from sandy coastal soils to the reactive clays of the northern corridor, that will impact your final quote.

Average Slab Costs by Type

Shed and Garden Slabs

$90-$140 per square metre

For garden sheds or small workshops, this is the entry-level standard.

• The Spec: Typically 100mm thick using SL72 mesh (7mm bars).
• The “Small Load” Trap: Be aware that concrete plants (like Hanson or Holcim) charge a “minimum load fee” for orders under 3-4 cubic metres. If your shed is small (e.g., 3m x 3m), the concrete alone might cost more per square metre than a huge house slab because you are paying for empty space in the truck.

Garage Slabs

$100-$150 per square metre

Garage slabs must handle the dynamic weight of moving vehicles, which changes the engineering requirement.

• The Spec: Requires SL82 mesh (8mm bars) and a concrete strength of 25 MPa (standard) or 32 MPa (for heavy boats/caravans).
• Structural Edge: These slabs almost always require a thickened edge beam (often called a “rat wall”) around the perimeter to support the walls and prevent erosion, which adds to the labour cost.

Patio and Outdoor Slabs

$95-$135 per square metre (Plain)

This rate is for standard grey concrete. If you want a decorative finish, the price jumps significantly.

• Exposed Aggregate: Expect to pay $120-$160+ per square metre. The washing process requires more labour and a retarder chemical.
• Drainage: Unlike a shed slab, patio slabs must be laser-levelled with a specific fall (usually 1:100) to ensure Gold Coast summer storms don’t flood your back door.

House Slabs (Waffle Pod or Raft)

$130-$220 per square metre

House slabs are the most variable because they are dictated entirely by the soil test.

• Waffle Pods: generally cheaper ($130-$170/m²) because they use polystyrene voids to reduce concrete volume. They sit on the ground.
• Raft Slabs: More expensive ($160-$220/m²) as they are dug into the ground with deep internal beams. They use more concrete but are often preferred by engineers for sloping sites.

Real Cost Examples

To give you a practical sense of what Gold Coast slab projects actually cost in the current market, here are some common scenarios.

Note: These estimates include labour, concrete, and steel but exclude pump hire and major earthworks.

Project	Size	Estimated Cost
Garden shed slab	3m x 3m (9m²)	$1,200-$1,800 (High per m² due to min. fees)
Single garage slab	6m x 6m (36m²)	$3,800-$5,500
Double garage slab	6m x 9m (54m²)	$5,500-$8,200
Granny flat slab	8m x 10m (80m²)	$10,500-$15,000
House slab	150m²	$22,000-$35,000

We find that most homeowners underestimate the “minimum charges.” A 3m x 3m shed only needs about 0.9 cubic metres of concrete, but you will likely pay for a minimum cartage of 3 cubic metres.

Key Factors Affecting Slab Cost

Soil Classification

The Gold Coast has incredibly diverse soil conditions. A site in Mermaid Beach is vastly different from one in Coomera, and this classification dictates your engineering costs.

• Class A (Sand): Common in coastal suburbs like Palm Beach and Miami. These are the cheapest to build on as sand is stable and drains well.
• Class M, H1, H2 (Reactive Clay): Common in the northern growth corridor (Pimpama, Ormeau, Coomera). Clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry. To prevent your house from cracking, the engineer will mandate a “waffle pod” system or deep piering, which increases the price.
• Class P (Problem): Common in Robina and Varsity Lakes (old wetlands). These sites often need screw piles or suspended slabs, which can double the foundation cost.

Slab Type & Steel Prices

The price of steel mesh fluctuates. Currently, upgrading from standard SL72 mesh to heavy-duty SL82 mesh adds roughly 25-30% to your steel material costs.

• Raft slab: The traditional method. It uses more concrete (currently $400-$450 per cubic metre delivered) but is rock solid.
• Waffle pod: Uses less concrete but more steel and polystyrene components.
• Pier and beam: Essential for the steep slopes of Tallai or Bonogin. This is a custom build and significantly more expensive than flat-land options.

Site Access & Pump Hire

This is the most common “hidden cost” in concreting. If the truck cannot pull up right next to the formwork, we need concrete pumping.

• Line Pump: Great for residential backyards. Expect to pay $170-$190 per hour with a 4-hour minimum hire.
• Boom Pump: Required if we need to lift concrete over a house or fence. Rates start around $200-$250 per hour (4-hour min).
• The Distance Surcharge: If your block is huge and we need more than 40m of line, pump companies charge an extra $7-$12 per metre of hose.

Excavation and Earthworks

Before a drop of concrete is poured, the ground must be flat and compacted.

On the Gold Coast, tipping fees for soil removal have risen. If you are digging out a driveway on a sloping block in Mudgeeraba, you aren’t just paying for the excavator hire; you are paying to dump the spoil. Clean fill is cheaper to dump, but if your soil is mixed with clay or rock, disposal costs increase.

Council and Engineering Fees

For house slabs and large structures, the paperwork costs money before the trades arrive.

• Geotechnical report: $400-$600. Mandatory for house slabs to determine that “Class A vs Class H” soil type.
• Council Approval: A shed under 10m² with a height under 2.4m is typically “self-assessable” (no approval needed) on the Gold Coast.
• Amenity & Aesthetics: If you are building a large shed (e.g., 9m x 6m) on a residential block, you may trigger an “Amenity and Aesthetics” referral, which adds to the certification cost.

How to Get Accurate Quotes

When requesting slab quotes from Gold Coast concreters, the detail in the request determines the accuracy of the price.

Ask for these specifics:

• Concrete Strength: Confirm they are using 25 MPa for concrete driveways and garages, not the cheaper 20 MPa footpath blend.
• Mesh Class: Ask if they are quoting SL72 or SL82. The latter is stronger and reduces cracking risk.
• Cuts: Ensure “saw cuts” (expansion joints) are included. These must be done within 24 hours of pouring to control cracking.

What’s Usually Excluded

To make a quote look cheaper, some contractors leave out the difficult bits.

• Tip Fees: “Excavation included” might mean digging it up, but leaving the pile of dirt on your lawn.
• Pump Hire: Often listed as “allowance” or “if required,” leaving you with a $800 bill on the day of the pour.
• Landscape Repair: Concrete trucks are heavy. If they crack your driveway crossover or churn up the turf, standard quotes rarely cover the repair.

Getting the Best Value

The cheapest quote is rarely the winner in concreting because errors are permanent. A slab that is 10mm too thin or lacks proper vibration will fail years before it should.

We recommend comparing quotes based on the specification, not just the bottom line. If one quote is $1,000 cheaper but uses SL62 mesh (weak) instead of SL72, and 20 MPa concrete instead of 25 MPa, you are buying an inferior product.

A quality slab is the literal foundation of your asset. Spending the extra 10% now for higher strength concrete and proper site preparation prevents the 100% replacement cost of a cracked slab later.