Quote A
Low price, few details
- Base "compacted road base"
- Base depth not stated
- Slab thickness not stated
- Reinforcement not stated
- Concrete strength not stated
- Control joints not stated
Residential concreting · Melbourne's east
Concrete driveways with the build details in writing.
Exposed aggregate and replacement driveways across Melbourne's east. Callan visits the site, puts the price and build details in writing, and runs the job.
Thanks, we got your request.
We'll call to arrange a time to look at the job. If it's urgent, call 0468 063 650.
- What we pour
- Exposed aggregate, plain, coloured and permeable
- Job types
- Driveways, wraparounds, alfresco slabs, pool surrounds
- Where
- Melbourne's eastern suburbs
- Who turns up
- Callan, who quotes and pours the job
Customer feedback
What customers said after the job.
"Great communication and good work!"
"Great service ... took his time getting all the levels right"
Review excerpts. Read the full recommendations on HiPages.
Real CWH jobs
Driveways we've poured around Melbourne's east.
01. The written quote
What to check in a driveway quote.
Two quotes can look similar until you check what's included. These examples show the details that change the build and the price.
Quote B
Some details included
- Base crushed rock
- Base depth not stated
- Slab thickness stated
- Reinforcement "fibre"
- Concrete strength not stated
- Control joints not stated
CWH
Ours
- Base compacted crushed rock
- Base depth in millimetres
- Slab thickness in millimetres
- Reinforcement mesh grade named
- Concrete strength MPa named
- Control joints spacing stated
The four questions
Ask for these four details.
If a quote leaves any of these out, ask before you compare prices.
-
How deep is the base, in millimetres?
"Compacted road base" does not tell you how deep it is. Ask for the depth in millimetres.
-
How thick is the slab, in millimetres?
A driveway carrying a caravan or work ute may need a different slab from one carrying a small car. Ask for the thickness in millimetres.
-
What reinforcement and grade?
Ask whether the quote includes steel mesh on bar chairs, fibre in the mix, or both. The quote should name the mesh grade if mesh is included.
-
What MPa is the mix?
The mix strength should be stated in MPa. You cannot tell what was ordered once the slab is finished.
02. Why any of it matters
The ground under the driveway matters.
Many blocks in Melbourne's east have reactive clay. It expands when wet and shrinks as it dries. The base, reinforcement and control joints all need to suit the site.
Once the driveway is finished, you can't see the base or reinforcement. Get those details in the quote before work starts.
What we do about it
Control joints give the slab a planned place to crack as it moves.
- Remove the old concrete and excavate to the depth in the quote.
- Compacted crushed rock base, with the depth written on your quote.
- Steel mesh held up on bar chairs so it sits inside the slab, not under it.
- Control joints cut to a stated spacing, so the slab cracks where it's meant to.
- Falls and drainage set out before the pour, not corrected afterwards.
03. What we do
Driveways and the outdoor concrete around them.
Concrete driveways
Exposed aggregate, plain, coloured and permeable driveways. We replace damaged drives and pour new ones for rebuilds.
Driveways
Alfresco slabs & pool surrounds
We also pour wraparounds, alfresco slabs, shed slabs and pool surrounds. We can quote these with your driveway and often pour them on the same visit.
Alfresco & pools
Crossovers & footpaths
We build crossovers and reinstate footpaths to council requirements, including work needed for asset protection inspections.
Crossovers04. Recent work
Recent concrete work.
Driveways, paths, crossovers and pool surrounds from CWH jobs around Melbourne's east.
05. How we work
What happens after you get in touch.
We quote a fixed price. If site conditions call for a change, we talk it through with you before doing extra work.
STEP 01
Free site visit
Callan visits the site, measures the area and talks through the work with you.
STEP 02
Written quote
The quote lists the price, base depth, slab thickness, reinforcement, concrete mix and control joints.
STEP 03
Book the work
We book a date and keep you updated if weather affects the pour.
STEP 04
Prepare the site
We excavate, compact the base and set the formwork and mesh. We photograph the base before the pour.
STEP 05
Pour and finish
We place, finish and cut the joints. If you chose exposed aggregate, we wash it back after the concrete has set enough.
STEP 06
Clean up and handover
We clean up and tell you when you can walk and drive on the new concrete, plus how to care for the finish.
06. Who you're dealing with
You'll deal directly with Callan.
Callan runs CWH from Ringwood. He visits to quote the job and is there for the prep and pour.
- CWH is licensed and carries $20 million public liability insurance. Our ABN is 41 700 862 143.
- Call 0468 063 650 if you need to talk through the job.
- We also work with local builders, landscapers and pool builders.
- If the slab is sound and a repair makes sense, we'll say so.
07. Where we work
Based in Ringwood. Working across Melbourne's east.
We work in the suburbs below. If yours isn't listed, call and we'll confirm whether we can come out.
- Ringwood
- Croydon
- Vermont
- Blackburn
- Box Hill
- Doncaster
- Templestowe
- Donvale
- Glen Waverley
- Mount Waverley
- Wheelers Hill
- Wantirna
- Wantirna South
- Knoxfield
- Balwyn
- Canterbury
- Camberwell
- Kew
- Hawthorn East
- Glen Iris
- Ashburton
- Burwood
- Surrey Hills
- Mont Albert
08. FAQ
Common questions about driveways.
Ask us about repairs, timing, maintenance or what is included in the quote.
Do you take on small patches and paths?
We can take a look. Most of our work is full driveways, wraparounds and pool surrounds.
If a repair will do the job, we'll tell you.
Can't I just resurface instead of replacing it?
Sometimes. If the slab is sound and you only want a new look, resurfacing may be enough.
If the slab has cracked or lifted because the base has moved, a coating will not fix it.
Do I need council approval?
For a driveway inside your property line, usually not. Work touching the crossover, kerb or footpath needs council approval. Building work may also need an asset protection permit and refundable bond.
At the site visit, we'll check what your council requires.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. CWH is licensed and carries $20 million public liability insurance. Our ABN is 41 700 862 143, which you can check on ABN Lookup.
It is worth checking the ABN and insurance details of any concreter you ask to quote.
How long does a driveway take?
Most driveway jobs take several days. We remove the old slab if needed, prepare the base, set the formwork and mesh, pour, then finish and clean up.
The concrete needs time to cure. We'll tell you when you can walk and drive on it for your job.
Will exposed aggregate still look good in five years?
Exposed aggregate needs regular resealing to help prevent stains and keep its colour. We can talk through the upkeep before you choose a finish.
If you'd prefer less upkeep, ask about a plain or stipple finish.
Will it crack?
Concrete can crack as the ground moves. A sound base, reinforcement and control joints help manage where cracks form.
Ask each concreter how they plan the base, reinforcement and joints for your site.
Why is your quote more than the cheapest one?
It may not be. Compare the base depth, slab thickness, reinforcement and mix in each quote before comparing the prices.
If another quote includes the same work for less, you'll be able to see that. If it leaves out the build details, ask for them in writing.
Do you take on work for builders and landscapers?
Yes. We work with builders, landscapers and pool builders in Melbourne's east. Send the plans or choose 'builder or landscaper enquiry' on the form.
09. Get a quote
Free on-site quote with the build details in writing.
Tell us where the job is and what you need. We'll visit the site and give you a fixed written quote with the build details.
- Phone
- 0468 063 650
- Based in
- Ringwood, Victoria
- Covering
- Melbourne's east
- Insured
- $20M public liability
- ABN
- 41 700 862 143
Thanks, we got your request.
We'll call to arrange a time to look at the job. If it's urgent, call 0468 063 650.