Slabs, footings & structure

Excavation and site preparation for concrete

Most concrete problems start below the slab.

220 businesses listedUpdated October 2026
In short

Most concrete problems start below the slab. Site preparation means digging to the right level, removing soft soil and building a compacted crushed-rock base with the right falls.

What excavation & site preparation involves

  1. Before You Dig Australia enquiry and service location
  2. Site cut and removal of spoil
  3. Trim to level and remove soft spots
  4. Place and compact road base or crushed rock
  5. Set falls and drainage
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How much excavation & site preparation costs

Site prep is often included in a concreter's per-m² price for driveways and paths. Large cuts, rock, poor access or spoil removal are usually priced on top.

Price ranges in Australia (GST incl.)

Source: whatsthedamage.com.au, Concreting cost Australia 2026 (verified October 2026). Prices include GST. Checked October 2026.

Old concrete removal incl. disposal: typical price per m² by state

NSW$69
VIC$63
QLD$60
WA$63
SA$55
TAS$54
NT$60
ACT$66
National typical price × capital-city price index (October 2026). Click a state to open the calculator.

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Before you hire

  • Ask how deep the base will be and how it will be compacted
  • Check who removes spoil and old concrete, and where it goes
  • Ask about drainage so water doesn't pond against the house

Standards and approvals

Call Before You Dig Australia before any excavation. Removing concrete and soil from site must go to a licensed facility. Concreting for homes is licensed building work in most states. In NSW a contractor licence from NSW Fair Trading is needed for residential work over $5,000 (labour and materials, incl. GST); in Queensland a QBCC licence is needed for work over $3,300; in Victoria, domestic building work over $10,000 must be done by a registered builder (Building and Plumbing Commission). Check the licence number on the regulator's public register before paying a deposit.

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Who does excavation & site preparation

220 businesses in the directory list this service; 220 of them mention it on their own website (the quote is on each business page).

New South Wales 61 businesses

All concreters in New South Wales

Victoria 7 businesses
  • Concreter
    Concrete By BayleafCamberwell, VIC
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Hume Concreting MelbourneShepparton, VIC
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Kalm ConcreteBerwick, VIC
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Royal Concrete Pty LtdWerribee, VIC
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Concreter
    Salcrete Concreting Pty LtdCaroline Springs, VIC
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Ymc ConcretingDandenong, VIC
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Concreting Melbourne Pty LtdFerntree Gully, VIC
    • Commercial slabs
    • Formwork
    • Excavation & site preparation
Queensland 46 businesses
  • Concreter
    Bark ConcretingMount Isa, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Car parks & loading bays
  • Concreter
    Boodle's ConcreteDalby, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Commercial slabs
    • Footings, foundations & columns
  • Concreter
    Briskey ConcretingTownsville, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Shed & granny flat slabs
  • Concreter
    Brown Dog ConcreteLongreach, QLD
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
    • Excavation & site preparation
  • Concreter
    Burgess Concreting Pty LtdKingaroy, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • House slabs
  • Concreter
    C R ConcretingToowoomba, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Car parks & loading bays
  • Concreter
    Coastal Concreters Hervey BayMaryborough, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Competition ConcretingBurleigh Heads, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Concreter
    Conker Concreting Pty Ltd (Conker)Brisbane, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Car parks & loading bays
  • Concreter
    Contour Concreting QLDLogan, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete steps & ramps
    • House slabs
  • Concreter
    Dd's ConcretingBrisbane, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Commercial slabs
    • Footings, foundations & columns
  • Concreter
    Flash Concreting Pty LtdMackay, QLD
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • House slabs

All concreters in Queensland

Western Australia 31 businesses

All concreters in Western Australia

South Australia 26 businesses
  • Concreter
    A1 Adelaide ConcreteAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Concreter
    Nationwide Concrete Pty LtdAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete steps & ramps
    • Formwork
    • Excavation & site preparation
  • Concreter
    Adelaide Concrete ProsAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Bedrock Concrete SAAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Concrete Patch & CoAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Commercial slabs
  • Concreter
    Maselli Concrete ServicesAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Concreter
    Platinum ConcreteAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Commercial slabs
  • Concreter
    Wieland Concreting Pty LtdPort Augusta, SA
    • Commercial slabs
    • Footings, foundations & columns
    • Steel reinforcement (reo)
  • Concreter
    CLF ConcreteGawler, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Car parks & loading bays
  • Concreter
    Gelnar Concrete AdelaideAdelaide, SA
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Footings, foundations & columns
  • Concreter
    BT Concrete WorksAdelaide, SA
    • Shed & granny flat slabs
    • Excavation & site preparation
    • Exposed aggregate concrete
  • Concreter
    MC and Sons Concrete CreationsAdelaide, SA
    • Excavation & site preparation
    • Exposed aggregate concrete

All concreters in South Australia

Tasmania 26 businesses
  • Concreter
    Aurelia Concrete SolutionsHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Concreter
    JP Concreting TASKingston, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Concreter
    Concrete Power HobartHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Car parks & loading bays
  • Concreter
    Hobart Concreting SolutionsHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Concreter
    Supreme Concreting TasmaniaDeloraine, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • House slabs
  • Concreter
    Hobart Concrete & Terrazzo WorksHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • House slabs
  • Concrete supplier
    Bosveld ConcretingLaunceston, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Shed & granny flat slabs
  • Concrete supplier
    DuggansHobart, TAS
    • House slabs
    • Shed & granny flat slabs
    • Footings, foundations & columns
  • Concrete supplier
    Hazell Bros ConcreteHobart, TAS
    • Excavation & site preparation
    • Civil concreting
    • Exposed aggregate concrete
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Con-Tek Integrated ServicesHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Shed & granny flat slabs
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Cowen ContractingHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Driveway crossovers
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Deep House MaintenanceHobart, TAS
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Commercial slabs

All concreters in Tasmania

Northern Territory 8 businesses
  • Concreter
    Darwin Concreting SolutionsPalmerston City, NT
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Shed & granny flat slabs
  • Concrete cutting & drilling
    Di-Core Drilling & CuttingRenner Springs, NT
    • Concrete driveways
    • Commercial slabs
    • Steel reinforcement (reo)
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Bear ClawPalmerston City, NT
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Commercial slabs
    • Footings, foundations & columns
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Olympic Concreting & Construction Pty LtdPalmerston City, NT
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Concrete steps & ramps
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Ostojic GroupPalmerston City, NT
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete steps & ramps
    • Car parks & loading bays
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Schaper Concrete & ConstructionAlice Springs, NT
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • Commercial slabs
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Totalcrete Concrete ConstructionsElliott, NT
    • Concrete driveways
    • Concrete paths & footpaths
    • House slabs
  • Builder, civil or landscaping
    Civilx NTDarwin, NT
    • Excavation & site preparation
Australian Capital Territory 15 businesses

All concreters in Australian Capital Territory

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Common questions

How thick should the base be under a driveway?

Commonly 75–100 mm of compacted crushed rock, more on soft ground – your concreter or engineer sets it.

Do concreters do the excavation?

Many do small site cuts with a bobcat or excavator; bigger jobs go to an earthmoving contractor.

Why does compaction matter?

Loose soil settles under the slab, which leads to cracks and sinking.

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