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Want a brand new driveway to wow the neighbours but not sure how much it’ll set you back? Read on to find out how much brick or block paving will cost.
Brick paving is made from clay that has been formed into the shape of a tile. The term ‘brick’ can also be used to describe the shape of the stone, but more often than not the material is not actually brick, so you want to make sure you are getting the right material.
One benefit of brick paving is the variety of colours it’s available in, with red and grey being the most common options. It’s also great value for money as it’s very hard-wearing.
The key difference with block paving is that it uses concrete rather than clay to form each tile. It’s ideal if you’re on a budget as it’s not as expensive as clay. Block paving also has a shorter life span of around 20 years, which is far less than brick paving.
Also, the quality of the concrete can vary significantly. It’s possible to find block paving that looks like natural stone, but equally some block paving can look cheap and be prone to breakage easily. That’s why it’s important to shop around.
Here’s how much you can expect to pay for Brick and Block paving on average, based on the price of local Australian professionals:
| Type of paving | Highest average price (Per square foot) | Lowest average price (Per square foot) |
| Block paving | $45 | $3 |
| Brick paving | $90 | $20 |
Block paving is the most budget-friendly option, costing around $3 - $45 per square foot on average. The only downside is that block paving will not last as long as brick paving.
Brick paving is considered the higher quality material versus block paving. This is reflected in the price. If you wish to have brick paving, a good way to save money is to only have it placed in key areas such as the drive and walkways. Usually, the price will come under $2,700 for a medium to large size garden but will climb towards $5,000.
The cost of getting Brick and Block paving can be impacted by the following factors:
Your driveway shape
Maintenance costs
Location
If you’ve always found your driveway shape to be quite awkward or too narrow then now is the time to correct it. You’ll also need to decide whether you want the paving on just a portion of the drive (where you’d park and around entranceways) or if you wish to cover the entire garden.
Remember, the more area you want to cover, the more you’ll pay. If you have a particularly large garden, you may wish to leave some space for grass or landscaping.
While brick and block paving doesn’t require a lot of maintenance overall, your driveway will need some professional cleaning from time to time. This will cost between $150 and $350 depending on the size of your drive. Likewise, anti-mould/weed solution can be applied by cleaners and your paving can also be re-sanded too.
Brick paving is the easiest to maintain as clay is far less likely to crack compared with concrete. If any building work takes place that requires you to lift your paving stones, then this is very easy to do, which is another advantage of paving compared with a concrete drive.
Here’s how much you can expect to pay for Brick and Block paving on average in different territories across Australia:
| Location | The average cost of block paving per square foot |
| Sydney | $24 |
| Adelaide | $25 |
| Perth | $24.50 |
| Melbourne | $27 |
| Brisbane | $26 |
Bear in mind that this is a rough estimate, and the true cost will be impacted by the contractor you opt for, the size of your drive and if you need landscaping too.
When you’re visualising how you want your driveway to look, it’s important to consider what paving design you’d like as well as whether you want your garden landscaped too.
Both block and brick paving is available in a wide range of styles and colours. Brick paving, in particular, retains colour well, and it’s also possible to have contrasting colours (such as light and dark grey) to add some extra visual appeal to the overall look.
A highly skilled contractor may be able to lay your paving in a circular pattern. This works particularly well to frame landscaping, especially if you don’t want to remove trees from your garden.
Paving can be put down on its own to complement your existing garden. However, it’s also possible to have garden landscaping done as part of the job.
For example, if you have an uneven driveaway you may wish to have everything levelled off before the work starts. Or if you dislike the arrangement of any greenery, you can create a new paving design and start from scratch with new fencing, turf and plants.
Remember that any garden landscaping will come at an additional cost. Having said that, it’s one of the best ways to boost your property’s curb appeal.
When it comes to the benefits of brick and block paving, the sky’s the limit! Firstly, paving stones are not only timeless but also look more expensive and classic, especially compared with laying concrete over your drive. Whatsmore, unlike concrete, paving stones are a lot less likely to crack. It’s also much easier to dig up paving stones for maintenance issues and place them back down without being able to tell the difference.
Even with the cheaper block paving stones, you will get approximately 20 years of use out of them, making them great value for money overall. Though if your budget can stretch to brick paving, this will last for generations and so is even better value for money.
Boost the look of your property - find trusted Brick and Block Paving services on Bark.
The average rating for Bark Paving Contractors is 4.8, based on 1,912 reviews
5/5
based on 1,912 reviews
