Concrete patios and alfresco floors in Wonthaggi

Outdoor living on the coast

Many people move to the Bass Coast to live outdoors. A concrete patio or alfresco floor gives you a solid, level place for the table, barbecue and outdoor lounge, and stands up to sand, salt and wet winters far better than timber decking.

Under a roof or in the open

Covered alfresco areas suit smooth trowelled or honed finishes. Uncovered patios need grip, so broom, coloured or exposed aggregate finishes are better. We set falls so rain drains away from the house and doors.

Finishes

Honed concrete gives a smooth modern look; sandy colours stay cooler; exposed aggregate with finer stones is comfortable underfoot. Sealing protects against food, wine and barbecue stains.

Footings and posts

If a pergola or roof is planned, we can include thickened areas or footings for posts so the structure is properly supported.

Pool surrounds

Pool surrounds need grip, comfortable surfaces and correct falls away from the pool. We coordinate with pool builders.

Patios that handle sand and salt

On the coast, outdoor areas collect sand from feet, towels and the wind. Concrete patios are easy to sweep and hose clean, do not trap sand between boards like decking, and will not rot or need oiling. Sealed concrete also resists salty water dripping from wetsuits and towels.

Wind protection and orientation

Bass Coast winds can make an exposed patio uncomfortable. When planning a new outdoor area, consider orienting it to the north or east, or placing it where the house provides shelter from south-westerlies. We can pour footings for screens, walls or pergolas at the same time as the slab.

Outdoor kitchens

Outdoor kitchens and built-in barbecues need a level, solid base and sometimes services in the slab such as gas or power conduits and a drain for a sink. Planning these before the pour avoids cutting into new concrete later.

Linking indoors and outdoors

Level transitions from the living area to the patio make the space feel larger. Floor levels must still allow for weep holes and drainage, so we plan falls and sometimes a grated drain at the door.

Firepits and heaters

Concrete is ideal under firepits and outdoor heaters because it is non-combustible. We can form a recessed or raised area to suit.

Extending an existing patio

If you already have a patio, we can extend it. Matching old concrete is difficult, so a border or step change often looks better than trying to blend.

Shade and comfort

Covered alfresco areas stay usable in summer heat and winter showers. If a roof is coming later, we can pour footings now so the patio does not need cutting.

Sun angle

North-facing patios get winter sun; west-facing ones get hot afternoons, so lighter finishes help.

Bass Coast ground, weather and council rules

Wonthaggi sits where the coastal dunes of the Bunurong coast meet the clay country rising toward the Strzelecki foothills. Near the beaches at Cape Paterson, Inverloch and Kilcunda the ground is often pale sand that drains fast but moves if it is not confined and compacted. Inland, around North Wonthaggi, Dalyston and the farms, heavy clay swells in a wet winter and cracks open in a dry February. Parts of the old coal-mining town also carry fill, ash and brick rubble from a century of building. Add salt spray, sea mist and strong south-westerly winds, and concrete here needs a properly designed base, the right mix and careful curing. Each job gets a test hole, and the base is designed around the layers it shows.

Driveways, paths and patios within your own boundary usually need no permit. Any new or altered crossover across the nature strip, footpath or kerb needs a vehicle-crossing permit from Bass Coast Shire Council, which covers Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Phillip Island, San Remo and every town we work in. Accesses onto the Bass Highway or other main roads also involve the state road authority. House slabs, larger sheds and some coastal works need a building surveyor and engineering. We spell out whatever applies in your quote.

What a Wonthaggi Concreting quote shows

Our quotes are broken into the parts of the job rather than a single total. You will see the measured area, demolition and tip fees for any old concrete, pavers or gravel, how deep we excavate, the rock base specification and compaction method, slab thickness and reinforcement, the surface finish or pebble blend, the joint plan, drains and stormwater connections, edges and steps, sealing, and the council vehicle-crossing permit where one is needed. If a concrete pump, a long wheelbarrow run, traffic control on the Bass Highway or protection for a neighbour's driveway is required, it is listed on its own line.

This site deliberately carries no square-metre pricing. On the Bass Coast the same size driveway can sit on clean dune sand in Cape Paterson, wet grey clay in North Wonthaggi or old mine fill in South Dudley, and each needs different groundwork. A price published online would be wrong for most readers, so we prefer to look at your block and quote what it actually needs.