Paving installs for $40-$100 per m2 depending on material - but the pavers are only part of the bill. The base underneath, the slope of your block and sealing can add half as much again. Here is the full picture, at installed prices.
Supply + lay rates from Australian cost guides. Most demand is small-to-mid projects - the average landscaping job on ServiceSeeking data is $3,715, not a full backyard makeover.
| Material | Installed range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paving overall (any material) | $40-$100/m2 | The span across all common paver types, materials and labour included. |
| Plain concrete paving | $50-$70/m2 | The budget end - simple patterns on a prepared base. |
| Brick paving | $70-$90/m2 | A step up for the brick look; labour similar to concrete. |
| Natural stone (granite, travertine, flagstone) | $75-$150/m2 | Top of the band covers intricate designs and challenging terrain. |
| Bluestone paving | $130-$350/m2 | Sources genuinely split: a Melbourne installer quotes $130-$280/m2 while hipages puts bluestone at $280-$350/m2. Publish the wide range - metro and premium installs sit at the top. |
Pavers sit on a prepared base, and it is a separate, sizeable line item. Per 50 m2 with easy access:
| Item | Range | Per m2 |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed rock base | $1,500-$1,800 per 50 m2 | ~$30-$36/m2 |
| Poured concrete base | $2,300-$2,800 per 50 m2 | ~$46-$56/m2 |
| Paving sealing | $10-$18/m2 | Optional, protects against stains and weeds |
Choosing a concrete base over crushed rock adds roughly $800-$1,000 per 50 m2 - worth knowing before you compare two quotes that are not pricing the same foundation.
Artificial turf, installed: $25-$35/m2 for standard grades, $50-$75/m2 mid-range and $75-$100/m2 for premium or complex work. That grade breakdown comes from one publisher (hipages), so treat the steps as a grading guide rather than a cross-checked market rate - our calculator uses a blended $35-$75/m2 band.
Premium natural turf such as Sir Walter installs for around $30-$55/m2 on installer rate cards - a single-source figure, so treat it as indicative.
Nothing moves a paving quote like the paver itself: plain concrete pavers and premium bluestone differ by roughly 3-5x per m2 on the identical area and base.
A sloping site prices above a level one for identical work - hipages' worked contrast is plain concrete at about $65/m2 level vs $75/m2 sloping, roughly 15% more.
Basic laying labour runs $25-$70/m2. Intricate patterns or difficult terrain push installation alone to $100-$150/m2.
Concrete base over crushed rock adds about $800-$1,000 per 50 m2 (see the table above).
Existing surfaces have to go somewhere. One Melbourne installer adds about 12% where old garden or concrete must be removed - a single-source figure, but the direction is universal: removal is never free.
Small jobs carry minimum charges and higher effective per-m2 rates, because travel and setup are spread over fewer metres.
$4,000-$5,040
Flat site, crushed rock base, no sealing: 40 m2 x ($70 + $30) at the low end to 40 m2 x ($90 + $36) at the top. This is the example our calculator is calibrated on.
$2,400-$3,180
Plain concrete pavers on a crushed rock base, flat site: 30 m2 x ($50 + $30) to 30 m2 x ($70 + $36).
$2,500-$3,750
Mid-grade artificial turf at $50-$75/m2 installed across a typical backyard lawn area.
$4,600-$5,800 approx.
The 40 m2 brick example on a sloping site - the flat estimate lifted by the ~15% slope factor, rounded. Slope alone adds roughly $600-$760 here.
Licensing and approvals: structural landscaping - retaining walls, decks, pergolas and paving tied to drainage - is licensed work in several states above value thresholds. In Queensland, for example, a QBCC licence is required for structural landscaping over $3,300; other states differ, so check your state's rules rather than assuming a national one. Retaining walls over 1 m typically require engineering and possibly council approval.
Prices cross-checked against hipages paving, landscaping, courtyard, outdoor paving and stone paving guides, ServiceSeeking job data and Australian installer rate cards, October 2026. Figures are guides, not quotes.
Paving installs for $40-$100 per m2 depending on material - but the pavers are only part of the bill. The base underneath, the slope of your block and sealing can add half as much again. Here is the full picture, at installed prices.
The biggest drivers are material choice - the 3-5x lever, slope, pattern complexity and base type. Each one is worked through with prices in the guide above, and the calculator prices them for your job.
Use the free calculator linked from this guide - it prices your job with the same installed ranges used here, in about 30 seconds. It is a guide range, not a quote: your contractor confirms a fixed price after seeing the job.
No - they are researched guide ranges, cross-checked across at least two published sources, not quotes. Prices move with your area, the condition of the site and the scope you choose. Get itemised quotes in writing, and check the tradesperson's licence with your state building authority before you book.
The landscaping calculator prices your material, base, slope and sealing together - the way a real quote is built.