How wide should a side path be?

Wide enough for what passes along it: wheelie bins, a mower or a wheelchair. Measure your bins and gate openings and tell the provider the width you want before they quote.

Can a patio slab go right up to the house?

It can meet the house, with an isolation joint between the two slabs and falls away from the wall. It should not cover weep holes or sit above the damp course.

Do I need a drain along my path?

If the path falls toward the house or catches downpipe water, a grated drain connected to stormwater may be needed. A provider should look at where water goes now before suggesting one.

Is a concrete path cheaper than pavers?

Often, for a plain finish over a long run, but it depends on the area and the paver choice. Ask for both if you are unsure, priced on the same area.

Can I add a roof over my alfresco slab later?

Yes, but plan it now. Roof posts often need their own footings, and setting them out before the pour saves cutting the slab later. A roof may also need its own approval.

Concrete paths, patios and alfresco slabs in Albury

Paths and patio slabs are the most common small concreting jobs around a house, and the detail that matters most is the fall: water has to run away from the walls. A national guide prices plain or reinforced concrete at $80 to $135 per sqm, so a small path can sit under the 5,000 dollar NSW licence threshold while a large alfresco area will often pass it.

Illustrative photo for Concrete paths, patios and alfresco slabs

Requests sent through this site are passed to independent local concreters; the one you choose quotes, schedules and lays the concrete.

Why do people concrete around the house?

Mud and weeds along the side of the house. A side path gives a clean route to the bins, the meter box and the back yard.
A bare yard after handover. If a new home in Thurgoona or Baranduda was handed over without paths, the outside works become a separate job.
An outdoor living area. An alfresco slab under a roof or pergola extends the living area into the yard.
Old pavers that have moved. Sunken or rocking pavers near the back door are a trip hazard and often hold water against the house.
Access. Wider, flatter paths make life easier for prams, wheelchairs and wheelie bins.

Which surface suits each area?

Area	Common choice	Published price guide	Why
Side path and bin pad	Plain broom finish	$80 to $135 per sqm	Cheap, grippy and easy to hose
Clothesline or garden path	Plain or coloured	$110 to $120 per sqm	Colour softens a long run of grey
Alfresco or patio slab	Exposed aggregate or coloured	$125 to $160 per sqm	Hides marks and matches a decorative driveway
Feature area	Stencilled	$120 to $170 per sqm	Pattern without the cost of pavers; needs resealing

These bands are from hipages’ concreting cost guide, updated in September 2026. Small jobs often carry a minimum charge because the truck, pump and finishing time cost much the same for a short path as a longer one, so combining a path with a patio or a driveway can make each square metre cheaper. The Albury concreting cost guide explains the other price drivers.

What does a provider need to check near the house?

Concrete against a house wall is where most problems start. A careful concreter will check:

Floor level and weep holes. In brick veneer homes the weep holes near the bottom of the wall let moisture out of the cavity. Paths should not cover them or bury the damp-proof course.
Termite inspection zones. Some homes rely on a visible strip at the slab edge for termite inspections. Covering it can cause trouble with the home’s termite management system, so ask the provider to check before pouring against the slab edge.
Falls. Every path and patio should drain away from the house, toward the yard or a grated drain.
Downpipes and pits. Where a downpipe meets a path, the water needs a grate or a stormwater connection, not a puddle at the corner.
Joints at the house. An isolation joint between the new slab and the house slab stops the two cracking each other as they move.
Pipes underneath. Sewer and stormwater lines often run under side paths, and inspection openings must stay reachable.

What does the work involve?

The area is marked out and levels are taken from the house floor and the yard.
Soil is dug to depth and a crushed rock base is compacted.
Edge forms are set with the falls built in, and reinforcement is placed where the design calls for it.
Isolation joints are fixed against the house and any existing slab.
Concrete is placed, finished to the chosen texture, and control joints are tooled or cut.
The slab is cured and kept clear of foot traffic until the provider says it is ready.

Which rules apply?

Most paths and patios on private land in NSW can be exempt development under the Codes SEPP if they meet the state standards for pathways and paving: run-off goes to the existing stormwater system, the land is not in a heritage conservation area, and the work is built to the listed standards. A roof over an alfresco slab is a separate structure with its own approval questions.

For concreting valued above 5,000 dollars including GST, the concreter needs the NSW general concreting licence, and you need a written contract. If you own a townhouse or unit in Lavington or elsewhere, check with the owners corporation before you start, because shared areas are usually common property.

What will a careful concreter never do?

Pour a path higher than the house damp-proof course or over the weep holes.
Run a patio fall toward the back door.
Bond a new slab straight to the house slab with no isolation joint.
Bury a sewer inspection opening under concrete.
Skip the base on the grounds that “it is only a path”.

What to do next

Sketch the paths and patio on a printout of the block or a photo, mark where downpipes and taps are, and note how wide you want each path. Then send the path and patio details so a provider can arrange a look.

Send a job enquiry

Concrete paths, patios and alfresco slabs