Driveway paving in Officer & Cardinia Shire.

• Standard concrete — broom-finish or trowel-smooth grey concrete with SL82 mesh in a 100mm slab. The default, the cheapest, the longest-lasting if reinforced properly. ~$90–$130/m² installed.
• Exposed aggregate — 7–10mm river-stone or granite blend mixed into the concrete, top paste washed off to reveal stone. CCAA-aligned mix design. Real-stone surface, naturally non-slip, won’t fade. ~$140–$180/m².
• Stencilled concrete — brick, slate or cobble pattern pressed into wet concrete + oxide-stained + sealed. Looks great year 1, needs resealing every 3–5 years. ~$130–$160/m².
• Segmental block paving — Adbri, Boral or Brikmakers block pavers laid over compacted Class 3 base, sand bedded, polymeric-sanded joints, edge restrained. Individual blocks replaceable if damaged. ~$130–$200/m².
• Bluestone or granite pavers — large-format natural stone, premium look, holds colour for life. 30+ year horizon. ~$180–$260/m².

Why exposed aggregate dominates Officer new builds.

Roughly 60% of Officer-estate driveways we’ve poured in the last three years are exposed aggregate. The reason: it looks like a $200/m² stone driveway at $140–$180/m², the texture means kids and dogs don’t slip on it after rain, and the surface doesn’t need re-sealing every few years like stencilled does. The catch is mix design and washing window — cheap exposed agg jobs use the wrong aggregate size and wash too late, leaving you with a patchy pebble surface. We spec a 7–10mm river-stone or granite blend from a CCAA-compliant supplier and wash within the right working window every time.

The Cardinia Shire crossover permit (the bit that trips most owners).

The strip between the road kerb and your property boundary is council jurisdiction. Any work on it — new crossover, widening single to double, replacing a damaged one — needs a vehicle crossing permit from Cardinia Shire (~$200–$350 application fee). The crossover slab must be 125mm thick, SL82 mesh, set widths to council spec, expansion joints at the kerb. Council inspects at pour and at completion. We lodge the application, book the inspections and pour to the IPWEA-aligned spec.

Base prep — the unglamorous bit that matters most.

• Excavation: Strip topsoil + 100–150mm of site clay. Officer clay is reactive (Class M) — leaving it under the slab causes cracking within 3 years.
• Base course: 100mm minimum compacted Class 3 crushed rock, compacted to 95% MMDD in 75mm layers. Not 100mm dumped in one pass — that’s not compaction.
• Moisture barrier: 75µm polyethylene sheet between base and slab. Stops base moisture wicking into concrete and stops slurry losing to base.
• Reinforcement: SL82 mesh, full top-half cover. SL92 for heavier vehicles or Class H clay sites.
• Control joints: Saw-cut at 4m spacing within 12–24 hours of pour. No cut joints = random crack location.

Pricing examples (Officer 2026).

• 60m² double driveway, standard concrete + crossover: $6,500–$8,500
• 60m² double driveway, exposed aggregate + crossover: $9,500–$12,500
• 60m² double driveway, stencilled + crossover: $8,500–$10,500
• 60m² double driveway, segmental block + crossover: $9,000–$13,500
• 60m² double driveway, bluestone pavers + crossover: $12,500–$17,500

Standards we work to.

• AS 3727 — Residential pavements: Slab thickness, base spec, crossfall (1:80 minimum to drain), joint spacing.
• AS 2870 — Residential slabs on reactive soil: Soil classification, footing design on reactive clay.
• CCAA — Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia: Mix-design guidance for exposed aggregate, curing, hot-weather pouring.
• Cardinia Shire IPWEA standard drawings: Crossover thickness, dimensions, expansion-joint location.