Guides
Straight answers
before you ring.
What things cost in Victoria, which option suits which site, and what to ask any contractor. Written by the people who do the work.
How much do screw piles cost in Victoria?
In Victoria, installed screw piles typically run from about $180 to $450 per pile for standard 76, 89 and 105 mm helical piles on a house, deck or shed site, with most residential jobs landing between $3,000 and $12,000 all up. Pile size, depth to bearing, soil, access and how many piles the engineer specifies drive the number. A fixed written quote follows a site visit and the engineer's drawings.
Screw piles vs bored piers: which should you use?
Screw piles are steel piles wound into the ground to a measured torque; bored piers are holes drilled and filled with concrete. Screw piles win on speed, wet or reactive sites, tight access and verified load on every pile. Bored piers win on cost for simple sites with good access and stable soil, and where a large-diameter concrete pier is specified. Many Melbourne jobs could use either; the engineer's design and the site conditions decide.
How much does an exposed aggregate driveway cost in Melbourne?
An exposed aggregate driveway in Melbourne typically costs between about $120 and $200 per square metre installed, so a standard 50 m² single driveway lands around $6,000 to $10,000 and a double driveway of 80 to 100 m² around $10,000 to $18,000. Aggregate choice, slab thickness (125 to 150 mm), site preparation, the council crossover and sealing make up the difference. We quote after a site visit.