Trade 22 of 33Updated May 2026

A research dossier · 41 NSW + 32 QLD + 31 VIC homeowner posts · AS 3727 verified

Hiring a Paver
is buying
what's under the surface.

Pavers are decoration. The base layer, the bedding sand, the edge restraint, and the falls cut into the screed are what decide whether the paving stays flat in five years. The cheap paver skimps on base depth + skips the edge restraint. Two seasons later the pavers wobble + water pools.

100mm

Minimum compacted road-base for residential paving.

1:60

Falls to drain — minimum gradient.

AS 3727

Pavement Design + Construction Standard.

How this page was built

A research dossier, not a referral page.

Sources

Reddit + Whirlpool + ProductReview, AS 3727 (Pavement Design), CMAA (Concrete Masonry Association).

Verification

Pricing cross-checked. Base depth + edge restraint + drainage falls specs verified.

Funding

No paver pays for placement. Funded by the supply-side flyer service at flyers.needatrade.com.au.

Before we start

The pavers are the show.
The base is the job.

The visible work — the pretty paver pattern — takes one day to lay. The invisible work — excavation, base compaction, bedding sand, edge restraint, drainage falls — takes three. The cheap paver saves on the three days you can\'t see.

Watch the excavation. If they\'re digging less than 150mm for a driveway, they\'re cutting the base depth — and the pavers will shift.

How much should it really cost?

Paving priced per m². Base preparation often a separate line. Edge restraint per linear m. Decorative pavers + natural stone significantly more than standard concrete pavers.

Indicative ranges · AU 2026

Standard concrete pavers (supply + install · per m²)	$120 – $220/m²
Premium concrete / stamped	$180 – $320/m²
Natural stone (travertine / bluestone)	$280 – $480/m²
Driveway (50m² · standard pavers · all-in)	$8,500 – $14,500
Permeable paving (eco-friendly)	$180 – $320/m²

Ask this, exactly

"What\'s the base depth + compaction method, bedding sand, edge restraint material, and falls cut into the screed?"

How to tell a real one from a cowboy.

Red flags

!
Base depth under 100mm
Residential pedestrian = 100mm minimum. Driveway = 150mm. Anyone going less = pavers shift inside 2 years.
!
No edge restraint
Pavers need a solid edge — concrete kerb, polymer edging, or fixed border. Without it, edges crumble + pavers spread.
!
No drainage falls
1:60 minimum gradient. Pools of water on paving = wrong falls. Cheap installer lays flat to save effort.
!
Wrong bedding sand
Coarse washed sand to spec. Fine sand or builder\'s mix = bedding washes out + pavers settle.
!
No polymeric joint sand
Standard sand washes out of joints. Polymeric sand sets between pavers + holds them in place. Quality-job standard.

Verification — 5 min, free

✓
State licence above threshold (NSW $5k+ / QLD $3.3k+ / VIC $10k+).
✓
ABN + Public liability.
✓
Two reference jobs at year 3+. Drive past. Check flatness + edges + water pooling.
✓
Base depth + edge restraint + sand spec all named in quote.

Ask this, exactly

"Base depth, edge restraint type, polymeric joint sand, drainage falls — all in writing + named?"

Licence + threshold.

NSWNew South Wales

NSW Fair Trading

Paving over $5k needs Specialist Trade certificate.
Structural paving (driveways under garage etc) may need builder.

QLDQueensland

QBCC

Paving over $3,300 needs QBCC licence.
Home Warranty Scheme above same threshold.

VICVictoria

VBA

Paving over $10k = VBA registration.
DBI over $16k.

Half-time

Watch the excavation. The base depth tells the story.

Quote anatomy, the cowboy test, the licence. The first three sort the working pavers from the operators skimping on base + edges. The next seven are how working pavers tell themselves apart.

When can they fit you in?

Pavers 4–8 weeks out. Weather sensitive — base compaction needs dry conditions + polymeric sand setting requires no rain for 24 hours. Spring + autumn ideal seasons.

Ask this, exactly

"Real start date + your rule for rain during base compaction or after polymeric sand?"

What happens next, step by step.

1Step
Excavation
Dig to depth (150–200mm for driveway, 100mm for pedestrian). Soil tested. Drainage falls planned.
2Step
Base preparation
Compacted road-base layer. Plate compactor pass 3+ times. Levels checked.
3Step
Bedding sand
Coarse washed sand layer (30mm typical). Screeded flat with falls cut to drain.
4Step
Paver laying
Pavers laid in chosen pattern. Cuts at edges with diamond blade. Joints maintained at 3–5mm.
5Step
Edge restraint
Concrete kerb / polymer edging / fixed border installed. Pavers locked against movement.
6Step
Joint sand + clean
Polymeric sand swept into joints. Activated with light watering. Surface cleaned + photographed.

Concrete paver, exposed agg, or stone?

Option A · most common

Concrete pavers

Manufactured pavers. Affordable. Re-layable + replaceable. Wide colour + shape range.

Right when: driveway, path, courtyard, pool surround. Most residential.

Option B

Exposed aggregate concrete

Poured concrete. Different trade (concreter). Slip-resistant + decorative. See Concreter.

Right when: large driveway, modern aesthetic, prefer poured over paver.

Option C · premium

Natural stone

Travertine, bluestone, granite. Premium look. Each piece unique. Requires sealing.

Right when: premium homes, pool surrounds, alfresco areas.

Warranty — settling vs failure.

Layer 01
Statutory structural
6 years (NSW · VIC) / 6.5 years (QLD) on structural paving above threshold.
Layer 02
Workmanship
Typically 1–5 years. Settling, water pooling, edge failure.
Layer 03
Paver manufacturer
Concrete pavers warranted 10+ years. Natural stone — nature-warranted, no manufacturer cover.
Layer 04
Settling vs defect
Hairline settling joints in first year = normal. Wobble + significant pooling = defect.

Ask this, exactly

"What\'s the workmanship warranty + the rule on settling vs structural defect?"

Drainage, slope, vehicle load.

Drainage falls
1:60 minimum. Water shed away from house. Ag-drain at low points where needed.
Slope
Anything over 1:20 needs grading. Steep driveways need rougher textures for traction.
Vehicle load
Pedestrian: 100mm base + 60mm paver. Vehicle: 150mm base + 60mm+ paver. Heavy vehicle (boats / trucks): engineered base.
Soil class
Reactive clay = thicker base + reinforced edge. Sandy = good drainage but base can wash if edges fail.

Ask this, exactly

"Soil class, slope, vehicle load — what base depth + edge restraint suits my site?"

Edge cases — get a second opinion for…

Steep driveway
Engineered base + structural design. Anti-slip texture mandatory. Specialist sub-trade.
Heritage Conservation Area
Council may restrict material + pattern. Bluestone / sandstone often required.
Pool surround
Slip-resistance + chemical resistance. Falls away from coping. AS 1926 implications.
Permeable paving
Specific paver types + drainage layer. Different sub-trade speciality.
Heavy vehicle access
Engineered base. Truck loadings = different specs. Boat trailer regular use included.
Tree root proximity
Tree roots will lift pavers. Root barrier or strategic gap required.
Existing damaged paving
Diagnose base failure vs surface issue. Sometimes overlay works; usually full strip required.
Strata common-property paving
OC approval. Common-property pathways + driveways.
Bushfire zone (BAL)
Non-combustible paving materials in defensible space.

After they leave.

Polymeric sand sets in 24 hours — no water on the paving for that day. Sealing (decorative pavers) every 3–5 years. Re-sanding joints occasionally if standard sand. Settling cracks at lintels are normal in first 12 months.

Ask this, exactly

"What\'s the cure window, sealing schedule, and 6-month walkthrough rule?"

If you've read this far

A paver who names the base depth + edge restraint + falls before the paver pattern is not a unicorn. It's the bar.

We can introduce you to pavers in your area who already work this way. No paid placement.

Find a vetted paver Driveway · path · pool surround

← Back to all 33 trades

Trade 22 of 33.

Hiring a Paveris buying what's under the surface.

A research dossier, not a referral page.

The pavers are the show.The base is the job.

Concrete pavers

Exposed aggregate concrete

Natural stone

A paver who names the base depth + edge restraint + falls before the paver pattern is not a unicorn. It's the bar.

Hiring a Paver
is buying
what's under the surface.

The pavers are the show.
The base is the job.