- Solid. Durable. Trusted
Concrete Contractors in Hamilton
Concrete Contractors Hamilton lay driveways, house slabs and foundations, patios, paths, commercial slabs and decorative concrete across Hamilton City and the wider Waikato. We install, repair, resurface and seal both residential and commercial work, and the same crew does all of it instead of a different subcontractor for each part. Ready mix is produced to NZS 3104 and reinforcing to AS/NZS 4671, which are the two specifications a driveway or a slab is actually built from.
Every job starts with a free on-site assessment and a written quote based on what the ground actually needs. We check that ground first, because roughly a fifth of Hamilton is peat and closer to a quarter on the western side, and base preparation, drainage and joint placement decide how a slab behaves long after the pour. If the honest answer is a repair rather than a replacement, that is what we will tell you. The quote is written, and the assessment happens before any pricing, not after it.
- Licensed & Insured
- Free On-Site Assessments
- 10+ Years of Experience
4.8/5 Ratings
Chosen by 200+ homeowners and businesses across Hamilton and the wider Waikato.
Get a Free Concrete Quote
- No Spam. Response Within 24 Hours
Hamilton
Projects Completed
Years in Business
Happy Clients
Residential Concrete
Concrete Services for Hamilton Homes
Driveways, house slabs, patios, paths and repairs across Hamilton City, from the free-draining Horotiu mounds around Rototuna to the peat-influenced ground through the western suburbs. The service changes with the ground, so every job starts on site. The full range of work we cover is set out on our concrete services page.
Concrete Driveways
We build new concrete driveways, replacements and widenings, plus extensions and the vehicle crossing at the kerb.
Cracked and sunken driveways almost always trace to the base. We lay a minimum 100 mm in 20 MPa over compacted basecourse, which carries cars, utes and vans up to 2.5 tonnes, and cut joints.
You walk on it after a day or two and park on it at seven days, ten in winter. We lodge the council crossing application and book the inspections.
Concrete Foundations
We pour house slabs, extensions and engineered concrete foundations, plus garage pads and shed floors for ground that needs them.
Compaction, mesh grade and cover decide how a slab performs, and Hamilton peat punishes a shortfall in any of them. We build to NZS 3604 over 0.25 mm polythene with 150 mm taped laps, so ground moisture stays out of the floor, using Grade 500E mesh at 2.27 kg/m².
If you have an engineer’s detail we build to it. If you do not, we tell you at the site visit whether your ground is likely to need one.
Concrete Patios
We lay patios, courtyards, outdoor living areas and pool surrounds, either new or replacing one that has failed.
A patio without falls, or with falls running the wrong way, holds water, and standing water brings efflorescence, moss and lifting edges. We set the falls before the boxing goes up and keep panel length to width under 1.7:1, so panels shrink evenly.
Concrete Paths and Steps
Path and step work is the narrow end of concreting, and we cover footpaths, side paths, garden steps and entry stairs.
We pour pedestrian paths at 75 mm with 668 mesh over compacted basecourse and hand-tool the edges. On sloping or gully-adjacent sites we design cut-off drainage first, because Hinuera material erodes under runoff from even brief rainfall.
Tell us if a wheelchair or a wheelie bin has to use it.
Concrete Repair
We repair cracked, delaminated and settled concrete on driveways, patios, paths and garage floors, and we resurface where the slab underneath is sound.
The mechanism decides the fix, so we diagnose before quoting. Drying shrinkage comes from joints cut past the 12 to 18 hour window. Crazing and efflorescence are usually cosmetic. Stepped or tilted panels mean the ground has moved.
Not every failing slab needs replacing, and where the fault sits at the surface we will say so, even when the smaller job is worth less to us.
Concrete Replacement and Removal
We break out old concrete, cart it away, rebuild the base underneath and re-pour, on driveways, patios, paths, garage and shed floors.
Where the base has failed or the ground has moved, resurfacing covers the symptom and leaves the cause. We excavate to depth and compact certified basecourse in layers no thicker than 150 mm, which is what stops the new slab settling the way the old one did.
Removal is priced on slab thickness, reinforcement, access and tip fees. A slab a digger can reach costs far less than one broken out by hand.
Free on-site assessmentThe assessment is free. We look at the ground, the falls and the drainage first, then put the quote in writing.
Call 07 808 6925Commercial and Rural Concrete
Concrete for Hamilton Businesses and Lifestyle Blocks
Slabs, hardstand, car parks and rural pads for Hamilton businesses and lifestyle blocks. Most of this work happens around something that has to keep running, so staging, access and your operating hours come up before specification does.
Commercial Slabs and Hardstand
Our commercial concrete services cover warehouse floors, workshop slabs and yard hardstand, along with loading areas and wash-down pads.
Most of it happens around a business that has to keep running, so we stage the pour in sections and keep access open to the part of the yard you still need.
Loading decides the slab. We specify 25 MPa up to 3 tonnes gross, 30 MPa above that, and 40 MPa where forklifts run, because a solid tyre concentrates load into a much smaller contact patch.
Car Parks and Access Ways
We grade, drain and pour customer car parks, staff parking, access ways and loading lanes, including the commercial vehicle crossing at the road.
A car park that does not drain ponds water, and ponding undermines the base. We reinforce with engineered mesh or D12 bar and set the surface tolerance in the specification, which is what keeps puddles out of the bays.
We can build in stages so half the car park stays open, and we lodge the council crossing application.
Rural and Lifestyle Block Concrete
We concrete shed floors, implement bays, dairy hardstand, tanker tracks, feed pads and lifestyle block driveways.
Rural jobs bring heavier point loading and worse ground than city work. Peat in the Rukuhia swamp has been measured subsiding 25.6 mm a year, more movement in twelve months than a designed joint absorbs, so we detail joints and steel for ground that keeps moving.
Tell us the heaviest thing that will run on it, because that number sets the slab, and whether a truck can reach the pour.
Free on-site assessmentThe assessment is free. We look at the ground, the falls and the drainage first, then put the quote in writing.
Call 07 808 6925Decorative Concrete
Exposed Aggregate Concrete, Stamped, Coloured and Sealed
Finishes for driveways, patios and pool surrounds, all laid on the same structural slab as a plain pour. The finish changes the look, the grip and the rate. It does not change what holds the slab together.
Exposed Aggregate
We lay exposed aggregate driveways, paths and pool surrounds more than any other decorative finish in Hamilton.
It hides tyre marks better than plain concrete and grips underfoot when wet. The slab underneath is the same structural build as any driveway, 100 mm in 20 MPa with 665 mesh, then we retard the surface and wash off to suit the stone.
It needs sealing to hold its colour, which we quote with the job, and it carries a premium over a broom finish.
Stamped and Patterned Concrete
We stamp slate, cobblestone, brick and timber patterns into one continuous slab, with no sand joints between units for weeds to come through.
The pattern presses into a structural slab, 100 mm in 20 MPa with 665 mesh under a driveway, so the finish costs you nothing in strength. We add a grip additive to the sealer, because a patterned surface holds water in the profile.
Choose the pattern and colour before we book the pour, since the mats go on while the concrete is in a narrow window and both are set on the day.
Coloured Concrete
Coloured concrete carries its colour right through the slab, and we lay it on driveways, patios and paths.
The plant batches oxide through the whole load, or we work a colour hardener into the surface, so the colour will not chip or flake the way a coating can. The slab is the same build as a plain driveway, 100 mm in 20 MPa with 665 mesh.
Oxide is fixed once the load leaves the plant, so we confirm colour and volume before the truck is booked.
Concrete Sealing
We seal new concrete, reseal driveways and patios that have gone dull, and strip failed coatings before a fresh one goes on.
Prep is most of the work, because sealing over a dirty, damp or efflorescent surface locks the problem underneath. New concrete seals from 28 days, once it has cured, since sealing earlier traps moisture that is still leaving the slab.
Efflorescence is telling you something about the moisture path under the slab, so we identify what the surface needs before we quote the job.
Free on-site assessmentThe assessment is free. We look at the ground, the falls and the drainage first, then put the quote in writing.
Call 07 808 6925How We Work
How a Concrete Project Runs
1. Free On-Site Assessment
A senior concreter visits, assesses subgrade, drainage, groundwater, access and levels, checks your address against Council flood and District Plan overlays, and confirms whether a vehicle crossing application applies. You leave knowing what your project needs and why.
2. Quote and Approvals
A written quote stating the concrete grade, mesh grade and position, basecourse depth and class, drainage, joint layout, finish and the supplying plant. Where Council approval or inspection is required, we lodge the application and book the inspections as part of the job.
3. Applications and Inspections
We lodge the Hamilton City Council vehicle crossing application and the Corridor Access Request through beforeUdig, and book the pre-pour inspection. Council allows 10 working days for the work once approved.
4. Excavate, Base and Steel
Dig to depth, cart away, lay and compact certified basecourse in layers no thicker than 150 mm, install drainage and any culvert, set boxing to level with falls confirmed, lay the damp proof membrane where required and mesh on chairs at correct cover.
5. Pour, Finish, Joint and Cure
Place, screed, float and finish to the specified texture, trowelling only once the bleed sheen has gone. Joints cut within 12 to 18 hours depending on temperature. Cured a minimum of 3 days, 7 for heavier traffic. Foot traffic after a day or two, vehicles at seven days and ten in winter.
Industry Experts
Why Choose Us?
Ground First, Concrete Second
Peatland covers roughly a fifth of Hamilton City, and Council geotechnical work puts peat soils near 24%. We assess subgrade, drainage and groundwater before quoting, because base preparation, drainage and jointing often determine how well a slab performs over time.
Quoted From The Site
We visit before we price. The things that move a concrete job the most sit under the ground, and they cannot be judged from an address or a square metre count. The assessment is free and there is no obligation at the end of it.
Certified Mixes and Materials
Ready-mix produced to NZS 3104, with mesh and bar to AS/NZS 4671. Every job also follows Hamilton City Council and Regional Infrastructure Technical Specifications for base preparation, falls and drainage.
Free Quotes, Straight Answers
We come to you, assess the site at no charge, and tell you plainly when repair is the better option than a full replacement. If the ground has moved rather than the concrete, we say that too. Fully licensed and insured on every job.
Pricing
Concrete Prices in Hamilton
Most Hamilton concreting companies will not publish a number. We think that wastes your time. Here is what the work costs, with the ranges and the reasons behind them.
The ranges below and assume a complete job on a straightforward site: subgrade preparation, excavation and cartage, compacted basecourse, reinforcement, the pour, the finish, joint cutting and clean-up. Every job is priced after a free site visit, because the things that move the number most sit under the ground and cannot be judged from an address.
Driveway and Flatwork Prices Per Square Metre
Roughly 30 m² and up. Larger, simpler pours sit toward the lower end of each range.
Plain or Broom Finish
$100 – $150
per m²
The standard finish for driveways, shed floors and hardstand. The $100 end assumes clear access and ground that needs no extra work.
Coloured Concrete
$120 – $170
per m²
Oxide batched through the mix or colour hardener worked into the surface.
Exposed Aggregate
$130 – $200+
per m²
Includes surface retarder, wash-off and stone selection. Sealing recommended.
Stamped or Patterned
$120 – $170
per m²
Includes colour hardener, release agent, mat work and a grip additive in the sealer.
Patios, Paths and Smaller Areas
Per m². The published ranges are per square metre of finished concrete, and each one covers the complete job from excavation through to joint cutting.
Slabs, Foundations and Removals, Quoted Per Job
Priced on design, area, exposure zone and ground conditions.
Priced on the engineer’s detail. Geotechnical investigation is costed separately.
Loading, subgrade CBR, area, joint design and staging around your operation.
Slab thickness, reinforcement, machine access and tip fees. Reinforced concrete costs considerably more to remove.
Surface area, condition and prep required. Prep is most of the work.
Set by Council and reviewed periodically. We confirm the current application and inspection fees when we quote.
Reading these numbers. Difficult access, deep excavation, extensive drainage or peat-affected ground push a job above these ranges. We tell you that at the free assessment, before any work is priced.
What Moves the Price of a Concrete Job in Hamilton
Two 50 m² driveways on the same Hamilton street can be thousands of dollars apart. These are the reasons, roughly in order of how much they move the number.
The biggest variable in Hamilton. A free-draining Horotiu mound is a standard build. A Te Kowhai swale needs deeper basecourse and subsoil drainage, and peat-influenced ground may need a designed slab with geotechnical input.
Council reports put the water table inside the upper 3 metres across the western city and as shallow as 0.1 metres at Rotokauri North. A high or perched water table changes excavation, drainage and pour timing.
100 mm of compacted basecourse over good ground, 200 mm or more over soft subgrade. Every extra cubic metre stripped has to be loaded, carted and tipped.
Slab thickness, whether it is mesh-reinforced, and whether a breaker or a saw is needed. Reinforced concrete costs considerably more to remove.
Whether the truck reaches the pour or a pump is needed, and how far material has to be barrowed. Restricted access is the main reason small jobs cost more per square metre.
100 mm and 665 mesh for a standard driveway, 150 mm with heavier steel over poor ground or for heavier vehicles. 20 MPa for residential driveways, 25 MPa above 3 tonnes gross, higher grades for commercial traffic.
Subsoil drainage, a culvert, sumps or targeted soakage. Where the ground will not take water away and soakage is not feasible, the design changes and so does the price.
Broom is the base rate. Coloured, exposed aggregate and stamped each add material and labour, and decorative finishes usually need sealing.
Before you compare quotes
Compare Scope Before You Compare Price
A big gap between two quotes is rarely one crew charging more for identical work. It is usually different scopes being priced. Some rates cover supply and place only, with concrete, labour and finish in the number and excavation, basecourse and drainage outside it. On Hamilton ground the base decides whether a slab survives a Te Kowhai swale, a high water table or peat, so a low rate is often a smaller scope of work, not a better price. Ask every quote, in writing:
- Is excavation included, with cartage and tip fees?
- How deep is the basecourse, and how many compacted layers?
- Is drainage in the number or out of it?
- Who lodges the vehicle crossing application, and are the Council fees included?
Rates are indicative ranges,, and are not a quote. Every job is quoted following a free on-site assessment.
HAMILTON GROUND CONDITIONS
Why the Ground Under Your Slab Matters in Hamilton
Two things about Hamilton ground decide what a concrete job costs here. Which soil you are on, and how deep the water sits. Neither of them shows from the street.
The city sits on an old braided-river surface of volcanic sand and silt, and it left a ridge-and-swale landscape. Free-draining Horotiu soils on the low mounds take a standard build, roughly 100 mm of compacted basecourse under the slab. Poorly drained Te Kowhai gley soils in the swales between them take 200 mm or more with subsoil drainage added. That is why two driveways three doors apart get different quotes.
Then there is peat. Peatland covers 19.5% of Hamilton City by area, and Council’s own geotechnical work puts peat soils nearer 24%, concentrated on the western side. Roughly a quarter of the city. Peat layers also sit buried on sites that look entirely ordinary at the surface. In the Rukuhia swamp south of the city, mean subsidence has been measured at 25.6 mm per year, 2.05 metres over 80 years. Concrete accommodates movement in millimetres at designed joints, so peat can spend a slab’s entire joint tolerance in a single year. On those sites we design joints and reinforcement for ground that keeps moving, and where the peat runs deep the slab needs an engineer.
Groundwater varies just as sharply. Council-commissioned reports put the water table 3 to 5 metres under the low hills, within the upper 3 metres across the western city, and 0.1 to 1.1 metres at Rotokauri North, rising half a metre again after rain. At the shallow end the excavation fills, the basecourse will not compact properly, and the pour has to be timed around it.
You cannot tell which of these you have from the street, and neither can we. That is what the free assessment is for, and it is why we price after it, not before.
Testimonials
Hamilton Concrete Reviews
Chloe Smith - Property Owner in Hillcrest
Nick Mckelvie - Property manager Ray White
Susan Campbell - Homeowner from Rototuna
Common Questions From Hamilton Homeowners
Concrete Services FAQs
How much does a concrete driveway cost in Hamilton?
For a complete job on a straightforward Hamilton site, plain or broom finish driveways run roughly $100 to $150 per square metre. Coloured concrete runs $120 to $170, exposed aggregate $130 to $200+, and stamped or patterned $120 to $170.
We publish ranges rather than fixed prices because subgrade condition, groundwater depth, basecourse depth, site access and how much old surface has to come out all move the number substantially. Be careful comparing quotes: some published rates are supply-and-place only, excluding site preparation and drainage, which on Hamilton ground is most of the work.
Do I need Hamilton City Council approval for a driveway?
For the vehicle crossing, yes, and repairs count. Hamilton City Council approves, inspects and signs off new crossings, rebuilds of existing ones and repairs, and asks to be contacted before work starts. Residential crossings are 3 to 5.5 metres wide at the boundary, commercial 5 to 7.5 metres, built to the Regional Infrastructure Technical Specification section 3.3.19. The application also asks whether the driveway slope exceeds 1:12, so a sloping site is declared at that point. A Corridor Access Request goes in before work starts, then a pre-pour inspection and a final inspection needing 48 hours notice. We lodge all of it as part of the job.
Is my Hamilton property on peat, and does it matter?
It is worth checking, and it is more common than many people realise. Peatland covers 19.5% of Hamilton City and Council geotechnical work puts peat soils at around 24%, concentrated on the western side, with buried peat lenses also occurring within the Hinuera Formation on sites that look ordinary at the surface.
Peat in the Rukuhia swamp south of the city has been measured subsiding 25.6 mm a year. On a peat-influenced site we design joints and reinforcement for movement and recommend geotechnical input where the peat is deep. S-Map Online, a Council LIM and a site inspection are the reliable ways to find out.
How thick should a concrete driveway be in Hamilton?
At least 100 mm, rated for vehicles up to 2.5 tonnes, over roughly 100 mm of compacted certified basecourse. Over poor subgrade (a Te Kowhai swale, a high water table, or peat influence), thickness goes to 150 mm and the basecourse gets deeper. Pedestrian-only paths can be 75 mm. Anything carrying trucks or tankers should be engineered, not assumed.
How long before I can walk or drive on new concrete?
Foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two, and vehicles at seven days, stretching to ten through a Hamilton winter. In a cold, damp Hamilton winter, curing slows and that extends. Concrete keeps gaining strength for weeks, so heavy vehicles should wait longer. We give you the specific timeframe for your pour rather than a rule of thumb.
Why does concrete crack, and can it be prevented?
Some cracking is inherent. Concrete shrinks as it dries and cracks if restrained. Control joints exist to decide where that happens, cut to a quarter of the slab depth on a driveway, within 12 hours in hot weather or 16 to 18 in cooler conditions.
Uncontrolled cracking usually traces to joints cut too late or too shallow, too much water added on site, or a base that was never properly compacted. Stepped or tilted panels are a different problem entirely. That is the ground moving, and in Hamilton it usually means peat or uncontrolled fill.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We are licensed and carry public liability insurance on every residential and commercial project. Hamilton City Council requires evidence of public liability insurance, including policy number and excess, with every vehicle crossing application, which we supply as part of lodging it.
What areas do you serve?
Hamilton City is our home market and where most of our work is: Rototuna, Flagstaff, Huntington, Queenwood, Chartwell, Hillcrest, Silverdale, Claudelands, Hamilton East, Peachgrove, Enderley, Fairfield, Pukete, St Andrews, Te Rapa, Beerescourt, Whitiora, Hamilton Central, Frankton, Dinsdale, Nawton, Crawshaw, Western Heights, Maeroa, Bader, Melville, Glenview, Fitzroy, Deanwell, Temple View, Rotokauri, Ruakura and Peacocke.
We also take work in the surrounding Waikato where the job suits, including Tamahere, Matangi, Newstead, Horsham Downs, Horotiu, Ngāruawāhia, Te Kōwhai, Ōhaupō and Rukuhia.