Areas measured by finish type, not by slab, with saw cuts, edge detail, sealing and the extra passes each finish needs all costed as their own lines.
Two driveways with the same area and the same slab thickness can differ enormously in cost, because a plain broom finish is one pass and a honed or polished finish is several passes with grinding, filling and sealing in between.
We measure by finish type and quantify the process each finish requires, so the estimate reflects the work rather than the footprint. Where a job has three finishes running into each other, each one gets its own area and its own rate.
Areas are measured by finish off the site plan and the finishes schedule — exposed aggregate, honed, polished, stencil, stamped, coloured and liquid limestone all kept separate, along with any plain broom finish areas in the same pour.
For each finish we quantify what it actually takes: the concrete itself by volume with the specified mix and any oxide or colour additive, then the finishing process — exposure wash, grinding passes and grit levels, filling, densifier and sealer coats — each by area.
Then the detail: saw cuts and control joints by the metre, edge treatment and step nosings by the metre, formwork by contact area, reinforcement by area and type, and the transitions where one finish meets another, which are slow and always need a proper joint.
Nothing here is an allowance. Each line is measured off your drawings in its own unit, so you can check it against the plan yourself.
| Item | How it is measured | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Area by finish | Each finish type measured separately | Finish, not area, is what drives most of the cost |
| Concrete volume | By area, thickness and specified mix | Decorative mixes often carry a specific aggregate or oxide |
| Colour and oxide | By volume of concrete or by area for dry shake | Integral colour and dry shake are costed very differently |
| Finishing passes | Grinding, honing and polishing passes by area and grit | Each pass is a separate lot of labour and consumables |
| Exposure and wash | Area for exposed aggregate wash-off | Timing sensitive work with real disposal implications |
| Sealing | Area by coat and by sealer type | Sealer type and coat count vary widely between finishes |
| Saw cuts | Linear metres of control and decorative cuts | Decorative cut patterns can far exceed the structural minimum |
| Edges and nosings | Linear metres by detail type | Detailed hand work, slow, and priced by the metre |
| Finish transitions | Linear metres where two finishes meet | Needs a joint and careful work — never free |
| Finish | Process | Cost driver |
|---|---|---|
| Broom / plain | Place, screed, float, broom | Baseline — one finishing pass |
| Exposed aggregate | Place, apply retarder, wash off, seal | Wash timing, water and slurry disposal |
| Honed | Grind to expose, fill, seal | Number of grinding passes |
| Polished | Multiple grits, densifier, polish | Grit sequence and gloss level specified |
| Stencil / stamped | Colour, pattern, release, seal | Pattern complexity and colour count |
| Liquid limestone | Overlay placement, cut, seal | Cut pattern and overlay thickness |
A polished concrete specification should nominate the aggregate exposure level and the gloss level, because those two things decide how many grinding passes the job needs. The difference between a low-gloss grind and a high-gloss polish is several full passes across the whole area.
Where the specification is vague we state the exposure and gloss level we priced against. It is the single most common source of dispute on polished concrete, and putting it in writing at quoting time settles it before it starts.
The same five steps on every job, whether it is a single slab or a full tender package.
Email the architectural and structural drawings, the specification and the scope of works in whatever format you have — PDF, DWG, or photos of a marked-up set. If something is missing we will tell you before we start, not after.
Areas are measured by finish off the site plan and the finishes schedule — exposed aggregate, honed, polished, stencil, stamped, coloured and liquid limestone all kept separate, along with any plain broom finish areas in the same pour.
Every measured item gets its own colour and legend entry on the drawing. When the takeoff comes back you can see exactly what was counted and what was not, so you are never asked to trust a number you cannot trace. This is the part clients tell us they did not know they needed until they had it.
The takeoff is delivered as a working spreadsheet, not a locked PDF. Your rates sit in their own column, so you can change a supply price or a labour rate and watch the total move. Plug in your own numbers and the sheet is yours to reuse on the next job.
Quantities are re-measured independently and cross-checked against the drawing before anything leaves here. You get the marked-up plans, the priced spreadsheet and a plain-English note on anything we flagged as unclear or excluded.
The takeoff arrives as a live Excel spreadsheet with the colour-coded marked-up plans beside it. Your rates go in your own column, so you can plug in your own supply and labour numbers and reuse the sheet on the next job. Nothing is locked.
First estimate free. After that the fee is confirmed in writing as a fixed amount before any work starts. No retainer, no subscription, no lock-in contract. Full pricing detail here →
Polishing or honing an existing slab depends on what is in it — the aggregate, the flatness, any old adhesive or coating, and any patching that has to happen before grinding. None of that is visible on a drawing.
For existing slabs we quantify the grinding and preparation as separate lines and state what we assumed about the slab condition, so the item most likely to move is clearly identified before you commit to a price.
Quantities are measured against the standards and the specification for your job. Where a drawing and a standard disagree, we flag it rather than quietly picking one.
| Standard | Covers | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| AS 3600 | Concrete structures | Design, cover and reinforcement |
| AS 1379 | Specification and supply of concrete | Mix specification and supply |
| AS 3610 | Formwork for concrete | Formwork classes and finish |
None of these are unusual. They are the things that get missed when a quote is put together at 9pm after a full day on the tools.
If your question is not here, email it through and you will get a straight answer, not a sales call.
Yes, every finish gets its own area and its own process quantification. Exposed aggregate, honed, polished, stencil and liquid limestone all involve different work, so blending them into one rate hides where the cost sits.
By the number of grinding passes the specified exposure and gloss level require, plus filling, densifier and sealing by area. If the specification does not nominate exposure and gloss, we state what we priced against so it is agreed in writing before work starts.
Yes, by area, coat and sealer type. Different finishes call for different sealers at different coat counts, so it is calculated rather than allowed for as a lump sum.
Yes, by linear metre, and decorative cuts are kept separate from structural control joints. A feature cut pattern can be several times the length of the required joints, and it is slow work.
Yes, with the grinding and preparation quantified separately and the assumed slab condition stated. Aggregate type, flatness and old coatings are invisible on drawings, so we make sure that line is clearly flagged for you to verify.
Yes — overlay area by thickness, cut pattern by the metre, and sealing by coat. It is common on pool surrounds and alfresco areas and it prices quite differently to a poured decorative slab.
Most residential decorative concrete packages come back within 24 hours of the plans arriving. Large commercial polished floor packages take longer, and we confirm the timing before starting.
Most jobs cross more than one trade. We can price the whole package in one spreadsheet.
Your first estimate is free. Email the drawings and the scope, and you will have a marked-up takeoff and a priced spreadsheet back within 24 hours on most residential jobs. Prefer to talk first? Reply with "KEEN" and your number.