Garden & access paths
Paths around and between buildings, side access, and connections between a driveway, entry and outdoor areas.
Concrete paths & stairs
Concrete Paths & Stairs — Hawkesbury & Hills District
Paths and stairs get walked on every day, so the levels, falls and step heights have to be right. We set out, form and pour them ourselves, giving you an even surface that drains away from the house.
- Licensed NSW concreting contractor
- Public liability & home warranty insured
- 13+ years on the tools
- ABN 55 852 128 340
Are poured concrete steps better than pre-cast?
For anything built into a slope, generally yes. Poured steps are formed to the exact rise and going the ground dictates and become one continuous structure, so there are no joints to move and nothing to settle unevenly. Pre-cast is faster and cheaper but has to fit the ground it is given.
- WhereHawkesbury, the Hills District and surrounds
- WhatGarden and access paths, poured stairs, landings and ramps
- Who does itExcavation, base, formwork and finish by one crew
- Usually part ofLarger projects — driveways, pool areas and outdoor spaces
The complete package
What Goes Into Paths And Steps
Small jobs on paper, awkward jobs in practice. Steps in particular are the most formwork-intensive concrete there is per square metre.
Levels and rise calculation
For steps, the total rise is measured and divided into equal risers. Uneven risers are the most common defect in poured steps and the most dangerous.
Excavation
Boxed out and stripped to firm ground. On sloping ground the cut has to be stepped rather than sloped, or the base slides.
Base and drainage
Compacted base, and a fall set so water runs off the surface rather than sitting on a step tread or pooling against a house wall.
Formwork
The longest part of a stair job. Risers, treads, landings and any curves formed to line and level before a single wheelbarrow arrives.
Reinforcement
Mesh and bar through paths and steps, tied into adjoining work where appropriate so nothing moves independently.
Pour and finish
Poured and finished to a texture suited to the location — more grip on anything sloping, wet or in shade.
Types
Paths And Steps We Pour
Most of this work goes in alongside a bigger job. It is almost always cheaper to do it in the same visit than to come back for it.
Poured concrete steps
Steps formed to the ground, with equal risers and a surface that keeps grip when wet. The most common request on sloping Hills blocks.
Landings & entries
Entry landings, porches and the transition from path to door. Highly visible concrete, usually in a decorative finish.
Ramps & graded access
Graded access where steps are not suitable — for mobility, wheelbarrows, mowers or machinery.
Rural & acreage paths
Longer runs connecting house, shed and gate on acreage, where distance and drainage matter more than decoration.
Decorative paths
Paths poured to match a driveway or pool surround — see decorative concrete for the finish options.
Get these right
What Makes A Good Set Of Steps
Steps are the one piece of concrete on a property that can actually hurt someone. These are the details that decide whether a set is good or merely finished.
Equal risers
Every riser in a flight the same height. The eye and the foot both expect it, and a single odd step is where people trip.
Grip when wet
A smooth trowel finish on an outdoor step is a hazard. Texture, broom finish or exposed aggregate on anything that gets wet or sits in shade.
Fall on the treads
A slight fall so water runs off the front of each tread rather than sitting on it and growing algae.
Handrail provision
Where a handrail is needed, the fixings go in at the pour. Drilling into finished steps later is both uglier and weaker.
Tied to what it meets
Steps that meet a path, driveway or landing should be tied in so they move together rather than opening a gap at the joint.
Drainage at the bottom
A flight of steps is a channel. Water arriving at the bottom has to go somewhere that is not the back door.
Pricing
What Affects The Cost Of Paths And Steps
Per square metre this is the most expensive concrete on a property, because it is almost all edge, formwork and finishing and very little area.
- Steps versus flat workA flight of steps costs many times a path of the same footprint. The formwork is the job.
- Number of risersEach riser is separate formwork. Total rise is the main driver on any stair job.
- Length and widthFor paths, total run and width — though width is usually the cheaper dimension to add.
- Ground conditionsSloping ground, poor access and existing structures all slow the excavation and formwork stages.
- Curves and shapeCurved paths and radius steps take considerably longer to form than straight runs.
- FinishPlain, textured or decorative. On small visible areas the finish is a bigger share of the total than it is on a driveway.
- Access for concreteSmall pours in back gardens often mean barrowing or pumping rather than a chute off the truck.
- Doing it with other workPaths and steps poured as part of a larger job cost far less than a separate visit for the same work.
Recent work
Paths And Steps We’ve Poured
Why Southo
Why Owners Use Us For Paths And Steps
Risers measured, not eyeballed
Total rise divided properly so every step is the same. It is the difference between a good flight and a trip hazard.
Grip where it matters
Finish chosen for the location rather than the photograph, particularly on shaded and sloping ground.
Tied into the rest
Paths and steps connected to driveways, landings and surrounds so the whole area moves as one.
Formwork is our strength
Curves, radius steps and awkward shapes. Most of the cost here is formwork skill and that is what we are selling.
Better as part of a job
Poured alongside your driveway or pool area, matching colour and finish, for a fraction of a separate visit.
Licensed and insured
Licensed NSW concreting contractor with public liability and home warranty insurance. Details supplied on request.
Need to get from A to B.
Tell us the run, the fall and what it connects to and we’ll come and take a look.
Reviews
Our Customer Reviews
Service area
Where We Pour Paths And Steps
Based in the Hawkesbury, working across the Hills, Sydney and the Central Coast.
Questions
Path And Stair FAQs
Will you do paths and steps on their own?
Where it is a genuine project, yes. Small patch-up work we do not take on. Bear in mind that a small standalone pour costs disproportionately more than the same work done alongside a bigger job.
What finish is safest on outdoor steps?
Anything with texture. Broom finish and exposed aggregate both give grip when wet. A smooth trowel finish looks good and is the wrong choice for an outdoor step, particularly in shade where algae grows.
Can you match my existing driveway?
Closely in most cases, exactly rarely. Concrete varies between batches and weathers over time, so new work beside older work will differ somewhat. We tell you that before you commit rather than afterwards.
Do you install handrails?
We set the fixings at the pour so a handrail can be installed properly. The rail itself is a metalwork trade, and we are happy to coordinate with whoever you use.
How wide should a path be?
It depends on what uses it. A side access path is different to a main entry approach or something a mower has to get down. We will talk through it on site rather than guessing from a plan.
Can you do a ramp instead of steps?
Yes. Where grade and space allow, a ramp is often the better answer for mobility or for getting equipment around a property.
Do you do paths on acreage?
Yes — longer runs connecting house, shed and gate are common rural work. Drainage over distance is the main thing to get right.
Southo
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