Three Quotes for the Same Driveway, Three Different Prices
Concrete sealing quotes vary so much in Brisbane because they rarely price the same job. One quote includes a high-pressure clean, a mould treatment and two coats of a named sealer; another allows for a quick wash and a single coat of something cheaper. Professional sealing runs from $30 per square metre plus GST including preparation and two coats - and a quote well under that level has usually removed something from the scope, not found a smarter way to do the work.
That makes the cheapest number on the table hard to read: it might be a sharp price for the full job, or a full price for half the job. This guide walks through what a sealing quote is actually made of, where the budget versions quietly save their money, what the work should cost at published rates, and the handful of situations where a cheaper scope genuinely is enough.
What a Sealing Quote Is Actually Pricing
Sealing looks like one line of work - "seal the driveway" - but a proper job has several stages, and each one costs real time on site. Ours starts with checking the slab and anything already on it, then a thorough high-pressure clean with a chlorine or acid treatment wherever mould, algae or built-up grime has taken hold. The surface then has to dry completely before any sealer goes on, because sealer applied over a dirty or damp slab fails early.
Only then does the sealer itself go down - in our case with professional low-pressure spray equipment for an even coat, and on most residential jobs two coats, not one, to get full penetration and maximum protection. The whole process typically takes a day for an average-sized driveway or patio, with foot traffic back on a clear penetrative seal after around 4 hours and vehicles after 24. A quote is really a claim about how much of that process you're getting.
Where a Cheap Quote Saves Its Money
Almost every surprisingly low sealing quote gets there the same few ways. One coat instead of two is the most common - it saves product and a good chunk of the labour, and the surface still looks sealed on handover day. Skipping the mould and algae treatment is another: a pressure wash alone leaves the slab looking clean, but the point of the chlorine or acid treatment is to remove what's actually living in the surface before anything seals over it. And a quote that names no product at all - "premium sealer, applied to manufacturer's specification" - leaves the contractor free to use whatever is cheapest that week.
None of those cuts are visible when the job is finished, which is exactly why they're the ones that get made. The surface shows the difference within a couple of summers - long after the invoice is paid.
The Check Most Cheap Quotes Skip: What's Already on Your Slab
If your concrete has been sealed or coated before, whatever goes on next has to be compatible with what is already there - which is why we ask about previous sealers before we recommend anything, and assess the surface on site. There's a rough clue you can check yourself: pour a cup of water on a dry patch. If it beads, a sealer may still be active; if it soaks in and darkens the concrete, the surface is absorbing water. Either way it's only a clue - identifying the actual coating takes a closer look.
This matters for price because an incompatible or failed coating changes the job. A loose, peeling or flaking coating needs preparation or removal before anything new goes on - work we price separately and agree before starting. A topical sealer also has its own clock, with a typical 2-5 year recoat cycle, so what's on the slab and how far through its life it is should shape the recommendation. A cheap quote produced without asking any of this is a price for an assumption, and you only find out whose assumption was right on the day.
Condition drives the same kind of gap. A slab with staining, moderate cracking or worse needs more preparation than a tidy one, and a genuine quote accounts for that up front rather than discovering it mid-job.
What Concrete Sealing Should Cost in Brisbane
Our published rate is $30 per square metre plus GST across all three sealing finishes - clear penetrative, wet look and coloured topical - including preparation and two coats. Small areas are priced by job minimums instead, because setup and mobilisation don't shrink with the slab: $1,800 plus GST for clear penetrative, $2,000 for wet look and $2,300 for coloured topical.
Condition then moves the number in a way an honest quote states plainly. A slab in good condition pays the flat rate; fair or poor condition carries a loading for the extra preparation. The full worked numbers, including a 100m² driveway example, are in our Brisbane concrete sealing cost guide.
When a Budget Quote Is Fine - and When It's False Economy
Not every slab needs the maximum treatment, and it's worth being honest about that. The surfaces that forgive a lighter touch are the protected ones: a clear penetrative sealer lasts 5-10 years overall, and while driveways in full sun and daily traffic sit closer to the 5-year mark, a covered patio can push beyond 7. Sheltered, low-traffic concrete is simply under less attack, so the gap between a budget job and a thorough one takes longer to show there.
A driveway is the opposite case. It cops UV, tyres, storm water and leaf tannin all year, which is exactly where a skipped mould treatment or a single coat shows first. And the economics of redoing sealing are unforgiving: when a properly chosen penetrative seal reaches the end of its life, resealing is straightforward - clean the surface and apply a fresh coat, with no film to strip back. When the wrong product fails, you're paying for preparation or removal before the new work even starts. The cheap job doesn't just wear out sooner; it can cost more to leave behind.
This is what the full-scope version delivers. Below is a real CoatPro clear penetrative sealing job on an exposed-aggregate driveway in Mitchelton, on Brisbane's northside - drag the handle to compare.
How to Put Two Quotes on Equal Footing
Before comparing bottom lines, make every quote answer the same questions. Is the preparation itemised, or is it one vague line? Is the product named? How many coats? Is the rate per square metre with any minimum stated, and is GST included or added? Has the slab's condition - and anything already on it - actually been assessed? And is the warranty in writing, with a stated term? Two quotes that answer all of that are finally two prices for the same job. Our full checklist, including how to verify a QBCC licence on the public register, is in our guide to comparing concrete coating quotes in Brisbane.
For the record, here is how we answer them: CoatPro holds QBCC licence 15620475, is a member of Master Builders Queensland and carries $20 million in public liability insurance. Our rates and minimums are published, our preparation is itemised on the quote, our sealing work carries a 2-5 year written warranty, and across South East Queensland we've now upgraded more than 120,000 square metres of concrete. Whether you want a clear penetrative finish or one of the 15-plus colours in our coloured topical range, the scope you're quoted is the scope that turns up.
Getting a Like-for-Like Number for Your Driveway
The honest answer to "why is this quote so cheap?" usually lives on the slab itself, which is why we quote concrete sealing across Brisbane with a free on-site assessment and a fixed quote - the final price is confirmed after inspection, not revised mid-job. We check what's on the concrete, recommend the system that suits it, and put the scope in writing so you can compare it line by line against anything else you've been quoted.
Want a number you can actually hold us to? Get a free estimate online or call Christian on 07 4428 2811, and we'll call within one business day to book your free assessment.
- A free on-site assessment and a fixed, written quote - final price confirmed after inspection
- Preparation itemised and products named, so quotes can be compared line by line
- Two coats as standard on residential sealing, at the published $30/m² + GST rate
- A 2-5 year written warranty on sealing work
- Extensive Queensland experience across all regions and applications
- Customised coating recommendations for Queensland's challenging climate
- Proven track record with thousands of satisfied customers
- Comprehensive warranties and ongoing support
- Licensed, insured, and committed to excellence
FAQs
Common questions about why concrete sealing quotes differ and how to compare them.
Because the quotes rarely describe the same job. The big variables are preparation (a high-pressure clean with mould treatment versus a quick wash), the number of coats, the product being applied, and whether the slab's condition and any existing coating have been assessed. Our published rate is $30 per square metre plus GST including preparation and two coats - a quote well under that level has usually removed scope, not found a smarter way to do the work.
The named product being applied, the number of coats, an itemised preparation scope, a per-square-metre rate with any job minimum stated, whether figures include GST, an allowance for the slab's condition, and a written warranty term. You should also be able to verify the contractor's QBCC licence on the public register and ask for their insurance certificate.
On most residential jobs we apply two coats to get full penetration and maximum protection - that is what our $30 per square metre rate includes. A single-coat quote is cheaper because it is a smaller job, not because it delivers the same result, so make sure the number of coats is stated on every quote you compare.
Whatever goes on next has to be compatible with what is already there, so we assess any previous sealer or coating before recommending a system. A rough clue: water that beads on a dry slab suggests a sealer may still be active, while water that soaks in and darkens the surface suggests it is absorbing. A loose, peeling or failed coating needs preparation or removal before anything new goes on - that work is priced separately and agreed before we start.
Get Your Free Quote Today
Transform your concrete surfaces with our expert sealing and finishing services. Contact us now to discuss your project and receive a personalised quote. We service all areas throughout South-East Queensland.
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