Expert Patio Builders Gold Coast

Most patios take 2-4 weeks from council approval to completion, but the approval process itself can add another 4-6 weeks depending on your local council. We’ve had jobs in Burleigh finish quicker than ones in Hope Island just because of council processing times. Weather can slow things down too – if we get a solid week of rain during construction, we’re not pouring concrete slabs because they won’t cure properly. Once we start your build, we’ll give you a realistic timeline based on your specific design and what council’s running at.

Insulated Colorbond is hands down the best option for our climate if you actually want to use your patio in summer. Standard Colorbond without insulation looks great but it radiates heat back down and you’ll be uncomfortable under there from November through March. Polycarbonate lets light through which some people love, but it also lets heat through and can be noisy when rain hits it. For coastal areas from Main Beach to Kingscliff, we always recommend materials that won’t corrode from the salt air.

No, some smaller patios under 20 square meters might qualify as exempt development, but it depends on your property’s zoning and where you’re building it. If your patio’s attached to the house, within certain setbacks from boundaries, and under the height limits, you might not need approval. Problem is, most people want patios bigger than 20 square meters because that’s pretty small for entertaining, and the rules change if you’re adding electrical or building near easements. We always check your specific situation before we start because getting caught without approval when you needed it is expensive to fix.

You’re typically looking at $15,000 to $40,000 for a quality patio depending on size, materials, and what features you want included. A basic 6m x 4m attached patio with Colorbond roofing and concrete slab sits around $18,000-$25,000, while the same size with insulated roofing, ceiling fans, and lighting pushes closer to $30,000. Add in things like built-in BBQ areas, premium decking instead of concrete, or a freestanding pavilion design and you’re moving into the $35,000-$50,000 range. Gold Coast pricing runs a bit higher than Brisbane because of our coastal building requirements and wind engineering.

You can walk on the concrete slab after about 7 days, but we don’t recommend putting heavy furniture on it for at least 28 days while it fully cures – and that’s if the weather’s been dry. The Gold Coast humidity actually slows down concrete curing compared to drier climates. Once the roof’s on and electrical’s done, you can start using the space for light activities, but we’ve seen people crack their new slabs by moving a heavy outdoor dining set on too early. Your best bet is waiting the full month before you load it up with furniture and start hosting parties.

For comfortable entertaining, you want at least 20-25 square meters, which is roughly a 5m x 4m or 5m x 5m patio. That gives you room for a dining table that seats 6-8 people plus a separate lounge area or BBQ setup without feeling cramped. We see a lot of families in Varsity Lakes and Robina going for 6m x 4m patios because it handles their dining table, a couple of lounge chairs, and still leaves space for the kids to move around. If you’re in one of the bigger properties around Sanctuary Cove or Hope Island, a 7m x 5m or larger makes sense because you’ve got the yard space and you’re probably hosting bigger groups.