Concreters Fletcher 2287 | Newcastle Concreters

Concreters in Fletcher, 2287

Fletcher sits on the western edge of the City of Newcastle, sixteen kilometres from the CBD, strung along Minmi Road between Wallsend and Minmi. The land was rural until the 1990s. The suburb’s oldest home dates from about 1997, its largest estate, Landcom’s Sanctuary, runs to more than 890 lots with sporting fields and parks that look out to the Watagans, and Kurraka Oval and the community centre serve a population whose median age is 32. More than nine in ten dwellings are separate houses, and over half carry a mortgage.

Ground and approvals

This is former grazing country shaped into estate lots, with engineered stormwater running through it. Conditions are assessed lot by lot, particularly where a block has been cut and filled. Much of Fletcher lies inside the Newcastle Mine Subsidence District, which bears on structures more than on flat concrete.

The work Fletcher produces

Two generations of job sit side by side. On the newest streets it is everything the builder left out: a driveway widened for a second car, paths down both sides, an alfresco slab taken out past the roofline, and a shed slab in the back corner. On the first stages, original driveways are now old enough that some have cracked or settled, and removal and replacement has started to appear.

Finishes

Exposed aggregate dominates the fronts of newer homes, usually in a darker blend, with the same mix carried to the porch. Coloured concrete is the quieter alternative, and plain broom finish handles the sides and the shed. Remember that Newcastle’s standard keeps sealer off the council crossing.

Fletcher rates

Supplied and laid, per square metre: concrete driveways $95 to $185 depending on the finish chosen, exposed aggregate $130 to $185, side and front paths $90 to $130, alfresco and patio slabs $100 to $180, shed and garage slabs $110 to $150, with removal adding about $35. Doing the paths, the alfresco and the shed base in one visit is the simplest way to bring a Fletcher price down. Size it in the calculator, read the cost guide, and see the Section 138 guide and the specification before comparing quotes.

Council and the crossing

Fletcher sits in the City of Newcastle area. What that council asks of a driveway crossing is set out on the areas page and, step by step, in the Section 138 guide.

Nearby: Maryland, Wallsend, Cameron Park

Asked and answered

Fletcher questions

How far can I widen my driveway in Fletcher?

Inside your boundary, as far as the block and the NSW exempt development rules allow. At the kerb, City of Newcastle's standard sets a double residential crossing at 2.5 to 4.5 metres, and widening the crossing needs a Section 138 (Type 1) application. Many owners keep the approved crossing and flare the driveway out behind it for a second car, a trailer or a boat.

Is Fletcher in a mine subsidence district?

The larger part appears to be. The state map shows Fletcher in the north-western arm of the Newcastle Mine Subsidence District, with some streets along the northern edge of the housing outside the line. It matters when a shed, garage or other structure is being approved. Check your lot on the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer before ordering a kit.

Should a new concrete path be tied into the slab of the house?

As a rule, no. Paths and patios are normally kept separate from the dwelling's slab with a joint, so each can move a little without cracking the other, and they are set below the damp course with a fall away from the wall. The concreter will confirm the detail for your site at the measure.

Does a driveway in Fletcher need council approval?

Yes, for the part between the kerb and your boundary. City of Newcastle treats it as a Section 138 (Type 1) application under the Roads Act, separate from any DA or CDC, and its standard drawing A1300 sets the crossing widths, thickness and finish. Concrete inside your boundary is a different matter and usually needs no road approval.

Next step

Have your Fletcher job measured

Newcastle Concreters is a referral service. Enquiries are passed to an independent local concreter, who measures the job, quotes it in writing and carries out the work.

Concreters Fletcher