Narre Warren North Concrete

The original Narre Warren

Before the Gippsland railway line was built, the Narre Warren township stood in what is now Narre Warren North. When Narre Warren railway station opened, the township shifted about 2 km south, a pattern repeated in several other towns along the line. The local post office, opened on 21 January 1869 as Narre Warren, was renamed Narre Warren North in 1900.

Family homes, full households

The 2021 Census figures for Narre Warren North are striking:

• 99% of occupied dwellings were separate houses.
• 80.5% had four or more bedrooms.
• The average household was 3.4 people, equal-highest in our service area.
• Only 4% of households rented. More than half had a mortgage, and 41.1% owned outright.

This is a suburb where people put down roots, and their concrete projects tend to reflect that (our inference from the data):

• Shed and garage slabs for extra vehicles, trailers, workshops and storage. Shed slabs → · Garage slabs →
• Driveways that serve both the house and a shed or garage further back. Concrete driveways →
• Patios and alfresco areas for large households. Concrete patios →
• Pool surrounds with a cool, slip-conscious finish for summer. Pool surrounds →
• Extension slabs as families grow. Extension slabs →

Shed slabs done properly

A shed slab looks simple, but it has to be level, strong enough for what goes in the shed, and matched to the shed kit. What we look at:

• Use: a garden shed, a workshop with heavy machinery and a garage for a car or caravan all need different slab designs. Heavier uses may call for a thicker slab or extra reinforcement.
• Footprint and set-downs: the slab is set out to the shed supplier's plans, with rebates or set-downs at roller doors and personal access doors to keep water out.
• Hold-downs: anchor bolts or brackets set to the manufacturer's pattern, or drilled later with suitable anchors.
• Thickened edges and piers: where the shed design or engineer requires them.
• Drainage around the slab: so water from the shed roof and the surrounding ground is directed away.
• Permits: larger sheds and garages can need a building permit. Check with a building surveyor before ordering the kit, and we'll pour to the approved design.

Concrete slabs →

Driveways that link house and shed

When a driveway needs to reach both the garage and a shed or parking area at the back, planning the route is important:

• a width that suits the largest vehicle, such as a trailer, caravan or boat
• turning space so you're not reversing the full length
• falls and drains so a long hard surface doesn't send stormwater towards the house or shed
• a finish that holds up to heavy use. Exposed aggregate and broom finishes are practical choices. Exposed aggregate driveways →
• a heavier-duty section where trucks or trailers will park

Outdoor space for a full house

With more than three people in the average household, backyard areas get a workout. A few ideas worth considering when you plan a patio or pool surround:

• Size it for the table you'll actually use, plus room to walk around it and a barbecue zone.
• Choose a cooler, lighter finish near the pool, where bare feet are common.
• Add a hard-wearing path from the back door to the clothesline, shed and bins, so lawn doesn't wear into mud.
• Plan shade and lighting early, so footings and conduits go in before the pour.

City of Casey vehicle crossing requirements

Any new, removed or altered driveway crossing in Narre Warren North needs a City of Casey permit, a requirement that comes from the council's Community Local Law. The detailed design rules sit in Casey's December 2020 crossover guidelines (version 1.0). For households with trailers, boats or caravans, these are the points that usually matter:

• How wide: Casey's default for a single crossing is 3.5 metres, measured at the property boundary. Council may consider anything from 3.0 to 5.5 metres, handy if you regularly tow something.
• Frontage share: the combined width of all crossings on a property shouldn't exceed a third of the frontage, or 40% if the frontage is less than 20 metres.
• Arterial roads: if your property fronts an arterial road, Department of Transport approval is needed as well as Casey's permit.
• Standards: crossings are constructed to the Victorian Planning Authority's Engineering Design and Construction Manual and Casey's standard drawings.

We'll confirm whether your road is council-managed or arterial and plan the approvals accordingly. Casey crossover guidelines (PDF) · Vehicle crossovers →

Ground conditions

We haven't found a published source describing Narre Warren North's soils, so we won't make claims about them. Research across Melbourne shows soil reactivity varies considerably, even within the same soil type. House, extension and large shed slabs should follow a site classification and, where required, an engineer's design. Where a property has a noticeable slope, retaining and drainage are planned into the job. Retaining walls →

Around Narre Warren North

Jack Thomas Reserve is home to Berwick City Soccer Club, and the Narre Warren North Foxes junior football club plays at the Narre Warren North Recreation Reserve on Belgrave-Hallam Road. The 841 bus connects the suburb with Narre Warren, Fountain Gate Shopping Centre, Casey Central and Cranbourne station. Narre Warren North borders Lysterfield, Lysterfield South, Endeavour Hills, Narre Warren East, Harkaway, Hallam, Narre Warren and Berwick.