About Richard Marsh

From the slab up

I started CoastCrete because Perth deserved a decorative concrete crew that actually answers the phone, shows up on the day they say they will, and stands behind the finish a decade later. Simple things. Most of the industry still gets them wrong.

Before CoastCrete I spent eight years working on the trowel for two of Perth's biggest concreting outfits — from $30k driveways out in Mount Lawley to multi-house developer slabs in Mandurah. I learnt that the difference between a job that lasts ten years and one that fails in three isn't the product. It's the prep, the joints, the curing, and the way the crew respects the site. Those are things you can't shortcut, and most of the bigger crews do.

What we do at CoastCrete

I run a tight, hand-picked crew out of Scarborough. We pour exposed aggregate, honed, polished, liquid limestone, stamped and traditional plain concretefor residential and small commercial across the Perth metro from Yanchep down to Mandurah. We turn down work outside that area — not because we're lazy, but because a 90-minute drive each way means we cut corners on supervision, and supervision is the whole game.

I personally turn up to every quote, every pour, and every handover. If you ring CoastCrete's number, you talk to me — not a call centre, not a sales rep. That's the deal.

Why I write the articles

Most of what's online about concrete in Perth is either ad copy or out-of-date generic content scraped from American sites. Coastal sand behaves differently to mid-east-coast clay. Joondalup limestone soil moves in a way the manuals don't mention. Perth-spec exposed aggregate is rougher than what gets poured in Melbourne. Every CoastCrete article comes from real local jobs, real local mistakes I've seen the industry make, and the fix I've developed for it on-site.

If you've got a question that isn't answered on the blog, ring me on (08) 6117 5746. I'd rather give you a straight answer than have you guess wrong and waste a slab.

Credentials & experience

• 20+ years pouring decorative concrete across the Perth metro
• Authorised Hanson dealer (Holcim premium concrete range)
• Trained by two of WA's largest residential concreters
• 850+ residential and small commercial pours completed
• Member of the Concrete Institute of Australia (WA Branch)
• Insured: $20M public liability + $1M professional indemnity

How to reach me

Best on the phone — I check messages between pours but tend to call back the same day. Quote requests via the form on any service page hit my inbox directly; I personally read every one before responding.