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How much does it cost to pave a driveway?
A paved driveway provides a stable and secure access surface for automobiles to move from the street to the house and perhaps a garage door entrance.
You will find that the cost to pave a driveway varies by material, location, shape, size, labor rate, and decorative quality of the finish.
The material choices and their typical cost per square foot of driveway include:
| Material | Pros | Cons | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel | Lowest first cost Simple construction | Instability Difficult snow clearing Periodic replacement | $1.30 | per sq.ft. |
| Asphalt 1 | Lower first cost Less site preparation | Periodic re-sealing Cautious snow clearing Commercial appearance | $3.26 | per sq.ft. |
| Concrete | Long life Low maintenance Durable, cleanable Decorative options | Higher first cost | $4.99 | per sq.ft. |
| Brick paver 2 | Long life Low maintenance Durable Stylish appearance | Higher first cost Very high labor cost Cautious snow clearing | $19.07 | per sq.ft. |
A typical two-car driveway is 16 feet wide and 38 feet long without curves or slope, for a total surface area of 610 square feet or 68 square yards.
Additional considerations and costs
- Excavation by hand of sub-grade average type soil is $50 per cubic yard ($325 this example) using hand tools and dispersing soil in the local area.
- If necessary, land-clearing and site-preparation typical to a residential scale project including manual and mechanical removal of shrubs, trees, stumps, and boulders will typically range in cost from $0.50 to $1.50 per sq. foot depending upon the amount and size of the material, and the off-site distance of material transport.
- While specialist providers may deliver excellent and rapid results it may be wise to consult with a registered engineer especially if the design is complex or large.
- Engineering: whenever driveways have any sort of slopes, curves, or angles in them it usually means that costs are going to increase. This is due to the need for engineering to allow runoff to properly drain away from the home and into the street, and it usually also means more labor in preparing the surface.
- This construction may require approval from local administrative authority.
Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet
Definitions in laymen's terms, cost considerations, pictures and things you need to know.See full cheat sheet.
1 Asphalt: A viscous, black mixture of hydrocarbons often used for roofing and waterproofing. It is also used in asphalt for paving roads
2 Brick paver: Bricks that can be laid together in a pattern to create a path or patio
How much does it cost to pave a driveway in my city?
Cost to pave a driveway varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.
Labor cost by city and zip code
Compared to national average+2%
-9%
+21%
+38%
+12%
+9%
-6%
+12%
+6%
+32%
-1%
+6%
-6%
+6%
+7%
+27%
-10%
+5%
-7%
+1%
+16%
+28%
+17%
+2%
-7%
-12%
+6%
+33%
+24%
+6%
-1%
+4%
+31%
+7%
+41%
-7%
+13%
+23%
-7%
+17%
+11%
+1%
+25%
+25%
+21%
+22%
+9%
+27%
-12%
-10%
