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Driveway Cost

How Much Does a Driveway Cost?

low costLow: $600-$1,200
low costMedium: $600-$1,800
low costHigh: $6,000+

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Typical costs:
  • All driveways start with a well-built gravel base. For homeowners on a budget, a simple gravel or stone driveway does well if it's not on a steep slope or in a low spot that floods. A stone driveway costs $1-$3 a square foot or $600-$1,800 for a 12x50-foot (600 square feet) front drive, and about $21,000-$42,000 for a two-vehicle driveway a quarter-mile long.Gravel costs 50 cents-$2 a square foot; that's $300-$1,200 for 12x50-feet or $10,000-$40,000 for the quarter-mile, two-vehicle-wide driveway.
  • Macadam is crushed stone or gravel sprayed with liquid asphalt; it's also called tar and chip when used to resurface existing asphalt or concrete driveways. Macadam lasts about 6-10 years and costs $1-$3 a square foot, or $600-$1,800 for 12x50 feet and $20,000-$40,000 for a 16-foot-wide quarter-mile drive.
  • Traditional dark black asphalt generally lasts 10-30 years and averages $1-$5 a square foot, or $600-$3,000 for 12x50-feet. The price per square foot drops for larger projects, so a two-vehicle quarter-mile driveway would average $21,000-$52,000.
  • Asphalt can also be stamped and colored to look like bricks in a process patented by the Street Print company; the cost for a 12x50-foot front driveway is $1,800-$6,000; for the quarter-mile, two-car version it's $64,000-$100,000 or more.
  • Concrete usually lasts 30-50 years and costs $3-$10 a square foot, or $1,800-$6,000 for 12x50-feet. Stamped and colored concrete is just as durable but more attractive, and costs $5-$20 a square foot, for $3,000-$12,000 for a 12x50-foot driveway or $64,000-$125,000 for a 16-foot-wide quarter-mile lane.
  • Cobblestones make beautiful patterns and are extremely labor-intensive. Individual cobblestones can cost $3-$5 each, and thousands are required for an average driveway. Bricks or pavers can be used, at a cost of 50 cents-$3 each. A hand-laid drive of this type runs $10-$50 a square foot, making it $6,000-$30,000 or more for 12x50 feet.
What should be included:
Additional costs:
  • Slopes, curves, odd shapes and other complications can bump up the total cost, and smaller jobs aren't necessarily cheaper because it costs the contractor a minimum amount to haul the asphalt heater, steamroller and other equipment to the site.
  • If an old driveway needs to be torn out, be clear whether that's included in the estimate.
Discounts:
  • Join forces with nearby homeowners who need similar driveways; if you hire the same contractor for several jobs at once, it should cost less.
Shopping for a driveway:
Article updated February 2007
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments

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Asphalt mat overlay
Amount: $1,150.00
Posted by: Kneppy in Millersville, MD.Posted: October 30th, 2009 08:10AM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 1025
Contractor: Ford Paving, Hanover, MD
Contractor installed 2.5" overlay of hot mix asphalt on existing driveway. One year warranty. Contractor will seal surface next year for $115 and extend warranty an additional year.

Very satisfied with results.
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Need to know what this will cost me
Amount: $1,000.00
Posted by: sharryon12 in east windsor, NJ.Posted: April 15th, 2010 09:04AM
Type of Driveway: rockSq Ft of Driveway: ?
I have a gravel driveway measuring 48 Long x 11 Wide .. filled with gravel rocks ... Im curious as to what a job like this would cost me to have done
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Asphalt Driveway
Amount: $3,700.00
Posted by: christina d in Richmond, VA.Posted: April 30th, 2010 06:04PM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 2900
Contractor: yes
Did a lot of research on asphalt driveways before I got estimates.
The contractor we used was great. He installed a new driveway with 5" gravel and 3" hotmix in addition to laying 2" over an existing drive.
Paid $1.27 per sq ft. My 3 yr old son even got to ride on the steamroller...that was priceless.
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Asphalt driveway
Amount: $6,800.00
Posted by: Husky in Rochester, NY.Posted: May 11th, 2010 07:05AM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 2500
Contractor: yes
Tore up old driveway. Re-grade putting in 8" base. 2" of number 1 binder. re-graded side of driveway with fill dirt as slope changed due to adding 6' on width of driveway.
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is this worth it?
Amount: $10,255.00
Posted by: Erika in Falls Church, VA.Posted: May 12th, 2010 03:05PM
Type of Driveway: concreteSq Ft of Driveway: 903
Contractor: looking
following bid came in:
tear up 473 sf of asphalt $ 2,365
install 903 sf of concrete (3500 psi with wire mesh and broom finish) $ 7,890
is this worth it?
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driveway holds too much water
Amount: $2,000.00
Posted by: Webb, Anthony C in Euclid, OH.Posted: May 23rd, 2010 02:05PM
Type of Driveway: onelane quarter mile with two car garageSq Ft of Driveway: na
driveway holds too much water. the water begins too flood the grass yard. now, the water is cuasing the driveway to crack and break up. I need a new driveway soon for I might get citations from the local city. I'm a war veteran just now returning home and don't have much saved and I need help now.
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driveway redo
Amount: $3,500.00
Posted by: ducky in des moines, IA.Posted: July 19th, 2010 06:07PM
Type of Driveway: concreteSq Ft of Driveway: 810
Contractor: yes
i got a first bid of this contractor was 4000 usd but bargained with him to 3500 usd and it was done deal. what he had done he tear out old concrete and haul it away next day pour in new concrete at 4 inches depth 4000 psi total 810 s.f i paid the cost of concrete 920 usd plus 2600 usd for the crew of three men. if u read it do you think i paid too much for it. my wife said so thanks
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widen driveway
Amount: $1.00
Posted by: Bernie in womelsdforf, PA.Posted: August 5th, 2010 03:08PM
Type of Driveway: currently asphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 50'
Would like approximate cost to widen driveway,
3/4 of existing driveway asphalt - flat area
1/4 has a sloped hill to be dug in.
wold like to widen approx 5'.

Just not sure an approximate.....1,000 or 10,000...I have no idea, but want a ballpark before I start getting bugged by contractors.
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bad business practice
Amount: $1,500.00
Posted by: darla in ennis, TX.Posted: August 18th, 2010 06:08PM
Type of Driveway: dry asphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 800
Contractor: sam stanley
he qouted 850 for what he had on the truck,and would cover what he could, so he did my carport, and part of the drivway,at a $1.00 sq ft,and wanted 1500, he wouldent give me an upfront quote on the entire drive, wich is 4500sq ft, we i demanded the following day, that he measure the drive and give me a price or leave he did,and quoted me $5,300 to finish up .was that fair?
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Does this sound like a fair price
Amount: $7,000.00
Posted by: Em in Norfolk, VA.Posted: August 28th, 2010 04:08AM
Type of Driveway: concreteSq Ft of Driveway: 1590
We are getting ready to install a 1590 sq. foot two car concrete driveway. They need to come out and break up some existing concrete and are taking down our carport as well. (He said it would be $6600 if we did the carport ourselves) or $7000 if he did all of it. I liked the guy who came out and would like him to do it, just wondering if this is about an average price?
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Redo the existing asphalt driveway
Amount: $0.00
Posted by: Al Rastogi in long valley, NJ.Posted: September 11th, 2010 02:09PM
Type of Driveway: Aspahlt11 yr old crackedSq Ft of Driveway: 2100
Contractor: Looking for
what should be the right way to redo this kind of a driveway when it is sinking some places, cradked few places. Remove old one or repave right on top of the old one. How much this kind of job may cost. Any suggestion and advise?
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Asphalt over existing rock
Amount: $10,300.00
Posted by: Harry Hill in Fayette, MO.Posted: September 14th, 2010 01:09PM
Type of Driveway: 2 1/2" asphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 6176
Contractor: Charlton's Asphalt Maintenance
27' x 60' parking area in front of Garage with a 536' driveway. Sealer is to be added in 3 to 4 weeks. I was very suspicious because a sales person was going door to door and there was no address on their business card only a cell phone number and they wanted cash when the work was completed. They did have references I knew so I went for it.
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Does this sound like a fair deal?
Amount: $5,000.00
Posted by: Stuart Sweeney in North Kingstown, RI.Posted: September 20th, 2010 07:09AM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 1600
A nieghbor was having there drive redone, and they stopped here to ask if we would like to have ours done. The guy said if he did it today it would cost only $4,000. he gave me a card that had only a cell number on it. I didn't like that and DID NOT have it done. I do however still need to have my drive replaced. Was the pricing that off from what I will be paying?
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black asphalt
Amount: $0.00
Posted by: a user in glen gardner,, NJ.Posted: October 16th, 2010 05:10AM
Type of Driveway: existing stoneSq Ft of Driveway: 2939
Contractor: Henry's
Henry, Jr stopped by, said he had extra black asphalt for $17.00 sq. yd($1.88 sq. ft. Another worker stopped by & started & gave ne a contract for 5200 sq. ft. for $5200.00. I said that was not what Henry ,jr told me, called Henry ,JR.ended up getting 2500 sq.ft of drveway & 432 sq. ft of barn floor for $3700.00?($1.26sqft)was this a good deal or not
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Awesome Cheap Pavers
Amount: $6,500.00
Posted by: Chris Cruver in Tampa, FL.Posted: November 4th, 2010 09:11AM
Type of Driveway: PaversSq Ft of Driveway: 1893
Contractor: Alltimate Pavers And Landscaping
Wow, while everyone else is charging 4 and above per square foot, I found a great guy charging only 3.70 something a square foot, that includes ripping out the old concrete and installing a complete driveway with a round about addition. I recommend him all the way 813 368 5546
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estimate for a driveway in California
Amount: $15,750.00
Posted by: rudy achenbach in riverside, CA.Posted: March 2nd, 2011 11:03AM
Type of Driveway: cement with a paternSq Ft of Driveway: 1187
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Looking at getting my driveway paved.
Amount: $0.00
Posted by: Wesley in Schofield, WI.Posted: March 18th, 2011 04:03PM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 1340
Contractor: In need of one
Our driveway is gravel now but we are looking at getting it paved. It's 67ft x 20ft that needs to be done. Any ideas how much that would cost?
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Reasonable cost - good work.
Amount: $3,800.00
Posted by: Coast in Fredericksburg, VA in Fredericksburg, VA.Posted: March 30th, 2011 05:03AM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 3000
Contractor: Maximum Paving
This contractor (Paul Jones) stopped by in December and offered to do this as his work load had been light during the off-season, but said that prices would probably go up soon. This was done on an existing gravel driveway. He provided good references. It's a family business (4 generations now) and they seem to put a lot of effort into their jobs. After pondering it for a while and getting a few other estimates, I just had the pavement put down yesterday for the original estimate that Paul provided in December. 300 sq ft of it was for a turn-around over what used to be a grassy area that they dug out, filled with a good base of gravel and 5 to 6" of asphalt. 3" was put down over the existing gravel driveway after grading and weedkiller were done. Cost was about $1.26/sq foot.

It looks good so far, but we'll see how it holds up. He suggests putting a sealant down immediately. Is that normally recommended?
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spare asphalt left on the truck story
Amount: $2,000.00
Posted by: skyrun in golden, CO.Posted: April 1st, 2011 10:04AM
Type of Driveway: asphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 2750
i've heard the 'we are in the area and have some left over' story 2x now. we got various parts of our driveway done both times including grading to 3.5" thick for 0.75/sq ft (the price was about double before i walked away). reading this and other stuff. anything in the $1-2/sq ft is a great assuming the job is done right.
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Street hockey/basketball court
Amount: $0.00
Posted by: steafo in Roseville, MI.Posted: April 4th, 2011 04:04PM
Type of Driveway: naSq Ft of Driveway: 1800sqft
Contractor: na
I am looking to lay some asphalt in a 60'x30' area in my backyard. I'm looking to turn this into a hockey rink/basketball court. Is asphalt the best way to go? Would 2" thick suffice? And what would I pay for this, would it cost under $3000?
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Overlay Asphalt/Resurface Driveway
Amount: $3,000.00
Posted by: DanTheMan in Manchester, IN.Posted: June 14th, 2011 03:06PM
Type of Driveway: AsphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 2500
Contractor: gypsy
Gypsy came by saying "We have some asphalt left over from our job down the road..." I'll admit, I'm a sucker for these guys - they did my driveway years ago (a different gypsy), but I've neglected to seal it for about 7 - 8 years. It started to crumble in many places, so I had these guys resurface just the bad areas - about 2500 sq. ft. of a 4000 sq. ft. driveway. They did a pretty good job, not perfect, but good. He started at $2 a sq. ft...then $1.75...and it ended up $1.20. I figure it all depends on the area you're in.
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Aspahlt Shim and overlay
Amount: $3,700.00
Posted by: Garry T in portsmouth, NH.Posted: July 27th, 2011 11:07AM
Type of Driveway: asphaltSq Ft of Driveway: 2700
had low spots and a few cracks from a 26 year old driveway but the base was OK and it hadn't sunk any more in about 5 years. Had it shimmed to level it with larger stone asphalt, they spread that and rolled it and then 1.5 inches of asphalt applied on top of that whcih was spread and rolled. Driveway is 270 feet by ten feet so this works out to be 2700 feet and the cost for the overlay came out to about 1.40 per square foot.
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