How the driveway cost is worked out
Area = length × width
Cost = area × installed price per sq ft
Example: a 24 × 20 ft two-car driveway.
- Area: 24 × 20 = 480 sq ft
- Asphalt at $5: $2,400, within $1,920 to $5,760
- Concrete at $8: $3,840, within $2,880 to $5,760
- Gravel at $4.50: $2,160, within $480 to $4,800
For asphalt and concrete, the calculator also shows labor on its own: $3 to $7 per square foot for asphalt and $2 to $7 for concrete (HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor). Materials aren’t shown separately, because only one current guide splits them out for each.
What moves the price
- Material. Gravel is cheapest, then asphalt, then concrete; pavers cost more again.
- Site work. HomeGuide puts grading at $1 to $3 per square foot, and LawnStarter lists grading, re-sloping and excavation as extra costs. The gravel range is wide because HomeGuide’s gravel driveway guide gives $4 to $10 per square foot and LawnStarter $1 to $3.
- Finish. Fixr prices colored and exposed-aggregate concrete like a broom finish, at $8 to $12 per square foot; stamped runs $12 to $18 and saw-cut or stained $18 to $20.
- Removing the old driveway. $2 to $6 per square foot (HomeAdvisor).
- Size. Larger driveways tend to cost less per square foot, HomeGuide notes.
Cost by driveway size
Typical installed cost, with the national range: asphalt $4 / $5 / $12, concrete $6 / $8 / $12 and gravel $1 / $4.50 / $10 per sq ft.
| Area | Asphalt | Concrete | Gravel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 sq ft (10 × 20) | $1,000 ($800 to $2,400) | $1,600 ($1,200 to $2,400) | $900 ($200 to $2,000) |
| 400 sq ft (20 × 20) | $2,000 ($1,600 to $4,800) | $3,200 ($2,400 to $4,800) | $1,800 ($400 to $4,000) |
| 600 sq ft | $3,000 ($2,400 to $7,200) | $4,800 ($3,600 to $7,200) | $2,700 ($600 to $6,000) |
| 1,000 sq ft | $5,000 ($4,000 to $12,000) | $8,000 ($6,000 to $12,000) | $4,500 ($1,000 to $10,000) |
For the tons of asphalt and base, use the asphalt calculator; for concrete, the concrete calculator; for gravel, the gravel calculator.