The Cost of a New Driveway

The cost of a new driveway is going to depend on a number of factors, the biggest by far is what the driveway is made out of. We have therefore compiled a list of what it should cost per square foot for a driveway made out of the most common materials.

There are a couple of caveats about the list before we get to it however the first is that this assumes that you will hire somebody to install the driveway for you, the cost will obviously be less if you do it yourself.

The other is that your location will play a huge part in the price, labor and materials just cost more in some places than in others. You should therefore not take our estimates as gospel, make sure that you get a few quotes before you commit to building a driveway.

The Cost of a Driveway Per Square Foot by Type

Gravel: $1-3 per sq ft

Asphalt: $3-5 per sq ft

Concrete: $5-10* per sq ft

Concrete Pavers: $12-15 per sq ft

Brick Pavers: $25+ per sq ft

*Assumes a basic concrete driveway, stamped or patterned concrete will cost more, possibly as high as $20 per square foot.

Price is not the Only Consideration When Choosing a Driveway

While it is obviously important to look at cost when it comes to installing a new driveway, it is also important to look at other factors as well. The first of these is how much is how long your driveway will last and how much maintenance it will require.

In this respect you can pretty much reverse the list with concrete pavers lasting the longest and being the easiest to maintain. A gravel driveway on the other hand will need constant maintenance and need to be rebuilt every two or three years. As a rule concrete lasts longer and is easier to repair than asphalt. Brick is the outlier here being the most expensive but actually not lasting as long as concrete pavers and requiring more maintenance. Unless you really want a brick driveway it is hard to justify building one.

The other thing to keep in mind is that not all driveways are appropriate for all locations. For example concrete stands up to extremes in weather better than asphalt. If you live in a place where it gets very hot or very cold asphalt is not a good option.

Gravel driveways can be a problem in areas that get a lot of precipitation, rain tends to undermine gravel driveways and create potholes. Snow is also a problem which you will quickly discover the first time you try to clear the snow on a gravel driveway.

Choosing the best driveway for your needs requires that you look beyond just the installation cost. This is particularly true if you are planning to stay in your house for many years. You may save money in the beginning by going with a gravel or concrete driveway but after a few summers of repairing it and ultimately having to replace it you may well wish that you had selected a driveway made of concrete pavers.