Fix It Price

Driveway Paving Cost

National planning ranges, installed: asphalt $7–$15 per sq ft, concrete $8–$18 per sq ft, pavers $10–$30 per sq ft. A two-car driveway runs $2,000–$8,600 in asphalt or concrete and $5,700–$17,200 in pavers. Removal, grading and drainage sit on top. Here is what moves your number.

By HarryUpdated September 2026

Paving crew spreading hot asphalt on a graded residential driveway with a roller behind
AI-generated illustration

Asphalt or plain concrete, new base, per square foot installed, September 2026

$7 – $18 per sq ft

Two-car (24 by 24 ft, 576 sq ft): asphalt $2,000–$7,200, concrete $2,400–$8,600, pavers $5,700–$17,200. Removing the old driveway adds $2–$6 per sq ft. Drainage $400–$2,400. Sealing asphalt $1.25–$1.50 per sq ft every few years.

Published averages describe a mid-size job. Angi and HomeAdvisor both put driveway paving at $2,523–$7,293 with an average of $4,908, and Thumbtack's 2026 data says $1,510–$6,263 with most paying $3,381. Fixr's average is higher at $6,960 because it prices a 24 by 24 concrete driveway with a 10 foot apron and sealer. Angi's 2026 asphalt-only figure is $5,345 with most jobs at $3,149–$7,543. None of those include removing an old surface, which is where a "$4,000 driveway" becomes $7,000.

Asphalt vs concrete vs pavers: cost per square foot installed

SurfacePer sq ft installedNotes
Gravel$1 – $3HomeGuide. Cheapest, needs raking and top-ups yearly. Thumbtack $1.25–$1.80
Chip seal (tar and chip)$5 – $10Angi and HomeAdvisor. Asphalt look on a budget; resurface in about 10 years
Asphalt, hot mix$7 – $15Angi and HomeAdvisor. HomeGuide sees $5–$12 in cheaper markets. Materials $2–$6, labor $5–$7 per sq ft
Concrete, plain broom finish, 4 inch$8 – $18HomeAdvisor. HomeGuide $6–$15. A 6 inch slab for trucks or RVs is $8–$20
Concrete, stamped or stained$12 – $20HomeAdvisor stamped $12–$18, stained $18–$20. HomeGuide mid-range decorative $15–$20
Pavers, standard concrete$10 – $18Angi. Labor alone is $6–$10 per sq ft (HomeGuide)
Pavers, brick$12 – $22Angi. HomeGuide $10–$25
Pavers, permeable$15 – $25Angi. Thicker open-graded base handles stormwater; some cities require it
Pavers, natural stone or cobblestone$20 – $50Angi natural stone $20–$35; HomeGuide cobblestone $20–$50
Heated (any surface)$12 – $28HomeGuide. Runs $120–$600 per winter

Cost by driveway size

SizeAsphaltConcretePavers
10 x 20 ft (200 sq ft), single car$1,400 – $2,800$1,600 – $3,000$2,000 – $6,000
12 x 24 ft (288 sq ft), one car$1,850 – $4,000$2,300 – $4,300$2,900 – $7,200
20 x 20 ft (400 sq ft)$2,800 – $5,600$3,200 – $6,000$4,000 – $12,000
24 x 24 ft (576 sq ft), two car$4,000 – $8,100$4,600 – $8,600$5,700 – $17,200
24 x 36 ft (864 sq ft), three car$6,100 – $12,100$6,900 – $13,000$8,600 – $25,900

Asphalt figures are HomeAdvisor's 2026 repaving table at $7–$14 per square foot; concrete is Angi's table at $8–$20; pavers are HomeGuide's at $10–$30. The Angi and HomeAdvisor size table for a basic asphalt job runs lower, $2,900–$4,000 for a 24 by 24, which is a fair floor in a low-cost market with an existing base. Angi's concrete city data shows the labor spread: $3,000–$7,800 in Indianapolis, $3,600–$7,200 in Nashville, $5,400–$12,000 in New York and $7,200–$13,200 in Los Angeles for the same slab.

What drives the price

DriverImpactNotes
Removing the old driveway$2 – $6 per sq ftHomeAdvisor: $250–$3,000 for most. Asphalt is cheaper to break up ($1–$2 per sq ft); Angi's thick-asphalt data averages $4,750 at $3–$7 per sq ft
Grading and base$3 – $8 per sq ftHomeGuide. A compacted stone base is what makes a driveway last; this is not the line to cut. Steep sites add $1,000–$2,500 (HomeAdvisor)
Drainage$400 – $5,000Trench or channel drain along the drive $400–$2,400 (HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor). A culvert under the apron $1,500–$5,000 (HomeAdvisor)
Apron and curb cut$1,300 – $7,800Angi. Concrete apron $1,530–$4,320. The city usually controls apron specs and may inspect it separately
Thickness and reinforcement+$1 – $5 per sq ftRebar or wire mesh $1–$3 per sq ft (HomeGuide). Angi's asphalt data: 3 to 4 inches is standard, thicker for trucks
Permits$50 – $200Angi and HomeAdvisor. Often waived when a paved apron already exists. HomeAdvisor sees $250–$2,000 in strict jurisdictions
Labor market$2 – $7 per sq ftConcrete finishing labor $2–$3 per sq ft, asphalt $5–$7 (Bob Vila, Angi). Urban crews and long hauls cost more
Decorative finishes+$2 – $15 per sq ftHomeGuide. Borders and inlays on pavers $1,000–$5,000 (Angi)

Sealing, resurfacing and the 30-year view

Asphalt needs sealing every 3 to 5 years per HomeGuide. Angi and HomeAdvisor price it at $1.25–$1.50 per square foot with an average job of about $574, so a two-car drive is roughly $700–$860 per visit; HomeGuide's range is $1–$2 per square foot or $400–$800 for 400 square feet. Concrete sealing is $1–$3 per square foot and is optional on plain slabs. When asphalt goes grey and cracked but the base is sound, an overlay at $3–$7 per square foot (Angi) buys another decade; HomeAdvisor prices most resurfacing at $1,000–$3,000.

  • Asphalt. Cheapest to install, flexible in freeze-thaw, easy to patch. Lasts 15 to 30 years (HomeGuide) with sealing. Softens in extreme heat.
  • Concrete. Lasts 40 years (Thumbtack) to 50 or more (Angi) with little upkeep. Cracks in hard-freeze climates and repairs are visible; HomeGuide prices concrete repairs at $300–$3,000 against $250–$800 for asphalt.
  • Pavers. 25 to 75 years (HomeGuide). Individual stones can be lifted and reset after a sewer dig or settling, which is the real argument for them. Joint sand and weeding are the maintenance.

DIY vs pro

Hot-mix asphalt is a pro-only surface: it arrives hot, has to be spread and rolled before it cools, and needs a paver and a vibratory roller. Concrete is technically DIY-able for a small pad, but a 576 square foot slab is about seven cubic yards that must be placed and finished before it sets, and a bad finish is permanent. Pavers are the realistic homeowner project. HomeGuide's breakdown puts labor at $6–$10 of the $10–$30 per square foot, so doing your own base and laying saves about a third; rent a plate compactor and budget a full week for a two-car drive. Sealing asphalt yourself saves roughly $1.15 per square foot in labor (HomeAdvisor).

Quote warning: the number that goes missing is base depth. A cheap asphalt quote often means a thin lift on a shallow base; a durable one states the asphalt thickness and a deep, compacted stone base. Get three written quotes that state asphalt or slab thickness, base material and depth, compaction, rebar or mesh, drainage, apron work, removal and disposal, sealing, and the permit. Ask what happens to the price if the crew hits soft subsoil or an old buried slab. A crew that shows up the same day with "leftover asphalt from another job" is a classic scam; the mix is cold and the base is skipped.

Quick answers

How much does it cost to pave a driveway in 2026?

Plan on $7–$18 per square foot installed for asphalt or plain concrete, as of September 2026, which is $4,000–$8,600 for a two-car 24 by 24 foot driveway. Angi and HomeAdvisor report most projects at $2,523–$7,293 with an average near $4,908; Fixr's average is $6,960 for a 24 by 24 concrete drive with an apron and sealer. Pavers run $10–$30 per square foot, or $5,700–$17,200 for two cars.

Is asphalt or concrete cheaper for a driveway?

Asphalt is cheaper up front at $7–$15 per square foot against $8–$18 for concrete, and HomeGuide's two-car totals are $2,000–$7,200 for asphalt versus $2,400–$8,600 for concrete. Asphalt needs sealing every 3 to 5 years at $1.25–$1.50 per square foot and lasts 15 to 30 years; concrete lasts 40 or more with little upkeep but cracks in freeze-thaw climates and costs more to repair. Over 30 years the totals are close.

How much does it cost to remove an old driveway?

HomeAdvisor prices demolition and disposal at $2–$6 per square foot or $250–$3,000 for most driveways, with concrete at the top of that range and asphalt at $1–$2 per square foot when it is thin. Angi's asphalt removal data averages $4,750 for a large, thick drive at $3–$7 per square foot. Removal plus new paving lands at $9–$29 per square foot all-in.

Before you sign: get the thickness, base depth and square footage in writing, confirm removal and drainage are included, and ask whether the apron needs its own city permit. See how to read a contractor quote. Sewer line under the drive? Read our sewer line replacement cost guide before you pave over it.

Sources

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