Concrete Driveway Cost: Typical Prices by Size and What Moves Them

A new concrete driveway is one of the biggest outdoor projects a homeowner pays for, and most of them have no idea whether a quote is fair. Here are typical prices by size, what moves them and how contractors build the number.

Typical prices by size

At a common mid-market setup, $2,400 for the first 200 square feet and $9 a square foot after that, 4 inches thick on a compacted gravel base with wire mesh:

• One-car, 12 by 24 feet (288 square feet): about $3,192
• Two-car, 20 by 24 feet (480 square feet): about $4,920
• Two-car, about 600 square feet: about $6,000
• Two-car, 24 by 30 feet (720 square feet): about $7,080
• Long or three-car, 1,000 square feet: about $9,600

That puts most two-car driveways at $9 to $11 a square foot. Big metros run higher and rural areas lower, but the shape of the price is the same everywhere: a minimum for showing up, then square feet.

What adds to the price

• Tearing out the old driveway. Breaking, loading and hauling 600 square feet of old concrete adds about $1,500. Thick slabs with rebar and long hauls to the dump cost more
• Rebar instead of wire mesh. A grid of rebar on chairs adds about $600 on a typical driveway. Worth it on clay soils and where heavy vehicles park
• A 6-inch pour. For RVs, boat trailers and loaded work trucks, about $900 more on a typical driveway. Cars are fine on 4 inches over a good base
• Sealer. About $350. It helps against salt, oil and freeze-thaw damage, and needs a new coat every two to three years
• Integral color. About $500. Color mixed into the concrete, so it does not wear off like a stain
• Stamped borders or a stamped driveway. Stamped concrete runs $14 to $20 a square foot; read stamped concrete pricing

A 600 square foot driveway with tear-out comes to about $7,500. Add rebar and sealer and it is about $8,450.

What the contractor checks on site

The price a homeowner sees online is a range because the map cannot see:

• Slope and drainage. Water must run away from the garage and the house
• Soil. Soft clay or fill needs more base, sometimes a geotextile fabric
• Access. If the ready-mix truck cannot reach the far end, the job needs a pump or wheelbarrows, and that costs more
• Tree roots that lifted the old slab and will lift the new one
• The city approach. Many cities require a permit and their own spec for the part that meets the street

A good contractor explains each of these on the visit and puts them in writing.

How long it takes

Most driveways are a three to five day job: one day for tear-out, one for grading, base and forms, one to pour and finish, and a day to cut the control joints and strip the forms. Cars stay off for 7 days; heavy trucks wait a month while the concrete reaches full strength.

Concrete vs asphalt vs pavers

Asphalt costs less up front, often $4 to $7 a square foot, but needs sealing every few years and lasts 15 to 20 years. Concrete lasts 30 years or more with little care. Pavers cost more, $15 to $30 a square foot, and individual pieces can be lifted and fixed.

How to read a driveway quote

A fair quote spells out what you are paying for. Look for:

• The square feet and the thickness, usually 4 inches for cars
• The base: how many inches of gravel, and whether it is compacted
• Reinforcement: wire mesh, fiber or rebar, and how it is held up off the ground
• Control joints: how far apart, and whether they are tooled or saw cut
• Tear-out and haul-off as its own line, if there is an old driveway
• The finish: broom, exposed aggregate or stamped
• Permits for the city approach, and who pulls them
• The payment schedule: a deposit when the job is booked and the balance when the work is done

Two quotes that look $1,000 apart often turn out to be for different thickness, base or reinforcement. Line them up item by item before you choose.

For contractors: let them see it first

Homeowners research a driveway for weeks before calling anyone. Put your rates on your site so they can outline their driveway on the satellite map and see your range. Then the estimate visit is about details, not sticker shock. Try the concrete driveway cost calculator, and see how the concrete estimate software works on your own site.