Concrete Driveway Cost Calculator
Build an itemised estimate for a new concrete driveway — concrete and gravel by the cubic yard, labour by the square foot, finish, demolition and contingency — from prices you collect locally, so the total is yours rather than a national average that is wrong for your ZIP code.
How to use this calculator
- Measure the drive as the slab will actually be poured, including the apron at the street and any parking pad or turnaround. Irregular shapes: break them into rectangles, add the areas, and enter the total as length × 1 ft wide if that is easier.
- Choose the thickness by the heaviest vehicle that will ever park on it, not the one you drive today. Four inches is the minimum for passenger cars, five is the common choice, and six is for pickups with loads, RVs and trailers. The extra inch is the cheapest insurance in the whole estimate.
- Replace the placeholder prices. One phone call to the ready-mix plant gives the delivered price per cubic yard and the short-load fee. The gravel yard gives its delivered price. For the per-square-foot labour lines, ask contractors to itemise their bids — the ones that will are usually the ones worth hiring.
- Compare bids line by line. A bid that is far below your estimate is usually skipping base, thickness or reinforcement; one far above it should be able to point at the line that explains the difference.
The formula
The estimate is seven lines, each of which scales in a different way, plus a contingency. Geometry first, then quantities, then your prices:
| Line | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete | area × thickness (ft) × (1 + waste) ÷ 27 = cubic yards | cu yd × delivered price |
| Gravel base | area × base depth (ft) × (1 + waste) ÷ 27 | cu yd × delivered price |
| Excavation, grading, compaction | area | sq ft × rate |
| Reinforcement and joints | area | sq ft × rate |
| Forming, placing, finishing | area | sq ft × rate × finish factor |
| Demolition (optional) | area | sq ft × rate |
| Permit (optional) | — | flat amount |
| Contingency | — | subtotal × percentage |
Thickness and base depth entered in inches are divided by 12 first; 27 cubic feet make a cubic yard. The waste allowance applies to the two volumes (spillage, an uneven subgrade, compaction of the gravel) and the contingency applies to money (a soft spot that needs extra base, a weather delay, a pump because the truck cannot reach). They are different risks, which is why they are separate inputs.
The finish factor multiplies only the forming and finishing labour, because that is where a decorative finish costs its money: more skilled hours, colour hardeners, release agents, stamping mats, and sealing. The concrete itself is the same volume whatever it looks like.
Worked example
A 40 × 20 ft double driveway, 5 in thick on a 4 in gravel base, plain broom finish, no demolition, 10% waste and 10% contingency, with the placeholder prices in the form:
- Area: 40 × 20 = 800 sq ft
- Concrete: 800 × (5 ÷ 12) = 333.3 cu ft; × 1.10 = 366.7 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 13.58 cu yd; × $165 = $2,240.74
- Gravel: 800 × (4 ÷ 12) = 266.7 cu ft; × 1.10 = 293.3 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 10.86 cu yd; × $55 = $597.53
- Excavation and compaction: 800 × $1.25 = $1,000.00
- Reinforcement and joints: 800 × $0.75 = $600.00
- Forming, placing and finishing: 800 × $3.50 × 1.0 = $2,800.00
- Subtotal $7,238.27; contingency 10% = $723.83; estimated total $7,962.10, or $9.95 per sq ft
Materials (concrete, gravel, reinforcement) are $3,438.27 of that — under half. The same drive stamped and coloured multiplies the finishing line by 2.2, adding $3,360 before contingency, which is why decorative quotes diverge so sharply from plain ones. These are the defaults in the form above; press Calculate and the numbers match.
What moves a driveway quote
| Factor | Effect on the estimate |
|---|---|
| Thickness 4 → 5 → 6 in | Concrete line grows 25% per inch; nothing else changes |
| Poor soil or deep frost | Base depth 4 → 6–8 in; sometimes thicker slab or rebar |
| Decorative finish | Finishing labour 1.35–2.2×; add periodic resealing later |
| Removing an old drive | Adds a demolition line; concrete costs more to break and haul than asphalt |
| Slope, curves, tight access | More forming per sq ft; a pump if the truck cannot back up to the forms |
| Small area | Short-load fee on the concrete, and minimum charges on labour |
What this estimate leaves out
- Drainage. A drive must shed water away from the garage and the house. Regrading, a trench drain or a culvert at the street are separate items.
- Aprons and sidewalks in the public right-of-way, which often need their own permit and a specified thickness.
- Sealing. Optional on plain concrete, near-mandatory on stamped and coloured work every few years.
- Utilities. Locating and protecting lines under the drive; moving a water meter or cleanout that ends up in the slab.
For the material quantities on their own, the concrete calculator and gravel calculator use the same geometry with bag counts and tonnage; the concrete patio cost guide explains why the concrete itself is the smaller half of any slab bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete driveway cost per square foot?
It depends far more on your region, the finish and the site than on the concrete, which is why this page asks for your local prices instead of quoting one number. With the placeholder rates in the form, a plain 5 in driveway on a 4 in base works out just under 10 dollars per square foot including contingency; stamped and coloured work roughly doubles the finishing line. Replace the rates with two local quotes and your own figure will be more accurate than any national average.
How thick should a concrete driveway be?
Four inches is the minimum for passenger cars, five inches is the common choice for cars and light trucks, and six inches is for heavy pickups, RVs and trailers. Each extra inch adds about 25 percent to the concrete line and nothing to the labour lines, so it is the cheapest upgrade in the whole estimate. Check local code as well.
Is a concrete driveway cheaper than asphalt?
Asphalt is usually cheaper to install and dearer to keep: it needs sealing every few years and resurfacing well before a concrete drive needs anything. Concrete costs more up front and typically lasts far longer. Compare the installed price plus the maintenance you will actually do, not the installed price alone.
Why do driveway quotes vary so much for the same size?
Because the concrete is the small part. Base preparation, thickness, reinforcement, finish and demolition are where bids differ, and a low bid is usually thin on one of them. Ask every contractor to itemise the same lines this calculator uses and the gap normally explains itself.
Can I pour a driveway myself to save money?
The materials are typically well under half the bill, so doing the labour yourself saves the larger half. Against that, a driveway is a large pour that must be placed, screeded and finished before it sets, usually needs a crew of three or four, and a poor finish is on display for decades. Most people do their own excavation and base, and hire the placing and finishing.
Guides
- Concrete vs Asphalt Driveway: Which Costs Less?
- How Thick Should a Concrete Driveway Be?
- Rebar, Wire Mesh or Fibre: Reinforcing a Concrete Driveway
Related calculators
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