How Much Does it Cost to Pave a Driveway? [2024]

When building or renovating, we spend a lot of time agonizing over the colour of the house and our landscaping, but often overlook the driveway.

As the entranceway to your home and a large part of its kerb appeal, the driveway deserves more attention. A well constructed driveway should last for at least 20 years, but it needs to be installed properly otherwise you will be repairing it within a few years.

This article will help you work out some of the practicalities of your driveway paving project, specifically:

• Your driveway paving options
• What is a base?
• Does my driveway installer need to be licensed?
• Hiring a driveway contractor
• Getting quotes for your driveway project
• How much does it cost to pave a driveway?

Your driveway paving options

Stuck for inspiration deciding what to pave your driveway with? Thankfully there is more to choose from than bitumen and gravel.  

Concrete: a stable surface for driveways that is available in a wide range of finishes, including plain, stencilled, stamped and exposed aggregate. Plain concrete is one of the most cost effective paving options for driveways, requiring little maintenance other than an occasional pressure wash.

Read more: How much does a concrete driveway cost?

Decorative concrete: Getting the ‘look’ of more expensive natural stone, cobblestone, brick or pavers is now possible with surfaced or resurfaced decorative concrete. Exposed aggregate concrete is another popular decorative effect achieved by adding stone to concrete, and is a durable surface for the long term.

Brick: Brick pavers not only look great, but they don’t need a lot of maintenance either. A pressure wash a couple of times of year should be enough. In terms of durability, if an individual brick does crack it is easily replaced. If you want intricate patterns on your driveway, such as basket weave or herringbone expect to pay more. Brick needs a good base for it to last as a driveway, bearing mind the vehicle traffic it needs to withstand.

Gravel: Gravel, though not strictly a paving material, is a relatively cheap surface for level driveways and rural properties, though it does have its drawbacks. Gravel needs regular maintenance, can be dusty and may need to be weeded.

What is a base?

A base is part of the prep work done before your driveway surface is laid. Depending on the type of driveway and paving material, this is typically a crushed sandstone which is compacted with a roller. You could also have a concrete base. This ensures that your paving has a stable base to rest on and is crucial to the longevity of your driveway.  Drainage is also installed with the base to ensure stormwater runs off to an appropriate drain.

Tip: Your paving needs a stable base to rest on, and is crucial to the longevity of your driveway

Does my driveway installer need to be licensed?

It depends where you live.

In Queensland, paving contractors need a structural landscaping licence. In Victoria, they would need to be a registered builder. In NSW they would need to hold a concreting licence if they lay any type of concrete paving or a "minor trade work" licence if they are laying stone paving.

Hiring a driveway contractor

When it comes time to hiring a contractor for your project make sure they are right for your job. Some questions to ask them include:

• Are you licensed for my project?

• Do you hold valid insurance?

• Can you provide a written quote?

• Do you have references I can follow up?

• Can I see examples of your work

Tip: Get at least three quotes before you commit to hiring anyone, so you can compare price and level of service

How much does it cost to pave a driveway?

Before we look at the cost of some different driveway paving options, let’s list what factors a contractor will use to quote your job.

• Your material choice will affect the final price

• Size, in square metres, of the surface to be paved

• Slope, the steeper your driveway the more expensive it will be

As one of the most affordable options, a plain concrete driveway is a good benchmark to use when you calculate the cost of a new driveway. With that as your lowest price point, you'll be better able to judge the true value of more decorative paving options.

Expect to pay:

• $65 per square metre for a plain concrete driveway on a level surface

• $75 per square metre for a plain concrete driveway on a sloping surface.

• $70 to $90 per square metre for brick pavers

• $75 to $100 per square metre for natural stone pavers

Are you looking for something even more decorative? If so, you might want to look into concrete stencilling or an exposed aggregate finish. With stencilling, your stylistic options are unlimited. A simple, repetitive pattern might consist of a single colour only, with the plain concrete remaining exposed to look like grout between brick or stone pavers. A highly decorative stencilled and textured driveway might include a complex, multi-coloured pattern and a contrasting border colour. Depending on which you choose, expect to pay:

• $100 to $150 per square metre for an exposed aggregate finish

• $100 to $150 per square metre for a decorative stencilled concrete driveway

Don’t forget to work the cost of a base into your budget, even though a contractor will quote you for the whole job. Expect to pay in the region of:

• $1,500 to $1800 for a crushed rock base for a site of 50 square metres with easy access and little preparation

• $2300 to $2,800 for a poured concrete base for a site of 50 square metres with easy access and little preparation

Getting quotes for your driveway project

The best way of finding out the cost of your driveway paving job is to get quotes from local paving specialists or concretors. This will give you a sense of what market rates currently are.  

*Cost and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.