What a new driveway, an overlay or a full tear-out should cost — with the base priced separately, where contractors usually hide it.
Asphalt Driveway Cost Calculator
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Set to 0 for an overlay — the base is already there.
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Estimated installed cost
$4,000 – $8,000
area × $/ft² by scope, plus base and removal where they apply
Calculated with BuildCalculators.com
An asphalt driveway quote is three separable numbers: the paving, the base underneath it, and removal of whatever is there now. Contractors usually present one figure, which is why quotes are so hard to compare — and so easy to inflate.
Split them and a quote becomes interrogable. A number that is high on paving but skips the base is not cheap, it is incomplete.
area × $4–$7/ft²area × $2–$5/ft², no basearea × $1–$3/ft²area × $2–$4/ft²ft² × depth(in) × 0.006042An overlay reuses the existing base and needs no excavation or disposal. That typically saves 40–60% against a full replacement — but only if the base is genuinely sound. Paving over a failed base buys a smooth surface for a season and the same cracks back within two.
Alligator cracking — interconnected cracks like reptile skin — means the base is moving. So do depressions that hold water after rain, and edges that have sunk. Straight-line cracking and surface oxidation are surface problems and are overlay candidates. This distinction is the difference between a $4,000 job and a $12,000 one.
Six to eight inches of compacted aggregate runs $1–$3 per square foot. It is the cheapest part of the job and the part that determines how long the surface lasts. A contractor proposing thin asphalt over an inadequate base is proposing a driveway that fails early.
Asphalt cannot travel far, so haul distance from the nearest plant is a large share of cost. Site access matters too — a driveway a paver can reach directly is cheaper than one needing wheelbarrows. Two honest quotes on the same driveway can legitimately differ by 40%.
Fresh install on bare ground, 3 inches over a 6 inch base.
$4,000 – $8,000
The base is 20–30% of the total. A quote noticeably below this range has probably left it out — ask what depth of aggregate is included.
Existing surface is oxidised and cracking but the base is sound.
$1,600 – $4,000
Roughly half the cost of a new install. Only valid if the base is genuinely intact — check for alligator cracking and standing water first.
The same driveway, but the base has failed and everything comes out.
$5,600 – $11,200
Removal adds 30–40%. This is why the overlay-versus-replace decision is the single most expensive judgement on the job.
2026 US averages, installed.
| Scope | Per ft² | 800 ft² driveway |
|---|---|---|
| New asphalt driveway | $4–$7 | $3,200–$5,600 |
| Aggregate base, 6 in | $1–$3 | $800–$2,400 |
| Overlay / resurface | $2–$5 | $1,600–$4,000 |
| Removal and disposal | $2–$4 | $1,600–$3,200 |
| Sealcoating | $0.15–$0.30 | $120–$240 |
| Crack filling | $1–$3 per ft of crack | Varies |
New install including base, 3 in asphalt.
| Size | Area | Tonnage | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 ft² | 7.25 t | $2,000–$4,000 |
| 40 × 12 ft | 480 ft² | 8.70 t | $2,400–$4,800 |
| 40 × 20 ft | 800 ft² | 14.50 t | $4,000–$8,000 |
| 60 × 12 ft | 720 ft² | 13.05 t | $3,600–$7,200 |
| 100 × 20 ft | 2,000 ft² | 36.25 t | $10,000–$20,000 |
| Symptom | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Surface oxidised, grey, no cracks | Sealcoat |
| Straight-line cracks under ¼ in | Crack fill, then sealcoat |
| Widespread cracking, base sound | Overlay |
| Alligator cracking | Replace — the base has failed |
| Depressions holding water | Replace, and fix drainage |
| Sunken or crumbling edges | Replace, with proper edge support |
The headline figure hides the decision that actually matters: whether you are buying a surface or a structure. Overlay buys a surface. Full replacement buys a structure. Choosing wrong in either direction is expensive.
Haul distance from the plant, site access, existing conditions, and local labour. The bottom of each range is a rural crew with a plant nearby and easy access; the top is a metro job with a long haul and hand work.
Excavation beyond the stated base depth, drainage work, edge restraint, and disposal fees on removal. A quote that does not state base depth in inches is not a complete quote.
A properly based driveway lasts 15–20 years with sealcoating every 3–5. One laid on an inadequate base fails in 5–8. The base is 20–30% of the cost and most of the lifespan, which makes it the worst possible place to save money.
Paving needs ambient temperatures above roughly 50°F and rising, so the season is spring through autumn. Booking in the shoulder months rather than peak summer can save 10–15%, and plants sometimes discount late-season work to keep crews busy.
A quote at $3.50 per square foot with 3 inches of base and one at $5.00 with 8 inches are not competing on price — they are different driveways. Always ask for the aggregate depth in inches.
The most expensive mistake available here. Alligator cracking means the structure below has gone; new asphalt over it reproduces the same cracks within two years, and you have paid twice.
New asphalt needs 6–12 months to cure before sealing. Seal it sooner and the sealer will not bond, trapping oils and leaving a surface that peels.
Water under asphalt destroys the base, and water on asphalt freezes into cracks. A driveway needs a fall of about 2% to shed water. No surface treatment survives a drainage problem.
Driveway paving is the classic itinerant scam — leftover material, cash price, no written scope, laid thin over no base. A legitimate contractor gives a written quote stating asphalt depth, base depth and compaction.
Typically $4–$7 per square foot installed in 2026, plus $1–$3 per square foot for the aggregate base. A 40 × 20 ft driveway lands around $4,000–$8,000 including base.
Considerably — usually 40–60% less, because it reuses the base and needs no excavation or disposal. But it only works if the base is sound. Alligator cracking means the base has failed and an overlay will fail with it.
Alligator cracking, depressions that hold water after rain, and sunken or crumbling edges all mean the base has failed. Straight-line cracks and grey oxidised surface are surface problems, which an overlay or sealcoat handles.
$1–$3 per square foot for 6–8 inches compacted. It is 20–30% of the job and most of the lifespan, which makes it the worst place to economise.
Asphalt cannot travel far from the plant, so haul distance is a large share of cost. Site access, existing conditions and local labour rates do the rest. Two honest quotes can differ by 40%.
$2–$4 per square foot including disposal, so $1,600–$3,200 on a 40 × 20 ft driveway. That is 30–40% on top of a new install.
15–20 years over a proper base with sealcoating every 3–5 years. Over an inadequate base, 5–8 years — the base determines lifespan more than the asphalt does.
Shoulder season — late spring or early autumn. Peak summer books out and prices firm up. Paving needs ambient temperatures above roughly 50°F, so winter is not an option in cold regions.
Asphalt vs Concrete Driveway — Asphalt installs at $4–$7 per square foot and concrete at $6–$12 — but the upfront price is the least interesting difference. Here is the comparison over the life of the driveway.
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It is a planning estimate. It does not replace an engineer, a site visit or a written quote — confirm quantities with your supplier before ordering.