Re-grading or Rejuvenating a Gravel Driveway
This is typically done to correct for water draining issues or potholes, and if not done correctly, normally results in more potholes and ruts. Some customers refresh with new gravel or recycled asphalt millings.
The price ranges vary greatly depending on what needs to be corrected, along with what type and thickness of gravel might be used when refreshing the surface after regrading.
Costs to regrade a driveway can range from $2-$18 per square foot. For a 400-square-foot drive (10′ wide x40′ long) the national average prices go from $1,000-$6,000 for just the gravel itself.
Asphalt milling can cost a bit more, but lasts longer, requires little maintenance, and stands up better to both traffic and weather.
Residential Gravel Driveway Costs
To determine the amount of material needed simply multiply the; length x width x depth. Keep in mind that your driveway may need multiple layers of different types of gravel.
For example, you may have a 16-by-38-foot driveway that you want to top with 4 inches of gravel (or ⅓ foot), each of the 3 levels needed; A- base gravel #3, B – crush and run, and C – marble chips (or asphalt millings).
To calculate the material needed, you’d multiply 16 x 38 x 0.33 = a total of 201 cubic feet of each material, so if you purchase materials in cubic yards, you would divide your total by 27 to find the amount of materials needed by the yard.
For a driveway that’s 608 square feet (16×38=608), gravel #3 would cost $395, crush and run would cost $240, and marble chips would cost $1,220. Add those three together to get $1,855.
Labor costs at a minimum of $30 per hour (assuming it only takes 2 hours), that’d be another $60 for a total of $1,915. The cost might include delivery in the cost of the gravel, but if not, that can cost another $5 per mile and most likely a minimum delivery fee of $100-$150 for each load!
Gravel Driveway Cost Factors to Consider
Your gravel driveway prices will vary depending on several factors. The largest is most likely to be the length of the driveway, which type of gravel you choose, the different layers needed, and if there is any major grading needed to prep the drive for the work.
Type of Gravel or Material Used
The type of gravel you choose significantly impacts how much you’ll pay. Keep gravel types in mind if you have a large area to cover; your project total can quickly exceed your ideal budget if you choose a pricier gravel type.
Is Grading or Re-sloping needed?
When re-sloping work is required, it costs an average of $1,900, with a low end of $400 and a high end of $5,000. Chances are your property is not flat so you should expect some re-sloping work will be needed.
Is any Drainage needed?
If you have problems with drainage alongside, or across, your driveway you should address this with your grading professional. The only way to stop washouts and potholes is to correct them.
Be sure to speak with your contractor to find out if it’s necessary. Since gravel is a permeable material, trench drains or culverts can cost less, but just be aware that these options could add an average of $3,750 to your costs.
The cost of a drainage system(s) is $2,000 to $5,500, but by installing proper drainage (trenching along the driveway, or a culvert(s) under the drive) you will ensure that your gravel driveway will last much longer and help towards preventing issues like potholes or washout ruts.
Taxes or Permits
If you are not using a grading professional, realize that you might have to apply for a permit to build your driveway, and you may even be required to pay taxes. These together could cost you $500 to $2,000 for your project.
If it’s a new site with a long driveway, you will most likely want to engage a surveyor to stake the road to make sure you’re not placing it in the wrong area, or over a neighbor’s property line.
Size of the Project
A gravel driveway or road can cost anywhere from $1.25 to $1.80 per square foot or more. Considering that the average 2-car drive is about 16×40′, or 640 s.f., this could be $800 to $1,150 if it’s a simple project.
Delivery of Materials for the Project
The rock quarry’s quote may or may not include delivery costs. Some provide free delivery within a certain mileage range (within a few miles) or with a minimum tonnage ordered.
Typically, costs could be $5 per mile +/-, and sometimes $150/hr+ (round trip) for delivery. If you’re an hour each way from the plant, it’s $300 or more just to deliver one load (dump truck sizes dictate whether they can haul 5 Tons or as much as 25 Tons per trip, and those sizes are also a factor of the delivery costs).
Residential Gravel Driveway
A gravel driveway can generally be the least expensive but most people on average spend from $2,250 to $5,900 to install a gravel driveway.
Even though asphalt or concrete are the favorite choices, gravel is more popular for long driveways, usually in outlying or rural areas like Rio Verde, Carefree, and Cavecreek.
The size and depth of any project will be the biggest cost factor. We recommend that gravel is placed at a minimum of 4 inches deep, and then compacted.
You can read about how much it costs to rent equipment and do it yourself here.
Residential Gravel Roads
Like a driveway, the size of the project has the largest impact on the cost of a residential road.
For a residential road a tenth of a mile long, you can expect to pay $10,600 to $15,260, before any building permits, which range from $500 to $2,000.
For longer roads, to place gravel on a private road that’s ¼ mile long (1,320′) x 16′ wide, the national average shows it would come out to a total of 21,120 s.f., or from $26,400 to $38,016.
We always recommend the surface area be compacted with a vibratory roller to adequately compact the materials. If there’s ever any commercial traffic, or construction equipment traveling on the road, this extra step ensures a longer-lasting road.
Asphalt Millings (recycled asphalt)
Next in cost (and our favorite for several reasons) after a gravel drive or road would be one using asphalt millings. This can be beneficial because of its longevity and typically includes compaction right after proper grading.
These millings are created from asphalt roads where the top 1-2″ has been ground up and removed (when highways are resurfaced), and then reused for this type of application.
Not only are you reusing a material (good for the environment), but it costs less than a new asphalt drive or road, lasts longer, and can be installed with fewer laborers and equipment.
Using recycled asphalt greatly reduces labor costs and gives you a smoother surface than other methods (like gravel).
It also can be stored in piles on location until ready to use, does not leach oils, and can be driven on immediately after installation (unlike traditional asphalt).
Go here to read more about grading or leveling your yard.
1Data based on HomeAdvisor research, May 2022