How Much Does It Cost to Repave a Driveway?

Average Cost to Repave an Asphalt Driveway

Driveway Repaving Cost by Square Foot

The cost to pave an asphalt driveway comes out to $2 to $6 per square foot for materials, which is the same price as repaving that same driveway. The labor costs per square foot, however, are slightly reduced with repaving over initial paving, as the former does not require land excavation. Labor costs $5 to $7 per square foot, bringing the total cost to $7 to $13 per square foot.

Driveway Repaving Cost Breakdown

The cost to install an asphalt driveway ranges according to the materials used, the demolition process, the size of the finished driveway, labor, and more. 

Materials

Different types of asphalt mixes are available, and they all have different price tags and preferred use case scenarios. Keep in mind that a contractor likely has the connections to get the best material prices so outsource the job to them if possible. 

• Cold mix: When you picture an asphalt solution, it is likely a cold mix asphalt that you picture, as this is the most basic and universal asphalt type. It is extremely budget-friendly, at $10 to $50 per 50-lb bag, and offers an easy installation process. Repairing an asphalt driveway costs $300 to $6,000, and using cold mix ensures you fall on the lower end of that price range. With that in mind, a cold mix is best for repairs and not for an entirely new driveway. 

• Hot mix: This is an extremely durable form of asphalt, with a price tag to match. A hot mix is a heated combination of several materials, including gravel, sand, and, of course, asphalt cement. It costs $100 to $200 per ton of hot mix solution. 

• Recycled: As the name implies, recycled asphalt is a pre-used product. This is typically hot mix asphalt, so expect similar durability with the reduced price tag of buying used. Recycled asphalt costs $10 to $20 per ton. 

• Porous: If you worry about rainwater flowing from the driveway to other parts of your property, go with a porous asphalt mix for your repaving project. The porous design quickly sends water below the asphalt to a dedicated sub-drainage area. It costs $8 to $15 per square foot to repave with porous asphalt. 

Demolition

Demolishing and hauling away the old driveway materials costs between $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the size of the area. This job necessitates two basic phases. The first is the demolition phase, which involves breaking up and removing the old driveway. The second phase is the installation of the new driveway in the footprint of the old driveway (or in a completely new location if desired). 

Demolition costs are all labor, as the process requires no dedicated materials (but plenty of tools.) If you are demo-ing the driveway as a standalone project, contact a local driveway removal expert. 

Installation

The average labor cost for asphalt installation is $5 to $7 per square foot, with materials taking up $2 to $6 per square foot. In the case of a brand-new driveway, hiring a local excavator to prepare the yard costs $1,500 to $5,200. 

When you say you are “repaving” an asphalt driveway, you’re really removing all of the pre-existing asphalt in favor of new materials. In other words, the installation here is a complex and time-consuming job. The cost to pave an asphalt driveway involves both materials and labor.

Driveway Repaving Cost Factors

Beyond materials and labor, there are plenty of other cost factors when repaving an asphalt driveway. Some of these are beyond your control, such as driveway steepness, while others are optional add-ons. 

Steepness of Driveway

A steep driveway requires excavation and some serious pro-level grading, even in the case of repaving. This sets you back $1,500 to $5,200 due to the labor and professional equipment involved. Moving earth is very expensive, so if you’ve got a steep piece of property to build on, they’ll need to do a lot of grading to make it suitable for a driveway. 

Location of Driveway

Accessibility concerns increase the price tag. In other words, easy-to-access driveways, such as those at the front of the home, generally fall on the lower end of the price range to repave. But if the contractor needs to get equipment back behind your house, that raises the price of your project. That’s because this project involves moving a lot of material around, so they’ll have to maneuver equipment back and forth, which increases both fuel costs and the labor hours needed to complete the project. There is no hard-and-fast rule here as to how much location impacts the costs, as each driveway is different, so talk to your pro. 

Landscaping

After excavating any land, driveway or not, you likely have to follow up with maintenance-based landscaping. Hiring a landscaper costs an average of $3,200, but this depends on the damage your yard experiences during the repaving process. To minimize these costs, discuss how to reduce the risk of causing damage to your flora with a contractor. In many cases, you just need a touch-up that costs anywhere from $300 to $500. 

Permits

In many cases, it costs $100 to $500 to acquire this type of work permit. Some states require work permits to repave a driveway, though many remove this hurdle so long as the original driveway was built up to code. If the repaving process involves changes that would alter the sidewalk, curb, gutter, or driveway approach, a permit is almost always needed. Check with your local government agency to assess whether you need a permit to complete this work and the cost range. 

Upgrades and Additional Features

Since you already have a team of pros on your property to repave your driveway now is a good time to go ahead with related projects. This helps save money on service calls. Here are some average costs for popular upgrades and additional driveway features. 

• Heated driveway system: If you want to avoid ice build-ups during those long winter months, go for a heated driveway. Installing a heated driveway system costs $1,300 to $7,500, while simple snow mats cost around $280. 

• Improved drainage: This is a good time to improve or completely overhaul your drainage system. Installing a new drainage system costs $2,000 to $6,300, while updating a pre-existing system costs $10 to $100 per linear foot. 

• Gate: Installing a gate protects this investment by discouraging random cars and trucks from using your driveway. Installing an automatic driveway gate costs $850 to $3,700, while a manual gate costs an average of $2,500.

• Sealant: Sealing your asphalt driveway costs an average of $1.50 per square foot, so for a typical 400-square-foot driveway, it comes out to about $500. Sealing provides a layer of protection to minimize cracking or shifting. It should be done at least six months after the topcoat and then every two to five years, depending on the climate and level of use.

Repaving vs. Resurfacing an Asphalt Driveway

Repaving and resurfacing are entirely different processes with unique cost ranges. Repaving an asphalt driveway involves removing the old materials and replacing them with all-new asphalt, throughout the entire driveway. Resurfacing, on the other hand, involves adding a new coat of asphalt to a pre-existing driveway. Due to the decreased labor and material needs, resurfacing an asphalt driveway costs an average of $3,000, or $3 to $7 per square foot. Resurfacing does not afford the same level of protection as repaving, though it is a good maintenance step for driveways in decent shape that are less than 15 years old. 

DIY vs. Hiring an Asphalt Paver

This is not a DIY-friendly project due to the amount of labor and heavy machinery required to do the work. Labor accounts for around half of the total cost, so it is tempting to save that money by shooing away professionals, but improperly repaved asphalt severely limits the durability and lifespan of the end product. 

Additionally, demolishing and removing the pre-existing asphalt requires not just equipment but also large trucks and related vehicles. Save yourself some serious headaches by contacting a local asphalt paving company. 

Cost to Repave a Driveway Yourself

Again, you save around half when, theoretically, doing this project on your own. In other words, your total project costs fall down to $2,000 to $5,000. However, that is not the whole story. Asphalt requires specialized machinery to move the material, pour the material, and demolish the pre-existing material, in addition to multiple large trucks to haul away debris and pre-used asphalt. It is tough to even find rentals for this type of heavy-duty equipment and many states require specialized licensing and insurance to operate these items.