Step 1: quantities per layer
A new driveway usually has three layers (see the driveway gravel calculator for depths and stone types). Run the calculator above once per layer with the right material selected, and note the tons.
Step 2: get local prices
Call two or three landscape or aggregate suppliers and ask for:
- The price per ton (or per cubic yard) for each stone you need
- The delivery charge to your address, and how many tons fit on one truck
- Any minimum order or fuel surcharge
Step 3: fill in the worksheet
| Line item | How to work it out |
|---|---|
| Base stone | tons × price per ton |
| Middle stone | tons × price per ton |
| Top stone | tons × price per ton |
| Delivery | number of loads × delivery fee |
| Geotextile fabric (soft soil) | area in sq ft × price per sq ft (rolls are sold by size) |
| Edging (optional) | length of edges × price per foot |
| Excavation and grading | contractor quote, or equipment rental × days |
| Compactor or roller rental | daily rate × days |
| Culvert pipe at a ditch crossing (if needed) | supplier quote |
| Permit (some towns require one for a new curb cut) | local fee |
A worked example with placeholder prices
To show the math only, here is a 100 × 12 ft driveway with made-up round prices. Replace them with your quotes.
| Layer | Tons | Example price per ton | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base, 4 in | 20.0 | $A | 20.0 × A |
| Middle, 4 in | 20.0 | $B | 20.0 × B |
| Top, 3 in | 16.7 | $C | 16.7 × C |
| Delivery, 5 loads | — | $D per load | 5 × D |
If A, B and C were all $40 and D were $100, the stone would be 56.7 × 40 = $2,268 and delivery $500, a total of $2,768 before fabric, equipment and labor. Your numbers will differ; that is the point of the worksheet.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Fix drainage first. A driveway that holds water ruts and needs more stone sooner.
- Reuse a sound base. If the existing base is firm, resurface with 2 to 3 inches of top stone instead of rebuilding.
- Order full truckloads. Delivery is often priced per load, so a full truck spreads that fee over more stone.
- Ask about recycled base. Crushed recycled concrete can replace quarried base stone for the lower layers.
- Tailgate spreading. Ask the driver to spread the load as it tips; it saves hours of shoveling.
This page does not give price estimates. Material, delivery and labor costs depend on where you live; use quotes from local suppliers and contractors.
Questions people ask
- How do I calculate the cost of a gravel driveway?
- Work out tons for each layer, multiply each by that stone's price per ton, then add delivery charges, any fabric or edging, equipment rental and labor.
- What is the most expensive part of a gravel driveway?
- For a new driveway it is often site preparation and the volume of base stone, not the visible top layer. Excavation, grading and hauling away soil can cost as much as the stone.
- Is resurfacing cheaper than building a new gravel driveway?
- Usually much cheaper, because a resurfacing only adds 2 to 3 inches of top stone to a base that is already there.
- Why don't you show an average price?
- Stone prices and trucking costs change a lot from one region and one year to the next, so a national average would mislead you. A quote from a local yard is the only number worth budgeting with.