Overview: Driveway Paving Contractors
A paved driveway is mostly the part you can't see. The old surface comes up, the ground gets shaped so meltwater leaves the lot, and crushed gravel goes down in compacted layers. Hot asphalt is rolled on top last. Many of the same companies patch holes, seal cracks, lay interlocking pavers and rebuild the apron where the drive meets the road.
Frost decides whether the work lasts. Water held in the base freezes, expands and lifts the surface, and the damage shows up at the spring thaw. So ask how deep the gravel goes and where the water drains. The edges need packed shoulders, because a plough blade will find any lip.
The old paving scam travels well. Alberta's consumer investigators warn about crews who knock with asphalt left over from a job nearby, pave at a discount and are gone by the time it crumbles. Real paving gets measured, priced and written down, and it rarely starts the same afternoon.
Our listings show what each paver states on its own website, from asphalt and interlock to crack sealing. Open your province, then your city, to find paving companies that work on home driveways.
Driveway paving costs in Canada
Compare the same area, base preparation and drainage plan. Resurfacing and full reconstruction are different scopes.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Two-car asphalt driveway replacement | C$3,000–C$8,500per ordinary two-car driveway | Remove and replace an ordinary two-car asphalt driveway, with the measured area and base correction specified.A whole-project range, not a square-foot rate. Measure the driveway; long approaches, failed ground, buried concrete and major drainage work cost more.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Old asphalt removal and disposal; Agreed base correction and new asphalt Budget separately or confirm: Failed-ground reconstruction and buried concrete removal; Major drainage changes, widening and curb work |
| Asphalt overlay | C$3–C$8per square foot paved | A new asphalt layer over suitable existing pavement, with preparation and compacted thickness agreed.Only suitable over a sound base. Confirm compacted thickness and whether milling is included where garage or curb levels leave little clearance.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Surface preparation; Specified overlay Budget separately or confirm: Milling, failed-base reconstruction and old-surface removal unless listed; Major drainage or level changes |
| Concrete driveway | C$10–C$16per square foot paved | Standard broom-finished driveway on an accessible site, with slab and reinforcement specified.This is new concrete work with ordinary base preparation. Existing-surface removal, sealer, decorative finishes and major drainage changes are separate.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Defined base and concrete work; Joints Budget separately or confirm: Existing-surface removal and sealer; Decorative finish and major drainage changes |
| Concrete-paver driveway installation | C$12–C$32per square foot paved | Named vehicle-rated concrete pavers over a specified excavated and compacted base, with edges and joints completed.Specify the paver series and compacted base depth. Compare removal and drainage allowances separately; natural stone, permeable systems and decorative inlays cost differently.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Pavers and base; Edge restraints and installation Budget separately or confirm: Major excavation surprises; Decorative premium patterns |
| Localized asphalt patching | C$300–C$1,500per localized repair visit | Specified potholes or failed sections cut back, locally rebuilt and patched with compacted hot-mix asphalt.Ask for each patch area and depth, the method and the minimum booking charge. A small repair visit does not repair widespread base failure.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Listed cutting, local base correction and patching; Agreed material removal and compaction Budget separately or confirm: Whole-driveway resurfacing; Extensive drainage or widespread base failure |
What changes the price
- Measured area, vehicle load and required base reconstruction
- Removal depth, buried layers and disposal access
- Compacted surface thickness, drainage levels and paver or finish selection
Ask before accepting a quote
- Is the existing surface retained, milled or removed, and is disposal included?
- What compacted base and surface thicknesses, reinforcement or paver product are specified?
- How will drainage and garage or road transitions be handled, and how are hidden ground problems priced?
Compare complete scopes
- An overlay keeps a suitable structure. Widespread base failure needs a different repair plan even if a new surface would look better.
- For material comparisons, use the same measured area and add the same removal, drainage and access work to every quote.
Canadian context
Ask how local weather and freeze-thaw exposure affect the proposed base, drainage and installation schedule.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
What decides how long a driveway lasts?
The gravel base and the drainage, more than the asphalt thickness. Where frost goes deep, water held in the base freezes and heaves the surface, then the thaw leaves it soft. A thick layer over wet, loosely packed gravel still breaks up. Ask how deep the base goes, how it gets compacted and where the meltwater ends up.
Can I cancel a paving deal I signed at my door?
In Ontario, yes. A contract signed at home comes with a ten-day cooling-off period, counted from when you receive your written copy, and you can cancel for any reason. In Alberta, a prepaid contract can be cancelled within ten days of getting your copy. Send the cancellation in writing and keep proof. A crew pushing to start today is a reason to wait.
Does a paving contractor need a licence?
It depends on the province. In Quebec, paving and interlock work falls under an RBQ contractor licence, and you can check the number in the RBQ's online registry. Alberta requires a prepaid contracting licence from any company that sells away from its business and takes money before the work is done. Where no licence applies, references and a detailed written contract carry the weight.
Why are the edges of my driveway crumbling?
Nothing is holding them up. An asphalt edge with no packed shoulder snaps off under tires, and the plough catches the raised lip every winter. Backfill the sides with compacted gravel or soil, flush with the surface, and top them up as they settle. Put reflective stakes along the edges before the first snowfall, so the plough operator can see where your drive ends.
How should potholes and cracks be repaired?
Seal cracks in the fall, before meltwater gets in and freezes. Each freeze pries a crack wider, and by spring it's a hole. A lasting pothole repair means cutting the edges square, clearing out the loose stuff and compacting hot asphalt in. Cold patch is a winter stopgap. A hole that comes back every spring in the same spot says the base underneath stays wet.
Do I need permission for a new driveway?
For a new or wider entrance onto a public road, usually yes. The municipality controls the curb cut and often the culvert. In Ontario, an entrance onto a provincial highway needs a permit from the Ministry of Transportation instead. Toronto also regulates front yard parking, so widening a drive to fit another car can need the city's approval. Resurfacing the drive you already have usually needs nothing.
