Concrete driveway demolition typically costs anywhere from $500 to $3,000 but can be more depending on various factors. Read on to learn more about these cost factors and how to reduce concrete driveway removal costs.
The national average cost to install a concrete driveway is about $6 a square foot. According to Joe Pilson, owner of Complete Concrete in Denver, Colorado, a typical driveway big enough for one car and room to turn around is about 500 square feet, with an average total project cost of $3000.
If the garage is located far from the street or if you need enough rom for two cars, the price to install a concrete driveway goes up accordingly. A single-car driveway is typically nine to 12 feet wide, and a two-car driveway is usually 16 to 24 feet wide. For a single-car turnaround, you'll need an extra 10 by 20 feet of concrete which will increase the total cost of the project.
What's in this cost guide?
Concrete vs. gravel and asphalt driveways
Concrete mix is made from cement, sand, gravel and water. It is one of the most expensive choices for a driveway material, yet one of the sturdiest. A cheaper option is asphalt, which costs around $4 per square foot of driveway. Asphalt driveways are popular in colder regions, as asphalt adapts to extreme change in temperature better than concrete does. The material is also a good choice for homeowners in rainy regions – asphalt's porous makeup allows for water drainage. A gravel driveway is even cheaper, but there are a few downsides to going with a cheaper gravel or asphalt driveway. Gravel may need to be added as stones are washed or carried away over the years and asphalt driveways need fresh coats of sealer applied on a regular basis.
You can also choose hand-laid pavers, brick or cobblestone, which are typically more expensive. Because pavers must be laid individually and by hand, labor costs to install a driveway with paving will be much higher than laying a concrete driveway. Concrete durability is rated at 40 years, and asphalt clocks in at 20 years. Concrete is prone to cracking in cold weather, so concrete driveways may require a bit of repair down the road.
How much does concrete surface prep cost?
Concrete driveway cost will partially depend on the amount of surface preparation needed. If your remodeling project involves the install of a new concrete driveway from scratch, the path of the new driveway will have to be cleared of any trees or bushes. The contractor will then need to level the surface by excavation and remove the topsoil.
Most excavators charge $30–$50 per hour on average nationwide.Removing tree stumps can cost anywhere from $50 to $350 per stump or about $2–$3 per inch of diameter. Grading contractors typically charge $50–$70 per hour, and total costs for a grading job can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Most experts recommend installing a concrete driveway on a sub base of four inches of compacted gravel with good drainage. If you already have a concrete driveway in place that needs to be removed before installing the new driveway, the total project cost will go up.
If your house and garage sits on top of a hill additional costs will be incurred as the driveway will need to be installed in sections and held in place with rebar. If the slope is too severe, the site may need to be re-graded which means the price of your home improvement project will increase. Your contractor will be able to gauge the severity of slope and incremental cost when they provide you with an estimate.
How much does heated concrete driveway installation cost?
Homeowners in snow country can add heat to a concrete driveway for a cost of $12-$20 a square foot. Homeowners in snow country might want to consider adding heat to their driveway design. A radiant heating system can be installed under the driveway that will melt snow. The system is composed of tubes filled with a mix of water and antifreeze. The liquid is heated up with a boiler and the system can be set up to come on automatically whenever snow falls.
Concrete stamping, colors, and borders
Because concrete is a porous material, concrete dyes can penetrate its pores and color it to mimic the house color, stone or clay – unlike gravel or asphalt paving. Textures can also be stamped in which generally raises prices for the driveway by $12–$18 per square foot.
Adding a stamped concrete border is less expensive than stamping an entire driveway surface and still makes things visually interesting. For a 500 square foot driveway that costs $3,000 to install, contractors at Complete Concrete estimate that including a two-foot stamped concrete border would increase costs by about $1,500.
Concrete driveway maintenance costs
Driveway installation is generally a fairly straightforward affair and concrete does not require regular maintenance. Unlike paving a driveway with asphalt, concrete does not requires a reseal.
Concrete is an excellent choice for a driveway. Any homeowner considering concrete will get high marks for improving curb appeal by laying in a high quality concrete driveway. Even though the cost of installing a concrete driveway can be estimated by figuring out how many square feet you need to cover, you should always get at least two free quotes from contractors before plowing ahead with the driveway project.
Demolishing a driveway involves breaking it up, hauling away the concrete debris and disposing of it properly, and returning the site to grade.
The national average cost to demolish a concrete driveway is roughly $1,800, but the price can be as much as $5,000 in some cases.
There are various factors that affect the cost to remove a concrete driveway:
- City/State
- Site accessibility
- Debris disposal fees
- Whether or not the concrete is reinforced
- Permit fees
Average Cost to Remove Concrete Driveway
Cost of Demolition | Project Size & Type | Location |
---|---|---|
$1,200 | 377 sq. ft. concrete walkway | Fort Worth, TX |
$900 | 476 sq. ft. concrete patio | Arlington, TX |
$1,500 | 1,400 sq. ft. concrete patio | Worthington, OH |
$600 | 200 sq. ft. concrete driveway | Baltimore, MD |
$850 | 10 ft. x 50 ft. concrete driveway | Long Beach, CA |
$3,200 | 1,000 sq. ft. concrete driveway | Newton, MA |
$800 | 40 ft. x 10 ft. concrete driveway | St. Petersburg, FL |
$2,500 | 1,250 sq. ft. concrete driveway | Brentwood, CA |
$900 | 150 sq. ft. concrete driveway | Cary, NC |
$1,100 | 30 ft. x 15 ft. concrete driveway | Hayward, CA |
$1,900 | 875 sq. ft. concrete driveway & walkway | Humble, TX |
$1,500 | 15 ft. x 25 ft. concrete patio | Chicago, IL |
NOTE: Your concrete removal costs could be more or less depending on your specific concrete removal project. See what others have paid for their concrete driveway removal.
Factors influencing the price of driveway demolition
When a demolition contractor writes up an estimate, it considers more than just the square footage of the driveway.
Several factors play a role in how much you’ll ultimately pay to have your driveway demolished.
Size of the driveway
On average, it costs $1 - $3 per square foot to remove a concrete driveway. (However, as previously mentioned, your exact price may vary.)
To learn your driveway's square footage, multiply its length by its width.
For example, a 40 ft. long x 20 ft. wide driveway is 800 square feet. In this case, it would cost $800 to $2,400 on average to have it removed.
For curved and/or driveways with varying widths, the calculation can be a bit more complicated. However, a measuring wheel makes quick and easy work of this.
Your location and accessibility
The demolition contractor you hire will likely charge mileage to travel to your home or business. This is one of the main reasons why choosing a local demolition contractor is a cost-effective choice.
The accessibility of the driveway can also affect the cost to remove it.
While most driveways are easily accessible with heavy equipment, like excavators and loaders, some are obstructed by nearby landscaping or structures, and removal is more complicated and therefore, more expensive.
If the demo company has to remove obstructions, it can drive up the price of the driveway demolition. If possible, make the driveway as accessible as possible to reduce the cost of the driveway removal project.
Complexity of the driveway
Sometimes homeowners wish to save part of the driveway, like accents or decorative borders. This additional labor and attention to detail may increase the cost of the demolition as well.
Any situation where the concrete removal project becomes more complex for the demolition company, expect to pay more.
Concrete thickness
The standard thickness of a concrete driveway is four inches. However, some driveways may be five inches or more, particularly those designed to be driven on by heavy equipment (e.g., tractors, farm equipment, etc.).
Your project cost will go up if your driveway is thicker than four inches simply because of the additional weight and volume of concrete debris that will need to be hauled away.
Thicker concrete may also be reinforced in some cases, and this would also drive up the cost of demolition.
Site preparation
If you plan to rebuild a new driveway in the same location, the site must be graded and prepared properly. This cost may be included in your driveway demolition quote, but always ask your contractor to be sure.
Returning the site to grade simply means the dirt and layer of gravel are flattened, and the proper slope for water drainage is achieved.
Oftentimes, the new concrete is then poured to make the new driveway at an additional fee.
Keep reading:How Concrete Is Removed and How Much It Costs
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See a concrete driveway demolition in action
Find a concrete removal contractor near you
Tips to save on driveway demolition costs
There are a number of simple ways to get the best price on your concrete driveway removal:
- We recommend contacting at least 2 - 3 demolition contractors and get quotes from all of them. Use these prices as leverage to get the best price possible; don’t be afraid to haggle.
- Pouring new concrete over the existing driveway isn’t a good idea in most cases. Cracks can develop quite easily, especially if the original driveway had cracks and damage. It will cost you more in the long run, so do it right the first time: Demolish the driveway and pour fresh concrete over a properly graded and prepared site.
- If you plan to pour a new driveway, recycle the concrete debris for use as the aggregate base for the new driveway. This eliminates the cost of debris removal, but it may cost extra to have the concrete broken up into small enough pieces to use it as aggregate. It doesn’t hurt to ask your demolition contractor and maybe save a few bucks.
Learn more about concrete removal and finding the right contractor: