How Much Does Driveway Repair Cost?
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Repairing a cracked or sunken driveway is a worthwhile—and relatively affordable—project. Driveway repair cost has a typical range of $798 to $2,635, with many homeowners paying a national average of $1,715.
Highlights
- The typical cost to repair a driveway ranges from $798 to $2,635, with the national average at $1,715.
- The exact cost will depend on a number of factors, such as the driveway size and material, the type and extent of the damage, and the topography of the area.
- Signs that a driveway needs repair include cracks, crumbling, faded color, potholes, and sinking.
- A handy homeowner may be able to repair minor cracks on their own, but hiring a professional is recommended for more serious damage.
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Nobody gets excited about showing off a new driveway to friends in the same way they do about sharing a new kitchen or addition (unless they’ve been a homeowner for a really, really long time). But a split driveway with grass growing through the cracks, shattered edges, and its own potholes detracts from the overall look of a house. In addition, anyone who’s had to shovel snow off a driveway in poor repair knows that cracks and breaks can catch the edge of the shovel or snow blower and create hidden patches of slick ice under the snow. Sunken areas can also damage tires and undercarriages. Repairing a driveway is a matter of both safety and aesthetics.
Many people put off driveway repair because they assume that it’s a huge and expensive project. While the cost to pave a driveway to replace a cracked one entirely can be expensive, especially if it’s a specialty material or an enlargement, basic repair is generally much more affordable. According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, driveway repair cost estimates range from $798 to $2,635 nationally, with the average landing at $1,715. While this isn’t a small cost, it’s quite reasonable when balanced against the cost of repairing rims and tires or replacing a snow blower that’s damaged by a loose piece of asphalt. In addition, the cost only gets higher as repairs are pushed off until the next season, and cracks grow and sunken areas sink beyond repair. How much does it cost to repair driveway cracks, breaks, and sinkholes? It depends on a number of factors, and understanding how each one affects the cost will make it easier for homeowners to budget and negotiate a price. A driveway repair calculator can help ballpark a budget, but it’s still useful to grasp the components of the total cost.
Factors in Calculating Driveway Repair Cost
Some of the factors that affect driveway repair cost are fairly obvious: the size of the driveway, the type of damage, and the material. Other elements may be less familiar, including the type of repair and the landscape surrounding the driveway. These components make up the basis of the cost of driveway repair and will affect the total cost of every repair or replacement.
Driveway Material
The composition of the driveway is the first factor to consider, because it will determine several other aspects of the repair. The driveway material will decide what kinds of repairs are available and which materials are most appropriate for the repair. For example, asphalt driveway repair cost is higher than concrete driveway repair cost, with brick and cobblestone landing lower than concrete, and dirt or gravel driveway repair cost bringing up the rear as the least expensive material to maintain. Heated driveways are by far the most costly to repair, as they involve electronics and pumps in addition to the driveway material itself.
Repair Type
There is a wide range of options for repairing a driveway, depending on both the material of the driveway and the type and extent of the damage.
- Crack sealing and patching is a quick, inexpensive fix in most cases and will prevent cracks from collecting water, which may then freeze and enlarge the crack or seep underneath and disrupt the packed base beneath the driveway.
- Patching and resurfacing require more material and more skill and are a bit more expensive than driveway crack repair cost, depending on the material.
- Lifting a driveway (called “mudjacking”) and adding fill can bring a driveway back up to level, which adds a few dollars to the driveway repair cost per square foot.
- Using sand to reset and fix bricks and cobblestones adds to the cost, because sand has to be purchased in bags, even if the repair only requires a cup or two, at a cost of $20 to $40 per bag.
- Root removal for tree roots that are causing the driveway to bulge and lift underneath a crack can be a significant cost. At $1,300 to $1,600, it’s probably the most expensive repair.
- Complete replacement is the most expensive solution to driveway damage.
Driveway Size
Depending on the type of damage, a large driveway will cost more to repair than a smaller one—sometimes even when the damage itself is the same size. Why? In order for a patch or repair to hold, it may need to be leveled or blended with a significant portion of the existing driveway’s surface, which can require extra material if the driveway is large. In addition, many repairs must be followed by a coat of driveway sealer over the entire surface. More sealer is needed to coat a large driveway, so the cost will be higher than the cost to repair a small one.
Driveway Landscape
A short, flat, rectangular driveway on a level surface is the least expensive type to repair. As soon as the contour becomes unusually long, wide, sloped, or curvy, the repair cost will rise. It can be difficult to perform effective repairs on a strong slope, especially if the damage is occurring because of water traveling underneath the driveway or soil eroding. If there’s a standing water problem, the repairs can require regrading the landscape and draining the area of water at a cost of about $3,000. Repairs to driveways closely surrounded by lawns, gardens, or other plantings may damage the surrounding growth, which may then also need to be repaired or replanted, adding cost.
Extent of Damage
Minor repair costs or driveway sealing costs can be relatively affordable. As the extent of the damage covers more of the driveway’s surface, the cost will increase as more material, time, and expertise are required to complete the repair. Once the damage covers more than 25 percent of the surface, it’s worth it for homeowners to explore the cost of resurfacing the entire driveway or replacing it, as those will be more cost-effective solutions than repeated efforts to repair the driveway.
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Labor
Some driveway repairs are easy DIY jobs; picking up a bottle of the best asphalt driveway crack filler or a bucket of sealant at a home improvement store can make for an easy Saturday project. Sinkholes, larger cracks, or situations where the soil beneath the driveway has been undermined require professional assistance. The cost of labor will vary by location and season, as driveway repair is in greater demand in more populated areas and in the spring and summer months.
Additional Costs and Considerations
Some factors in cost will apply to every driveway repair situation, while others are relevant only under certain circumstances. When they are necessary, they can have a substantial effect on the budget.
Repair vs. Replacement
How much damage is too much to reasonably repair? In general, it’s much more costly to replace a driveway than it is to repair it—but if the driveway is nearing the end of its reasonable life expectancy, paying for a repair may be throwing good money after bad. Paying repeatedly for repairs that don’t last because the driveway itself is finished, then paying for a replacement anyway, isn’t a great option. When weighing repairing vs. replacing a driveway, homeowners will want to think about the following questions:
- How big are the cracks and holes? In a driveway that is early in its lifespan, surface cracks and small potholes are to be expected as wear and tear take their toll and the freezing cycle (if it’s a factor) increases and decreases the pressure on the driveway materials. Those cracks and potholes can be patched, filled, and sealed, unless they cover more than 25 percent of the driveway surface, in which case it’s a good idea to check with a pro to see if there’s hidden damage below. Cracks that run all the way through the driveway indicate that the base of the driveway is undermined and the materials have degraded. In that case, replacement makes more sense.
- How old is the driveway? Asphalt driveways last between 15 and 20 years, while concrete driveways can last as long as 40 to 50. Other materials fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. If the driveway is near or beyond its expected lifespan and has significant damage, it’s not worth paying for expensive repairs when the driveway will probably need replacement in a few years. It’s wise to replace it rather than repair it.
- Is there standing water, or puddles, or water washout of soil and sand from underneath the driveway? If so, there may be a problem with the canting of the driveway or with the slope of the drainage design, and the damage will continue to recur until it’s corrected. Unfortunately, this usually means replacing the driveway entirely.
- Is there a lot of surface damage on an otherwise solid base? If that’s the case, resurfacing may be an option—a kind of cross between repair and replacement. A contractor will grind down the damaged top layers and add a thick new top layer on the solid base.
Additional Services
Beyond the driveway repair itself, it’s key for homeowners to budget for any additional services that might be necessary so they can avoid unexpected expenses late in the project. If there’s a surface drainage problem (as opposed to a problem beneath the driveway), it may be necessary to pay to have the ground surrounding the driveway regraded or to have a drainage system dug up and placed. When roots or plants are causing damage, those shrubs may need to be removed or relocated.
In addition, there are some issues that aren’t a result of damage that a homeowner would like to correct or change during a repair, such as fading color or the shape or apron of the driveway where it meets the road. These services will add to the project cost as well.
Permits
Most cities and towns have guidelines regarding the size and shape of driveways in the yard and their juncture with the public road. To enforce these guidelines, municipalities may require permits and inspections of driveway work. In general, simple repairs will not require a permit, but more involved repairs that require regrading the landscape, resurfacing, or altering the apron of the driveway may require a permit, and a driveway replacement almost certainly will. Costs vary by location, so homeowners will want to be sure to check with their local permit office or their contractor before beginning any work.
Driveway Repair Cost by Type of Material
The material from which a driveway is constructed is probably the most critical feature in determining the cost of the repair, because each type of material requires a different method of repair, different expertise, and different levels of workmanship. There’s nothing about this factor that a homeowner can change (until it’s time to replace the existing one), but understanding this cost component can help clarify budget expectations.
| Driveway Material | Repair Cost |
| Asphalt | $1,000 to $3,700 |
| Brick | $700 to $2,000 |
| Cobblestone | $650 to $2,000 |
| Concrete | $300 to $3,500 |
| Gravel or Dirt | $40 to $300 |
| Heated | $500 to $3,400 |
Asphalt
Asphalt driveways cost an average of $1,000 to $3,700 to repair. Repairs often consist of sealing cracks ($0.50 to $3 per square foot), patching holes and dips ($3 to $5 per square foot), and resurfacing ($1 to $4 per square foot). If the surface is very badly damaged, professionals can remove all of the asphalt and replace it without removing the base at a cost of $4 to $10 per square foot. Asphalt develops a particular type of cracking called alligator or spiderweb cracks, which are small fissures in the top layer that can easily be patched and sealed; left unattended, however, these cracks can cause potholes and sinkholes, which require larger repairs.
Brick
Brick driveways are traditional and stately, but they are easily damaged by falling trees, frost, roots, and erosion. Repairing brick driveways most commonly requires removing and replacing individual bricks and releveling the sand base beneath. In some cases, it will be necessary to hire landscapers to remove any trees and roots that are damaging the driveway. The average repair cost is between $700 and $2,000, including costs such as individual brick replacement ($0.50 to $2 each), sand to set the bricks ($20 to $40 per bag), and tree removal ($1,300 to $1,600 per tree).
Cobblestone
Providing a beautiful and old-fashioned look, cobblestone driveways come in two options: One is to design the driveway with individually placed traditional cobblestones, and the second is to use concrete pavers that have been designed to look very similar to traditional cobbles without the expense of individually placing the stones. Pavers are repaired in a manner that is similar to concrete driveway repair and may occasionally need to be releveled. They are much more economical to repair at an average cost of $300 to $3,500, versus the high cost of repairing and replacing cobbles for $10 to $70 per square foot plus the cost of setting sand. While replacing broken cobblestones is expensive, the process is remarkably simple—the challenge is leveling the stones.
Concrete
Repairing tiny cracks in concrete as soon as possible can save a lot of money—and headaches. Concrete crack sealing cost per foot averages $0.10 to $0.25 and can be a simple DIY job if handled immediately. Failing to seal the cracks results in water intrusion and much more expensive repair. Resurfacing to correct spalling (chipping), lifting sunken areas, patching, and replacing the whole driveway range from $3 to $8 per square foot, leaving the average cost of repairing a concrete driveway between $300 and $3,500. Promptly filling and sealing cracks and performing regular maintenance will keep this cost at the lower end of the range for a long time. This can help a homeowner put off paying the cost to build a concrete driveway to replace an old one.
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Gravel or Dirt
The cost to install a gravel driveway or a dirt driveway is fairly low at $40 to $300, and these types of drives are also remarkably easy to repair. The fix is often to pack additional dirt or gravel into sunken areas and potholes at an average cost of $0.50 to $2.50 per square foot. However, gravel often has to be purchased in large quantities at a cost of $40 to $45 per ton—not a huge cost, but definitely a problem if the repair requires more gravel than what’s in a bag purchased at a home improvement store but far less than a loose ton delivered to the site. Driveway edging and regular maintenance reduce the likelihood of washouts and undermining.
Heated
A heated driveway costs a lot to install, but many homeowners think the investment is worth it for a driveway that never needs to be shoveled or plowed. Heated driveways can be a wise investment in cold climates, as long as the homeowner plans ahead; when repairs are necessary, they’re not cheap. Repairing a heated driveway requires tearing up a sizable section of the driveway surface to locate and repair the problem, and if the problem isn’t in the first location, the repair can spiral. The average repair cost is between $500 and $3,400, but if the problem with the heat system is significant, the cost can skyrocket to $25,000.
Do I Need Driveway Repair?
Sometimes the need for repair is evident: A snow plow tore the apron off the driveway and left crumbs and a sinkhole. Other times repairs seem barely necessary: Does that tiny crack really need to be filled and sealed? On some occasions, it can be hard to tell if a change in th