How Much Does It Cost to Widen a Driveway?

A narrow driveway is unappealing and inconvenient, and it can become useless when you outgrow it. Whether you have a bigger vehicle or simply need to fit more cars in the driveway, it is better to widen your driveway than redo it entirely. So, how much does it cost to widen a driveway?

It costs an average of $17 per square foot to widen a driveway between the labor and materials. Homeowners can spend as little as $700 to widen an asphalt or gravel driveway by 100 square feet. You can expect to spend another $3,450 for excavation, $275 for a permit, and $1,400 to install a new drainage system on average if it is necessary.

Additional costs are not always necessary, but they may be unavoidable when you widen a driveway. Factors such as the permit, materials, and condition of the existing driveway determine how much you will spend. Follow along as we take a look at how much it costs to widen a driveway.

It costs an average of $17 per square foot to widen a driveway, but it varies based on the material that you choose. Homeowners can spend up to $50 per square foot to widen a driveway with expensive materials such as concrete blocks and high-end brick pavers. However, costs can soar to an average of $57 per square foot when you factor in labor costs.

Labor generally accounts for 50% of the budget when you hire professionals to widen your driveway. Builder-owners spend an average of $275 on permits to widen a driveway, but it can cost as little as $50. Costs also vary based on how wide you plan to make your driveway and if the new coverage requires additional work.

Add-ons such as landscaping, a border, or a new drainage system can add another $1,400 on average to your budget. The most important cost factors when you widen a driveway are materials, labor, and land preparation. You can save thousands of dollars if you install cheap pavers to widen your driveway, but it is ideal to hire a professional.

It is rarely a simple job when you widen a driveway, and it can often carry additional costs. The most common additional cost in widening a driveway is excavation, and it costs an average of $3,450. You will have to obtain a permit right away, and that can cost as little as $50 or as much as $500 depending on where you live.

Generally, a contractor will come to look at the driveway and write up a budget for the project. In some cases, you will need to add a new drainage system to accommodate a wider driveway. You can expect to spend $1,400 on average to install a new drainage system, but it can cost up to $2,400 or more.

Some builder-owners need to remove trees along the driveway to widen it, and it costs an average of $150 per tree. However, tree removal can cost up to $2,000 in some cases if it is deeply rooted or large. Otherwise, the only other common additional cost to widen a driveway is customization, but that comes into play when you get into materials.

Driveway extensions are essentially the same as widening a driveway, except you are expanding the driveway lengthwise rather than widthwise. The cost to extend a driveway is virtually the same as widening a driveway, with most homeowners paying between $3 and $12 per square foot. Like widening, extension costs will vary based on the material and how much of it the project requires. Driveway extensions may also require a new drainage system, additional excavation, and a new apron where your driveway meets the street. This particular project also requires some unique considerations, including:

Driveways are often considered one of the most valuable features that a home has, but only if they are practical. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find homes that are advertised with ‘driveways,’ but only have a tiny paved space in the front of the home that is only big enough for one small car.

In this case, you may consider widening the driveway before you sell the home or, if you are home buyer, widening the driveway after the purchase. Here are just some of the many reasons why you may consider widening your driveway:

An off-road parking space is a major asset. Not only does it ensure that your vehicle is safer and lowers your insurance costs, it simply makes parking much easier. Gone are the days of trying to save a spot on the street in front of your house. Or, if you live in a neighborhood that has weekly street cleanings, you will no longer have to move your car to avoid getting a ticket. In fact, experts suggest that adding an extra parking space to a driveway can increase your property value by at least $5,000.

One car families are becoming increasingly more rare. For a family of four, it’s very likely that both parents have a car of their own. This is the most convenient way to get around – whether it’s running errands around town, taking the kids to school, or commuting to work.

A standard-sized driveway (although there really isn’t a standard size) will usually only allow for one car to be parked, with someone always left to find parking on the street. Even long driveways can be an issue. While they may fit three cars, with one in front of the other, you’ll constantly be shuffling cars around when someone has to leave. Therefore, choosing to widen your driveway can make parking several cars quicker and more convenient.

A narrow driveway that has a car parked makes It incredibly difficult for people to squeeze by. There’s always a risk that your car could get scratched, or someone could get hurt by attempting to squeeze past. This problem is even worse if you have a stroller that you need to get by or someone in a wheelchair.

To allow for more pedestrian access, you may consider widening your driveway. In this instance, the expansion doesn’t have to be extra-wide. Instead, you just need a level, smooth pathway that runs alongside the driveway.

Curb appeal is everything when you sell your house, and it can make the entire process easier. Wide driveways are more desirable because they can accommodate more cars and appeal to families. Whether it is a family or a single homeowner with multiple cars, prospective buyers are more likely to respond to a wide and comfortable driveway than a narrow one.

Sure, a wide driveway can directly increase your property value, but so can the curb appeal that it adds. A wide driveway contributes to curb appeal when you pair it with an inviting exterior and landscaping that compliments it.

Concrete costs an average of $6 per square foot and is the most common driveway material. Prices range between $4 and $8 per square foot, and a full concrete driveway costs an average of $3,600. However, it may only cost $700-$1,200 to widen a concrete driveway depending on how much wider you want to make it.

Concrete driveways last for 35 years on average, and it is ideal to resurface them every 3 years. Builder-owners spend an average of $13 per square foot to widen a concrete driveway if you customize the color, pattern, or border.

The material cost of gravel is only $2 per square foot, but labor adds another average of $2-$5 per square foot when you widen a driveway. You can expect to spend up $700 to add 100 square feet of gravel to your driveway. Gravel driveways are among the most cost-effective, but they aren’t as durable as concrete or pavers.

However, a gravel driveway can last up to 100 years if you add 2”-3” inches of gravel every 3 years. Pea gravel, river rock, and marble chips are the sturdiest type of gravel for your driveway.

Widening a radiant heated driveway can be complicated, and you will likely have to pay for an entirely new one. You can expect to pay $25 per square foot to widen a heated driveway on average. It is expensive because of how complicated it is, and the cost varies on the material that you put on top of the heating element.

Additional costs include the average $360 that it costs to run a heated driveway each winter. Check with your contractor to see whether you should redo your heated driveway entirely or if it is worth only widening. It isn’t always possible to widen a heated driveway depending on how it was installed.

Luckily, you can save money with a $1,600 heated driveway mat that you can lay over the surface. A heated driveway mat generally comes in one piece that you can roll out and lay over your driveway in cold weather. It is expensive to widen a heated driveway because you’ll have to widen it and pay for a new heated topper.

The cost to widen a driveway with pavers varies based on the type of paver you choose. Concrete pavers cost an average of $5 per square foot and are the most common option. Brick pavers are more visually appealing than concrete pavers and cost $6 per square foot before labor.

The most expensive type of stone paver is cobblestone, and it costs $57 per square foot to widen a cobblestone paver driveway on average. Luckily, it is usually a quick job to widen a driveway with pavers unless you need to excavate the land.

It costs an average of $8 per square foot to widen a grass driveway or $1.80 per square foot to widen it with plain sod. Sod is the cheapest option because you don’t have to do much land preparation compared to a standard grass driveway. You have to pay nearly $7 more per square foot for a standard grass driveway because you generally need to excavate and level the ground.

It may be tempting to widen a driveway with sod, but it isn’t always effective. Sod cannot handle heavy cars or heavy traffic, and rain can create major problems. You can expect to pay $800 or less or widen a grass driveway.

Pebble varies in cost based on the aggregate you choose, and it costs an average of $8 per square foot to widen a pebble driveway. It can sometimes be tricky to find a pebble pattern to widen your driveway that matches the existing pebble. In that case, some homeowners opt to resurface or redo their pebble driveway altogether.

You will need to resurface your pebble driveway every 3 years after you widen it so that it stays durable. It can cost up to $16 per square foot or more to widen a pebble driveway if you customize the pattern. Builder-owners spend an average of $4,500 to fully redo and widen a pebble driveway.