Pavers vs Concrete

[C2 Turbo]

Does any one know what's the going rate for laying down the pavers? I have about 10,000 sq feet of driveway and have been quoted $3:50-$4/sq ft for doing a complete job.

Can some one give me a breakdown for the pavers? Is it the same as the house brick where they charge so many $$$ for laying down 1000 bricks?

Thanks

 

[kd3pc]

pavers are labor intensive, and even more so if done right. Your driveway will need to be prepped and several layers of foundation material will be require, before you even get to laying the pavers. If the driveway is sloped or swales, the price will be more. Be sure to lay a couple of conduits prior to building up the foundation at the house and at the street, for future use. I would also not cross a public right of way, in case a utility digs it up and leaves the mess for you.

If you want an elaborate pattern in the driveway, price goes up.

I have not paid anyone to do it, but the pavers themselves are a bit pricey which may account for 30-50% of your estimate, or more, if you want color, texture or special edging pavers.

I would get a couple more quotes - have them break it down and visit your local big box store to see how much the paver you like actually costs.

 

[bdamico]

I don't know anything about KY dirt, but in Florida they do a lot of pavers and most contractors don't prep the ground sufficiently. And all I know is that it is a pain in the *** to have you pavers shifting around. So find a good contractor if you go that route and do your research about proper base given your dirt and freeze cycle.

 

[JCQuick]

I did pavers when we built the house. I did it with the help from friends. I didn't do it right as I did it in sections so to speak. I did 8ft wide x 90 ft long to get the CO on the house. Then after moving in and doing the landscaping we extended it out 4 ft per side.
Its 10 years old and has a few lumps in it now but to me it s like an old time brick road.

And when my shop is done I plan to connect it with pavers as well

 

[jeff000]

Up here it's cheaper to do concrete than it is to do pavers. And pavers never look good here after a few years, too many freeze thaw cycles.

 

[Slowgsr]

I did a 500sq ft patio in a pavers, I did a two tone herringbone pattern with a border. So not a big space, just connects my deck to the hot tube (hot tub on the patio).

Excavate 8" down, then lay high grade landscape fabric
4" base compacted in 1" increments on 3/4 crusher
Then the 1" sand that literally gets spread and leveled as you lay the stones. It needs to be exact.
Lay out your pattern. The fun part.
Do your edging, must be on the gravel base - not sand
Spread out your poly sand, leave a thin layer to protect the stone during compacting
Now compact, fill, sweep until your joints are full and your stones are locked in
Now wash, and your done.

I never did seal mine. They hold up great through the freeze thaw. (Canadian winters)
Its a massive amount of work, but looks great. I would have considered exposed aggregate but hard on the bare feet coming out of the spa, or stamped concrete. Neither of which I can diy which Ireally like doing.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Excavate 8" down, then lay high grade landscape fabric
4" base compacted in 1" increments on 3/4 crusher
Then the 1" sand that literally gets spread and leveled as you lay the stones.

Adequate, well compacted base is the key. I actually had them go down 12" in an area that I knew would get a lot of run off. The first lift was pretty big pieces including some crushed concrete. The second lift should be a mixture of different size stones from "fines" up to 3/4"

A lot of people use sand for the final bedding layer, but IMHO, "stone dust"/slag/decomposed granite or what ever is local to you is better.

After the pavers are compacted/bedded into the slag, use polymeric sand to lock them in.

They will shift some over time, but usually less than 1/2".

 

[Slowgsr]

Adequate, well compacted base is the key. I actually had them go down 12" in an area that I knew would get a lot of run off. The first lift was pretty big pieces including some crushed concrete. The second lift should be a mixture of different size stones from "fines" up to 3/4"

A lot of people use sand for the final bedding layer, but IMHO, "stone dust"/slag/decomposed granite or what ever is local to you is better.

After the pavers are compacted/bedded into the slag, use polymeric sand to lock them in.

They will shift some over time, but usually less than 1/2".

I agree your exactly right. Mine is only foot traffic and my spa so that being why my base was only 4" on a driveway I would expect more.

 

[C2 Turbo]

Seems like Pavers are not going to be cheap

So, what's the going rate for concrete for the driveway to be delivered and finished?

 

[BeachBoy]

Here in Quebec (so, lots of freeze but usually thaws only once), we have pavers holding very well.

Prep is usually 15" dig and then fill with 0-3/4 stone compacted every 3 inches...

Pavers are usually 15$+ CAD per sqft. That includes excavation, prep, materials, labor.

No one here has 10k sqft of pavers, that would be WAY too expensive.

A lot of people put pavers around and asphalt in the center, a good compromise. My driveway was $11k for ~1500sqft... 1/3 pavers 2/3 asphalt.

 

[jd_1138]

Seems like Pavers are not going to be cheap

So, what's the going rate for concrete for the driveway to be delivered and finished?

Probably about $4 per square foot, so about the same -- $40k for 10,000 square feet. Maybe scale back and do a smaller driveway up near the house and then gravel out on the rest of it?

 

[machsnell]

If you are getting a price of 3.50 to 4 psf then run. Especially on a driveway. Unless your ground is rock or shale. I won't do a driveway in pavers anymore without installing concrete or asphalt or cement treated aggregateby as a base. anyone that says putting 4 to 6 inches of stone well compacted are not underneath pavers is incorrect. For a driveway at least. it is all about the prep and you do not want your pavers to move so prep well. There is nothing worse than a paver driveway poorly prepped where in a few years you start to see ruts then you get spaces in between the pavers. Anyone can install pavers but it is what is underneath that really counts.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Git]

I paid a contractor to replace our driveway and sidewalks with pavers 10 years ago and they still look good.

The only thing I was add to the above comments is they placed the pavers in a bed of sand which they actually screeded to the proper depth as they moved along. They actually left them about 1" high and then when they were all done, they went over them with a plate compactor which forced/vibrated them into the sand to the proper depth. Haven't move at all since

 

[Professur]

No one here has 10k sqft of pavers, that would be WAY too expensive.

I nearly died when I saw the length of the driveways in Georgia. No way would anyone have driveways that length if they had to shovel snow off it.

 

[ASHMAN_AZ]

We looked at pavers but for our RV (30K lbs) it would be a bad choice and was twice the price of concrete.

We were quoted $2.50 sq ft for 4in thick concrete, $2.80 sq ft with color and texture included (6,400 sq ft $18k). Starting ours this week.

 

[marksland]

I'm a landscape contractor in MA, typically we get anywhere from $12. - $14. per square foot for average pavers installed. Borders, fancy patterns, inlays and more expensive pavers add to that price. For our large areas such as a driveway we can usually do the job for $8. - $10. per square foot. Obviously price will vary by region but that should give you a good idea. Stamped concrete is usually in the $8. - $10. range per square foot. Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Seems like Pavers are not going to be cheap

So, what's the going rate for concrete for the driveway to be delivered and finished?

So we are getting a paver patio done now, and walk way, and retaining walls, redoing our deck...etc.

We are doing so much work with the guy that he is giving us a good deal, however it is still pricey.

I believe our rear patio once completed is going to be roughly 1,000sq ft. It's roughly $23 per sq ft installed. Which is on the high side, but he warranties his work for 10 years on anything... as far as the work he had his team tearing up the yard, removal of grass/soil. Digging down 6-10", putting down roughly 6" of gravel, compacting it, then 2" of sand. Then went even lower for the retaining walls. I thought I might actually be able to do this patio by myself, and it's taken a group of 6 dudes over a week thus far of back breaking manual labor. This is the first time in my life of paying anyone to do a job that I was actually relieved and quite pleased with the result of simply watching them work.

Mind you we live in Northern VA so everything here is crazy expensive. I LOVE the look of pavers, it gives such a nice layered look if done right. But G DAMN it's labor intensive. Once they got all the prep work done they pretty much laid 90% of the pavers down in the back yard. But man I do NOT envy their jobs at all. I honestly don't know how they can do such grueling work daily... But their end result is phenomenal so far, I'm truly impressed.

-Nigel

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Nigel, good to hear from you. And the epoxy floor is doing well?

 

[404]

I honestly don't know how they can do such grueling work daily... But their end result is phenomenal so far, I'm truly impressed.

-Nigel

Meth. I understand the Japanese gave it to workers in the war factories first.

 

[jd_1138]

I honestly don't know how they can do such grueling work daily... But their end result is phenomenal so far, I'm truly impressed.

-Nigel

I'd be surprised if they worked 5 days a week doing that. There are probably slow times where they go a week or so without work.

But yeah I did concrete work for a day when I built my mom a walkway, and it was grueling. Mainly because I was learning how to do it and my muscles and endurance weren't up to snuff. The more you do a certain job, the more your body adapts.

 

[lamywaby]

pavers are labor intensive, and even more so if done right. Your driveway will need to be prepped and several layers of foundation material will be require, before you even get to laying the pavers. If the driveway is sloped or swales, the price will be more. Be sure to lay a couple of conduits prior to building up the foundation at the house and at the street, for future use. I would also not cross a public right of way, in case a utility digs it up and leaves the mess for you.

If you want an elaborate pattern in the driveway, price goes up.

I have not paid anyone to do it, but the pavers themselves are a bit pricey which may account for 30-50% of your estimate, or more, if you want color, texture or special edging pavers.

I would get a couple more quotes concrete pavers atlanta- have them break it down and visit your local big box store to see how much the paver you like actually costs.

Thank you for sharing your insights and advice regarding paver installation for driveways. Indeed, laying pavers for a driveway can be labor-intensive and require proper preparation. It's crucial to ensure a solid foundation, appropriate drainage, and consider any additional factors like sloping or swales. Obtaining multiple quotes from reputable contractors and discussing the breakdown of costs is a wise approach. This way, you can assess the pricing of the pavers themselves, as well as any additional factors such as color, texture, or special edging pavers that may affect the overall cost. Visiting local big box stores to compare the prices of the pavers you prefer is a practical step in understanding the material costs involved. It's essential to have a clear understanding of the costs associated with the pavers and other necessary materials before making a decision. Additionally, your suggestion of laying conduits before building up the foundation is a smart move for future utility access or installations. Being proactive in planning for potential future needs can help avoid complications or extra costs down the line. Overall, conducting thorough research, obtaining detailed quotes, and considering material costs are important steps in making an informed decision when it comes to paver installation for driveways.

 

[CSRPenFab]

The subdivision behind me tried to get fancy and do their entire street system in interlocking pavers. They were laid down by an automated machine over a well prepared base. It looked amazing at first and really helped sell the homes in that tract. Now a few years later, they've randomly settled in some places resulting in a rough ride as you drive down the street. Much of the infill sand has eroded and weeds are coming up. It's going to cost some big bucks to make it right! Our adjacent development is connected, but we have asphalt streets that are butter smooth.

I had 4 paver pads around my pool in CA and it was way more than $7/sq. ft. installed to do it right. Heck, even then I had to periodically maintain the joints by adding more polymeric sand after a few years.

 

[frankd]

Unfortunately I can't comment on the pricing... but I will say that I really don't like my paver driveway. The driveway was already done when we bought the house but if/when it comes time to replace it, I'm either doing concrete or asphalt.
The pavers do look nice but they're such a pain in the *** to take care of. I constantly have weeds growing from between the paver joints. I need to powerwash and re-sand every couple of years. The snowblower needs special plastic skids to keep from scratching them. On the south side of the house moss grows between the joints so I keep having to scrape that off.
Given the amount of square feet that you'll be covering, I'd do concrete and save on the money and maintenance.

 

[rlitman]

Unfortunately I can't comment on the pricing... but I will say that I really don't like my paver driveway. The driveway was already done when we bought the house but if/when it comes time to replace it, I'm either doing concrete or asphalt.
The pavers do look nice but they're such a pain in the *** to take care of. I constantly have weeds growing from between the paver joints. I need to powerwash and re-sand every couple of years. The snowblower needs special plastic skids to keep from scratching them. On the south side of the house moss grows between the joints so I keep having to scrape that off.
Given the amount of square feet that you'll be covering, I'd do concrete and save on the money and maintenance.

If you're taking the effort of power washing the weedy sand out, take the next step of applying polymeric sand instead of "play" sand in the joints. Pick a hot and sunny string of days, pressure wash out the old sand and let it fully dry, then fill with polymeric sand and water it in following the instructions. It will harden into a rubbery solid that keeps the weeds out for quite a number of years.

Oh, and try Wet&Forget for the moss and mold growth. It does work in shady areas, just more slowly than in sunny spots.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

I have pavers. However, my next house I would do a nice concrete approach pad, approx 25' in length. Maybe stain it.
And then run the pavers to it. I like to do my tire rotations outside in cool weather. The pavers are 6 years old and look great, we seal them regularly with our HD6600-MMA sealer, it's a breeze.

 

[Jenni Dumlao]

Seems like Pavers are not going to be cheap

So, what's the going rate for concrete for the driveway to be delivered and finished?

I wanted pavers for a driveway extension to make it wider. I love the look of them. Even the ones with grass growing in them. But the price was high. We didn’t do it. We did concrete instead. I feel like the curb appeal would have been better with the pavers. Love the herringbone look too. Over in Germany when we lived there hubs was in the Army. There’s lots and lots of paver roads. And I saw workmen who maintain them. Must just be normal. So pretty I think

 

[rlitman]

I wanted pavers for a driveway extension to make it wider. I love the look of them. Even the ones with grass growing in them. But the price was high. We didn’t do it. We did concrete instead. I feel like the curb appeal would have been better with the pavers. Love the herringbone look too. Over in Germany when we lived there hubs was in the Army. There’s lots and lots of paver roads. And I saw workmen who maintain them. Must just be normal. So pretty I think

Germany has requirements for permeable paving, and that's much easier to do with pavers than concrete. Though the typical paver setup we do here in the US isn't permeable anyway.