Asphalt Driveway Cost Calculator
Installed cost for a hot-mix driveway on an existing base: material by the ton, crew labor by the square foot. Enter your plant quote to tighten the range.
Order 9.25 t — plants ticket in ¼-ton and most hold a 1-ton minimum.
- Area
- 480 ft²
- Volume (120.0 ft³)
- 4.44 yd³
- Net weight @ 145 lb/ft³
- 17,400 lb · 8.70 t
- Waste / settling 5%
- + 0.44 t
- Order quantity
- 9.14 tons
- Truckloads
- 1 × tandem dump (≈12 t)
- Loose haul volume
- ≈ 5.8 yd³
- Metric
- 3.40 m³ · 8.29 tonnes
- 50 lb cold-patch bag (≈0.4 ft³)
- 315 bags
How to calculate hot-mix asphalt by hand
Tons = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 × 145 lb/ft³ ÷ 2,000
Worked example
- Area: 20 ft × 10 ft = 200 ft².
- Compacted volume: 200 ft² × (3 in ÷ 12) = 50 ft³.
- Weight: 50 ft³ × 145 lb/ft³ = 7,250 lb.
- Tons: 7,250 ÷ 2,000 = 3.63 tons.
- Add 5% waste: 3.63 × 1.05 = 3.81 tons → order 4.0 tons (plants ticket in ¼-ton).
- 1 ton hot mix at 3″ compacted
- ≈ 54 ft²
- 1 ton hot mix at 2″ compacted
- ≈ 81 ft²
- 1 ton hot mix at 4″ compacted
- ≈ 41 ft²
- Loose-to-compacted volume
- × 1.25
How we price this
The low, typical and high columns are the 20th, 50th and 80th percentile of published us national averages for hot-mix asphalt, delivered, delivery and labor. They are estimates for budgeting, not quotes — enter your own supplier and crew prices above to replace them. Ranges are re-checked monthly; see the methodology page for how every number on this site is derived.
- HomeAdvisor cost guides — installed $/ft² ranges for driveways
- Angi cost guides — crew labor and tear-out adders
- Plant price sheets (regional HMA suppliers) — per-ton hot-mix pricing; NAPA for industry context
Questions crews ask
How much does an asphalt driveway cost per square foot?
Installed, $3–$7 per ft² nationally for 2–3″ of hot mix on an existing base, so $1,500–$3,500 for a typical 12 × 40 ft single driveway. Add $1–$2 per ft² if a new 4–6″ stone base is needed, and $1–$3 per ft² for tear-out of an old surface.
What does hot-mix asphalt cost per ton?
At the plant, $100–$150 per ton for standard dense-graded mix; delivered, $110–$180. Price tracks liquid asphalt binder, which moves with crude oil, so quotes are usually good for 30 days.
Is asphalt cheaper than concrete for a driveway?
Yes — roughly half up front: $3–$7 per ft² installed versus $8–$14 for a 4″ concrete slab. Asphalt needs sealcoating every 3–5 years and lasts 15–25 years; concrete lasts 30+ with less maintenance.
What drives asphalt driveway cost up?
Small jobs (crews have a 1-day minimum and plants a 1-ton minimum), poor access for the paver, a failed base that needs rebuilding, thicker lifts for truck traffic, and remote plants adding haul time.