The three materials
| Material | Per sq ft | Two-car driveway | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asphalt | $7–$13 | $4,000–$9,000 | 12–20 years |
| Concrete | — | $14,000–$24,000 | 25–35 years |
| Interlock, standard | $18–$22 | $9,000–$13,000 | 25–40 years |
| Interlock, full service | $55–$80 | $28,000–$48,000 | 25–40 years |
Cost per year of life tells a different story than cost on the day. Asphalt is cheapest to buy and needs resealing every few years. Interlock costs several times as much and outlives it, and a damaged section can be lifted and reset rather than replaced whole.
Why do interlock quotes vary so much?
Four reasons, and it is worth knowing which applies to yours.
- The stone itself. Standard concrete pavers are $5 to $7 per square foot in material; premium lines reach $20. Natural stone installed runs $25 to $45, porcelain $20 to $40.
- Driveway or patio. Driveway pavers must be 80 mm thick against 50 mm for a walkway or patio, and the base beneath a driveway is deeper because it carries a car. That alone is about $2 per square foot before the base.
- Excavation and disposal. Removing an old asphalt driveway and trucking away the spoil is real money, and some quotes include it while others do not.
- What kind of company it is. A design-build landscape firm quoting drawings, grading, drainage and a warranty is not selling the same thing as a two-truck paving crew. Both can be good. The prices are not comparable.
The part you cannot see
Interlock fails from below, not above. A driveway needs a deep compacted granular base, laid and compacted in lifts, with proper edge restraint so the stones cannot creep sideways. Skimp on any of that and the surface dips and rocks within a few winters, no matter how good the pavers are.
So ask every quote three questions: how deep is the base, is it compacted in layers, and what edge restraint is used. A company that answers those precisely is telling you where your money is going. A company that changes the subject to paver colours is telling you something as well.
Drainage matters just as much. Water has to go somewhere, and an interlock driveway that sheds water toward the house creates a basement problem that costs far more than the driveway. If the grade runs the wrong way now, fixing it is part of this job.
What the extras cost
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Steps | $250–$600 per step |
| Retaining wall, interlocking block | $40–$75 per sq ft of wall face |
| Driveway lighting | $1,200–$2,500 |
| Heated driveway system | $19–$50 per sq ft |
| Typical timeline | Days |
|---|---|
| Walkway or front entrance | 1–2 |
| Patio | 2–4 |
| Driveway | 3–5 |
Red flags in a driveway quote
| What you see | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Base depth not stated | The base is the driveway; the stone is the finish | Ask for the depth in inches and whether it is compacted in lifts |
| Paver thickness not stated | 50 mm patio pavers under a car will crack | Confirm 80 mm pavers for any surface a vehicle drives on |
| No mention of drainage or grade | A driveway that drains toward the house is a basement problem later | Ask which way the water will run when it is finished |
| Excavation and disposal unclear | Removing the old surface is a significant hidden cost | Confirm in writing who excavates, and who hauls it away |
| Door-knocking with leftover asphalt | A classic Ontario driveway scam, and it reappears every summer | Never buy paving at the door. A contract signed at home can be cancelled within 10 days |
| Edge restraint not mentioned | Without it the outer stones spread and the pattern opens up | Ask what restraint is used along the edges |
Frequently asked questions
Almost always an inadequate or poorly compacted base, or missing edge restraint. The stones are rarely at fault. Repair means lifting the affected area and fixing what is underneath.
Often yes for a new or widened driveway, because it affects the municipal boulevard and the curb cut. Resurfacing an existing driveway in place usually does not. Check with your municipality before starting.
Three to five days for an interlock driveway, one to two for a walkway and two to four for a patio, weather permitting. Excavation and base work take most of that time.
Eighty millimetres for any surface a car drives on. Fifty millimetre pavers are made for walkways and patios and will crack under vehicle weight, whatever the base beneath them.
Asphalt, by a wide margin: $7 to $13 per square foot against $18 and up for interlock. Asphalt lasts 12 to 20 years and needs resealing; interlock lasts 25 to 40 and individual stones can be lifted and reset.
Standard installation averages $18 to $22 per square foot, with natural stone reaching $25 to $45 and full-service design-build firms publishing $55 to $80. A two-car driveway spans roughly $9,000 to $48,000 depending which of those you hire.
Sources
- Seven Stones Landscape, Interlock vs concrete vs asphalt driveway cost in Ontario, updated 16 June 2026 — sevenstoneslandscape.ca
- Project Landscaping, Interlock price per square foot in Ontario, 11 January 2026 — project-landscaping.ca
- Government of Ontario, Your rights when starting home renovations or repairs — ontario.ca, checked 18 September 2026
Prices are published contractor ranges collected on 18 September 2026, not quotes.
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