Driveway & Walkway Calculator

What this page covers, and what you need before you start

Model quantities and scenarios in the calculator with your own inputs. Before you request quotes, gather what determines both the approval path and the price.

• Measured area and shape, plus the length of any new or widened curb crossing.
• Existing surface and its condition, and whether it will be removed or overlaid.
• Slope and where water currently drains, including at the garage slab and any basement entry.
• Soil type and whether the subgrade holds water, which changes base depth and drainage.
• Vehicle loading: passenger vehicles, an RV, or delivery trucks over the same surface.
• Municipal requirements: curb cut approval, boulevard restoration, permitted materials, and permeability rules.
• Utilities and services crossing the area, located before excavation.

Decision workflow

1. 1

   Ask the municipality what is allowed before designing

   Width, permitted materials, curb cut approval, and stormwater or permeability requirements vary by city and sometimes by neighbourhood. Get it in writing.

2. 2

   Solve drainage on paper first

   Water must move away from the foundation and away from any below-grade entry. A resurfaced driveway that pitches back toward the house creates a much more expensive problem.

3. 3

   Specify the base, not just the surface

   Excavation depth, granular type, lift thickness, and compaction method belong in the contract. This is the main difference between quotes that look similar.

4. 4

   Book locates and confirm access

   Utility locates before digging, and a plan for equipment access, material stockpiles, and spoil removal.

5. 5

   Set expectations for the finish

   Curing or cooling times, when the surface can take vehicles, jointing or sealing intent, and how edges are restrained or restored.

6. 6

   Plan winter maintenance into the choice

   Snow clearing equipment, de-icer compatibility, and how a heaving edge will be repaired all differ by surface type.

Questions to ask, and records to keep

Ask each contractor identically, and require the base specification in writing.

• What excavation depth and granular base are included, and how is compaction verified?
• How will surface water be directed, and what slope away from the building is being built?
• Is a municipal permit or curb cut approval required, and who obtains it?
• Is removal and disposal of the existing surface included?
• What edge restraint or jointing detail is used, and how is the boulevard restored?
• When can vehicles use the surface, and what is the sealing or curing guidance?
• What warranty covers settlement, cracking, or heaving, and what voids it?
• Who books utility locates, and what happens if unsuitable soil is found?

Primary sources for the rules that vary by jurisdiction

Approvals and grading rules are municipal; freeze-thaw exposure varies by location and can be checked against published climate records.

• Your municipality's building department (permits, inspections, and closed-permit records)

  Establishes: Whether the work you are planning needs a permit, which inspections apply, and whether past work on the property was permitted and closed.

  Municipal · Source link checked 2026-09-01

• Environment and Climate Change Canada — Canadian Climate Normals

  Establishes: Published temperature, precipitation, and snowfall normals for a specific station, which is the observed climate record rather than a design value.

  Canada, by weather station · Source link checked 2026-09-01

• National Research Council Canada — Codes Canada publications

  Establishes: The model construction and energy requirements provinces adapt, including the structure of the National Building Code that your municipality enforces.

  Canada (model code, adopted with amendments by each province) · Source link checked 2026-09-01

Every source cited across the site, with what it does and does not establish, is listed in the home cost source ledger.

Where to go next

• Deck and patio planning

  Structure, guards, and permits before finishes.

• Water damage guide

  Sequence for finding the source, drying, and documenting a water event.

• Foundation movement

  Documenting movement and choosing the right professional to assess it.

• Permit requirements

  Which work is permitted work, and why closed permits matter at resale.

• Annual maintenance budgeting

  Build a reserve from your own building's components instead of a percentage-of-value rule of thumb.

• Home cost source ledger

  Every primary source used on this site, the date its link was checked, and what it does not establish.