HomeGuide's national figures put a gravel driveway at $4 to $10 per square foot installed, about $4,000 to $10,000 for a 100 by 10 foot drive. On soft New Orleans soil, a driveway lasts only as long as the base under it.
Prices here are HomeGuide's published national ranges, not quotes from our company. In New Orleans, groundwater, soft soil, narrow streets, buried debris and the trip to the dump site move the real cost. Checked October 2026.
How much does a gravel driveway cost to dig and install?
HomeGuide's gravel driveway page lists $4 to $10 per square foot installed and $1 to $3 per square foot for grading the drive. Excavating a driveway pad is $1,000 to $2,500 on the excavation page.
| Driveway area | HomeGuide national range |
|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $4,000 to $10,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $8,000 to $20,000 |
How deep do you dig before a new driveway?
We dig out the topsoil, roots and any soft or organic soil until we reach firmer ground, then rebuild with compacted base. On soft lots, fabric under the base keeps the stone from pushing into the mud. For a concrete drive, the concrete contractor's spec sets the subgrade and base depth.
How thick should the gravel base be, and how much gravel for 100 feet?
The base must be thick enough to bridge the soft soil without rutting, so we set it at the site. For the gravel, take length times width times depth, all in feet, and divide by 27 to get cubic yards. A drive 100 feet long, 9 feet wide and 6 inches deep is 100 x 9 x 0.5 = 450 cubic feet, or about 16.7 cubic yards.
What is the best gravel for a driveway?
Crushed stone or crusher run makes the best driveway, because the angular pieces lock together. Crusher run is $25 to $50 a ton and crushed stone $30 to $60 a ton in HomeGuide's figures. Shell and round gravel are used here too, but they shift more under tires.
My gravel driveway has potholes and floods in every storm. How do I fix it?
Potholes and flooding mean the drive is lower than the ground around it and the base has softened. Raise the drive with new base, crown or slope it so water runs off, and give the water a ditch or a pipe to the street. On soft ground, fabric under the new base helps it last.
Do I need a culvert where my driveway meets the road?
Where the road has an open ditch, as many do in the parishes and on the north shore, a culvert is usually required. The city or parish that owns the road sets the size and the permit. For culverts or drains, HomeGuide's gravel driveway page gives $500 to $2,000.
What does a long driveway through woods cost?
HomeGuide has no single figure, so we add the parts: clearing the route at $1,200 to $8,000 per acre, grading at $1 to $3 per square foot, base stone by the ton, and culverts. Long drives through pine woods around Slidell and Mandeville often cross low spots that need extra base.
How much does it cost to remove an old concrete driveway?
Our HomeGuide price list includes no figure for driveway removal. We usually price breaking out the old concrete together with the new base work, since the same machine and trucks are on site. Concrete from old drives can often be recycled.
Want a number for your own lot? We come by, look at the ground and the drainage, and send a written quote. Call or text (504) 608-4795.