Price the driveway from subgrade to wearing surface

Measure the vehicle path and keep hard surface intentional

Area is length multiplied by average width and equal zones. The zones input is appropriate only for identical rectangles; measure turning heads, parking bays, tapers and aprons separately when their dimensions differ. The calculated perimeter repeats every rectangle and cannot remove shared edges.

Design width for actual vehicles, doors, pedestrian safety, drainage and turning. Excess pavement increases cost, heat and stormwater runoff. YourHome recommends keeping driveways short and narrow where practical and considering permeable surfaces to reduce runoff.

Asphalt can be appropriate for a designed flexible pavement, but it is not the only option. Compare gravel, concrete, pavers, wheel strips and permeable systems against slope, soil, loads, maintenance, accessibility, heat and water management. The calculator does not choose the surface.

Convert compacted asphalt thickness to order tonnes

Compacted asphalt volume equals area multiplied by entered depth. The model multiplies that volume by compacted density and then adds the ordering and trimming allowance. Use the mix supplier’s density and the pavement designer’s compacted thickness.

Delivered hot mix is usually managed by mass, but minimum loads, cartage distance, waiting time and rejected cold material affect cost. The entered tonne rate should state plant supply, delivery, minimum charge and GST. Do not use loose truck volume as compacted volume.

Thickness should be verified after compaction under the project quality plan. A nominal 40 millimetres does not guarantee uniform construction. Joints, handwork, small areas and steep grades can change placement and density.

The asphalt line includes supply only. Crew, paver, roller and compaction are calculated from area so labour and plant do not disappear inside the material rate.

The subgrade and base carry the pavement

Base mass is area multiplied by compacted base depth and density. It is a simplified placed quantity. Supplier ordering may need conversion for loose volume, moisture, compaction and trimming. The base rate should state material specification, delivery, spreading, watering, compaction and testing.

Weak, wet, expansive or variable subgrade can need undercut, stabilisation, geotextile, drainage or greater thickness. A thin asphalt layer cannot bridge ongoing movement. Obtain suitable soil and pavement advice for heavy vehicles, steep grades or poor ground.

Gross excavation is area multiplied by entered excavation depth. It does not subtract material reused on site or account for batter, rock, buried structures and loose-volume bulking. Verify disposal classification, facility, haulage and minimum charges.

Design falls and lawful overflow before paving

Asphalt is generally an impervious surface. Water must move away from buildings, avoid ponding, remain safe for users and discharge lawfully. Crossfall, longitudinal grade, transitions and local depressions require a surveyed level plan, not only an average slope.

YourHome’s stormwater guidance encourages minimising hard surfaces and using vegetation, swales, raingardens and permeable areas to slow and filter runoff. Local soil, groundwater, slope and drainage rules affect whether infiltration is appropriate. Do not direct water or sediment onto neighbouring land.

The drainage allowance can hold pits, strip drains, pipes, detention, swales and lawful connection only where designed and quoted. Preserve access for cleaning. A grate located at the low point still fails if its pipe, outlet or overflow is blocked or undersized.

Protect garage and house thresholds. Coordinate driveway levels with slab clearances, damp-proof courses, cladding and termite inspection zones. The separate drainage-fall calculator can check geometry, but hydraulic capacity and approvals remain design work.

Edges, joints and tie-ins control early damage

Unsupported asphalt edges can unravel under wheel loads. Edge restraint may use kerb, concrete, compacted shoulder or another designed detail. The calculator applies a rate to the rectangular perimeter, so shared edges and special kerbs need a corrected schedule.

Tie-ins to existing road, concrete, pavers, drains and garage slabs require level, thickness and compaction coordination. Sawcut or keyed joints, tack coat and clean interfaces may be specified. Protect service covers and maintain required access.

Prime or tack and surface preparation use an area rate. Confirm which coat applies to the specified base and interfaces, product coverage, curing and environmental controls. The page does not select bituminous products.

Temperature, access and compaction shape the programme

Hot asphalt must be transported, placed and compacted within suitable temperature and weather limits. Long haul, small handwork areas, rain, cold, wind or a blocked access route can reduce quality. Coordinate plant size and turning with the site.

Establish traffic control and exclusion for residents, visitors and road users. Work on the road reserve or crossover may need authority approval, accredited traffic arrangements and specific contractors. Anything placed on public land requires permission from its owner.

Bitumen or asphalt fumes and hot material require work health and safety controls. Review current safety information, plan burns and exposure controls, and keep unprotected people away. Cutting or disturbing mineral products can also create dust hazards.

Agree when pedestrians and vehicles may return. Early turning, static steering, heavy loads or fuel spills can mark a new surface. Temporary parking and access cost belongs in the mobilisation allowance.

Control sediment and protect the street during earthworks

Before the sealed surface exists, excavation and stockpiles can release sediment. YourHome notes that even small site pollution can harm waterways and block stormwater. Use stabilised access, covered stockpiles, barriers and suitable sequencing.

Keep soil, aggregate, tack products and wash water out of gutters and drains. Sweep rather than hose material into the street. Restore verges and clean road surfaces safely. Maintain controls until exposed soil is stable.

Locate underground electricity, gas, water, communications, sewer and stormwater before excavation. Plans may be incomplete; use suitable locating and potholing where needed. Adjust pavement design around covers and access requirements.

Compare asphalt quotations using a pavement schedule

Issue the same current plan and pavement design to every bidder. Confirm licensing, insurance, testing, weather conditions, protection, access, final cleaning and defects. A hot-mix tonne price cannot be compared with a complete driveway installation.

Contingency is applied after all pre-GST items, then GST is added only when selected. The per-square-metre output includes fixed drainage and crossover costs, so it is a project indicator rather than a national asphalt rate.

Inspect levels, density and records at handover

Verify subgrade, base depth and compaction before asphalt covers them. Record delivery dockets, mix, tonnes, weather and placement times. Complete specified level, thickness, compaction, smoothness and drainage checks.

Inspect joints, edges, tie-ins, surface segregation, marks, drainage and restored verges. Test water paths without causing pollution or flooding. Keep pits and outlets accessible.

Maintain drainage and repair cracks or edge damage before water weakens the base. Avoid solvents and fuel spills. The calculator covers initial construction only; resealing, patching and future resurfacing need a separate maintenance plan.