What we do
- New driveways for acreages, farms and shops
- Rebuilds: dig out soft spots and add new base
- Regrade and fresh gravel
- Crowning so water runs off
- Side ditches and culverts
- Turnarounds and parking pads
How we build a gravel driveway
A driveway lasts because of the base under the gravel. We build it in five steps.
- Strip the topsoil. Black dirt holds water and turns to mud. It all comes out.
- Add fabric on soft ground. On wet clay, a layer of geotextile fabric keeps the base from sinking into the mud.
- Build the base. We lay pit run gravel and compact it. This is what carries the weight of trucks and trailers.
- Cap it. A layer of 3/4-inch road crush on top packs hard and gives a smooth ride.
- Crown and ditch. We shape the driveway higher in the middle so rain and snowmelt run off the sides.
Why gravel driveways break down
Potholes, ruts and soft spots almost always come back to water. If the base is too thin, the driveway is flat, or there is no ditch, water soaks in. Then freeze and thaw cycles break it apart. Calgary gets a lot of those cycles every winter.
Sometimes a regrade and fresh gravel is all you need. If the base has failed, we will tell you, so you are not paying to patch the same hole every spring.
How much does a gravel driveway cost?
A new 300 × 12 ft acreage driveway, built from scratch, runs about $25,000–$31,250 + GST. Regrading and fresh gravel on the same driveway: about $8,250–$10,750.
Every site is different. Soil, access and how far material has to travel all change the price. Try the cost estimator for your project, then we will confirm it with a free written quote.
Often booked together
Customers often add Culvert Installation, Shop & Building Pads or Land Clearing to this job. We can quote and schedule them together.
