New driveway · new house or gravel
New asphalt driveway: paving your new house’s gravel.
The builder left gravel; it is rarely a base. We probe the stone in place, add what’s missing, then pave, ideally 6 to 12 months after construction. In 2026, a new driveway costs $6 to $10 per square foot, depending on the stone to add.
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On this page
A new asphalt driveway is paved on a base of compacted crushed stone, not straight on the gravel the builder left. That gravel is there for traffic during construction; it is often thin, mixed with soil and laid on backfill that is still settling. We probe it, remove what is contaminated, top it up with MG-20 stone compacted in lifts, then lay hot mix.
- When: ideally 6 to 12 months after construction, while the backfill settles, according to CAA-Québec.
- 2026 price: $6–10/ft² before tax; the low end if the stone in place is good, the high end if it has to be replaced.
- On site: one to two days, then 2 to 3 days without a car.
- Before paving: is the street curb already lowered? If not, the City has to cut it, on request.
Why wait after construction
Around a new house, the ground was dug out for the foundation, then backfilled. That backfill settles for months, especially along the foundation wall and over the service pipes, right where the driveway runs. CAA-Québec advises waiting 6 to 12 months before paving; a driveway laid too soon sinks along with the backfill.
If you need to pave sooner, we compact the backfill in lifts and check the areas over the service lines, or we lay a base course this year and the surface course next year.
What we find under the builder’s gravel, and what we do
| What probing shows | What it means | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| 20–30 cm of clean, compacted stone | A good base | We grade, recompact and pave: low end of the range |
| 10 cm of gravel over soil | No base | We dig out and build the full stone base |
| Gravel mixed with mud or clay | Contaminated, frost-susceptible stone | We remove it, lay geotextile, new stone |
| Soft backfill along the house | Settlement to come | Compaction in lifts, or we wait |
| No slope toward the street | Water will go to the garage | 2% slope set in the stone |
Our targets are those of the CAA-Québec sheet and Laval’s specification: 30–45 cm of excavation in sand, 45 cm or more in clay, MG-20 stone compacted to 95%, then at least 50 mm of compacted asphalt. We lay 63 mm (2.5 in). Details are on our excavation and foundation page.
A new driveway to pave? We probe your gravel for free and give you the price
What a new driveway costs
| Area | Good stone in place | Stone to redo | With tax, full range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300 ft² | about $1,800 | up to $3,000 | $2,070–3,450 |
| 400 ft² | about $2,400 | up to $4,000 | $2,760–4,600 |
| 600 ft² | about $3,600 | up to $6,000 | $4,140–6,900 |
A range of $6–10/ft² before tax, the one contractors who publish their prices used in 2025 and 2026; details are on our price page. A curb to cut, a driveway wider than the plan or difficult access add to it.
City rules for a new driveway
- Width: the curb cut and the paved share of the front yard are limited in almost every city. Our driveway widening page gives each city’s rule.
- Surface: L’Assomption bans gravel within its urban perimeter, while Lévis accepts it for a house with 5 spaces or fewer, treated against dust. In Montréal, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce no longer allows asphalt for new parking.
- The curb: if the builder didn’t have the curb lowered, the City cuts it, at your cost and on its schedule.
- The permit: paving a house driveway needs none in most suburban cities, but some require a certificate to lay out parking. Our permit guide by city has the details.
A new driveway’s first year
- No car for 2 to 3 days, longer in a heat wave.
- No heavy trucks on fresh asphalt, nor during the first spring thaw.
- Plywood under kickstands, jacks or trailer ramps.
- No sealer before 6 months: Henry bans its product on younger asphalt.
- A Tempo shelter? On a new driveway, permanent anchors drilled once avoid new holes every fall. Tempo shelter installation: single $199, double $299 before taxes; $329 and $449 with spring removal. See our prices and prices published elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I wait before paving a new house’s driveway?
6 to 12 months after construction, according to CAA-Québec, to let the backfill settle. Paving sooner means compacting the backfill in lifts, or laying the surface course the following year.
Can you pave straight over the builder’s gravel?
Rarely. That gravel is often thin, mixed with soil and laid on soft backfill. We probe it: if it is 20–30 cm of clean, compacted stone, we keep it; otherwise, we dig out and build a real base.
How much does a new asphalt driveway cost in 2026?
$6 to $10 per square foot before tax, or $2,400 to $4,000 for 400 ft². The low end applies when the stone in place is good.
Do I need a permit to pave a new driveway?
Not in most suburban cities for a house, but some require a certificate to lay out parking, and the curb cut is always requested from the City.
When can I drive on a new driveway?
After 2 to 3 days, longer in hot weather. Avoid turning the wheel while stopped during the first year.
Sources
- CAA-Québec and Bitume Québec, technical sheet on the residential asphalt driveway (2011): waiting period on a new house, depth, stone, thicknesses.
- City of Laval, special specifications for road infrastructure (V3/R1, September 2023).
- L’Assomption and Lévis zoning by-laws (parking surfaces); City of Montréal, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.
- Henry technical sheet (minimum age before sealer).
- Prices: Casabella Pavage (December 2025) and Les Pavages Guilmain (January 2026), compiled on our price page.
- City of Laval, Code de l’urbanisme CDU-1
- City of Lévis, zoning by-law et de lotissement RV-2011-11-23
New asphalt driveway: in your city.
Montréal and Laval
North Shore
Les Moulins and Lanaudière
South Shore
Montérégie
Québec City region
Eastern Townships
Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec
Outaouais
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Eastern Québec
Go further.
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ReadWidening your driveway: the added strip, the curb and the permit.
Widening an asphalt driveway for a second car: $6–10/ft² for the added part, the City’s curb cut and the width rules of 52 Québec cities.
Read
Driveway permits: what 16 cities require (rules checked in 2026)
Repaving as is, gravel to asphalt, widening: what Laval, Terrebonne, Longueuil, Brossard and 12 other cities require. Widths, curb cuts, fees and deadlines.
ReadBefore the freeze, not next spring.
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