The cost of a concrete driveway depends mainly on how it is built: the thickness and strength of the concrete, the reinforcement, the depth of the stone base, and the work to remove the old driveway. Site access, drainage and ground conditions found during excavation also move the price.
Marshall Construction, a Newark-based concrete driveway contractor in Delaware that also installs asphalt, prices residential driveways through three packages. This page explains what moves a concrete driveway quote up or down, without prices.
Thickness and concrete strength are the main differences between Marshall Construction's price tiers. Its packages, as published on its residential concrete services and driveway packages page, range from 4 inches of 4,000 PSI concrete (Basic) to 5 inches of 4,000 PSI (Deluxe) and 6 inches of 4,500 PSI (Heavy Duty). The company says most contractors pour 4 inches of 3,500 PSI concrete, which it describes as the bare minimum.
Because the company says most contractors pour the bare minimum, thickness and strength head the list of questions in how to choose a concrete driveway contractor. The thicker, stronger packages also carry longer warranties (3 and 5 years, against 1 year on Basic), with measurable limits of the kind described in what a concrete driveway warranty should cover.
Every Marshall Construction package includes fiber mesh. The higher tiers, Deluxe and Heavy Duty, add 8-gauge wire. The company says an unreinforced 4-inch driveway eventually loses to freeze-thaw cycles, heavy vehicles and settling soil.
These packages and their reinforcement apply to driveways. Marshall Construction also pours garage slabs and concrete pads, and combining several concrete projects with one contractor lets a homeowner put a driveway and other concrete work on one estimate and one contract.
Before pouring, Marshall Construction's crew excavates, lays compacted stone and grades for drainage. The base is 4 inches on Basic, 4-6 inches on Deluxe and 6 inches on Heavy Duty, so base depth rises with the package. At the estimate, Kyle Marshall checks water runoff, whether the ground holds compaction, and whether the site needs extra reinforcement; each of these shapes the recommendation. The company names poor base preparation as one reason driveways sink, crack or hold water, which is why base work is central to the options for a cracked or sinking driveway.
Every Marshall Construction package includes complete demolition and removal of the existing driveway, along with disposal of the old material. Because the company does not overlay concrete, replacing a concrete driveway always includes tear-out. Most Marshall Construction driveway jobs are finished in a single day, tear-out included, and how long driveway replacement takes walks through that day step by step.
Access to the work area changes the price: a tight backyard or a fence that has to come down can change the quote, which is why Marshall Construction asks for photos with its online Quick Quote. Photos and measurements, sent with a name, email, phone number and address, are enough for a ballpark price without waiting for a site visit.
Some costs cannot be seen until excavation starts, such as ground that will not hold compaction. Marshall Construction's contract states this possibility, and the office tells the homeowner before doing any extra work. Credit card fees are disclosed in the contract, and the company says there are no hidden fees. Extra work a homeowner asks for on site, such as two more sidewalk blocks, is priced by the crew before it is done and added to the final invoice. Walkways and sidewalks are part of the company's residential work on concrete patios, walkways and steps.
Marshall Construction's three packages work as price tiers: Basic, Deluxe (the package the company recommends) and Heavy Duty. Warranties rise with the package, from 1 year to 3 and 5 years. The company frames the choice as long-term value: it says a 4-inch, 3,500 PSI driveway "might hold up for 10-15 years," and puts the difference its thicker, stronger packages make at 30-50 years of durability.
As a rule of thumb, Marshall Construction says concrete generally runs about double the cost of asphalt. The company says long driveways often go asphalt. Asphalt needs more maintenance, including sealcoating, while concrete is more of a one-time investment. Cost is one factor in choosing between concrete and asphalt driveways, along with driveway length, personal preference and what the neighborhood has.
Marshall Construction offers financing through Acorn Finance for driveways, concrete, foundations and more, and checking a rate does not affect a credit score. On-site estimates are free, and written estimates are emailed within 24-48 hours of the visit. Homeowners comparing quotes can check each one against what a concrete driveway estimate should include.
The estimate, contract and payment steps follow how Marshall Construction runs a project, and homeowners can request a free estimate or a Quick Quote online.
