How much do permeable pavers or pervious concrete cost?
How much do permeable pavers or pervious concrete cost?
Permeable pavements cost $4 to $30 per square foot installed, depending on the type. A 2-car pervious concrete driveway costs $4,600 to $9,200 or up to $17,000 with pavers. A 2-car porous asphalt driveway costs $4,000 to $7,500. A permeable-paver parking lot costs $3,000 to $9,000 per space.
$8 – $30 Average cost per square foot
$4,000 – $17,000 Average 2-car driveway cost
Permeable pavements cost $4 to $30 per square foot installed, depending on the type. A 2-car pervious concrete driveway costs $4,600 to $9,200 or up to $17,000 with pavers. A 2-car porous asphalt driveway costs $4,000 to $7,500. A permeable-paver parking lot costs $3,000 to $9,000 per space.
Permeable pavement cost
Permeable pavers cost $10 to $30 per square foot installed. A 2-car pervious concrete driveway costs $4,600 to $9,200 on average or $8 to $16 per square foot. A 2-car porous asphalt driveway costs $4,000 to $7,500 on average or $7 to $13 per square foot.
| Pavement type | Average cost per square foot |
|---|---|
| Permeable stone pavers | $10 – $30 |
| Pervious concrete | $8 – $16 |
| Porous asphalt | $7 – $13 |
| Concrete grass grid | $4 – $12 |
| Plastic grass grid | $5 – $9 |
*Total installation cost.
Permeable, porous, and pervious pavements allow water to pass through them.
Permeable paving: Paver stones with gravel in between that drains slowly
Porous paving: Asphalt with voids inside that drains well
Pervious paving: Concrete and gravel grids that drain water the fastest
Permeable pavers cost
Permeable pavers cost $10 to $30 per square foot installed, depending on the type and design complexity. Permeable concrete paving blocks have gravel-filled joints for water to filter through. Permeable paver installation includes an aggregate gravel base.
The material cost of pavers depends on the material, size, finish, and texture.
| National average cost | $9,400 |
| Minimum cost | $1,400 |
| Maximum cost | $25,000 |
| Average range | $4,000 to $17,000 |
*Based on 23 project costs reported by HomeGuide members.
Pervious concrete pavers cost
Concrete grid pavers cost $4 to $12 per square foot, while plastic grid pavers cost $5 to $9 per square foot. Both grass-paver types allow water to flow into the honeycomb-shaped grid system while grass grows through the grid. Other filling options for permeable-grid pavers are gravel or sand.
| Grid paver type | Average cost per square foot |
|---|---|
| Concrete | $4 – $12 |
| Plastic | $5 – $9 |
*Total install cost.
Pervious concrete driveway cost
A 2-car pervious concrete driveway costs $4,600 to $9,200 on average or $8 to $16 per square foot. A 2-car permeable paver driveway costs $5,500 to $17,000 or $10 to $30 per square foot.
Impervious driveway pavers cost 15% to 20% more than traditional paver stones.
| Type | 1-car (288 SF) | 2-car (576 SF) | 3-car (864 SF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permeable pavers | $2,800 – $8,500 | $5,500 – $17,000 | $8,500 – $25,000 |
| Pervious concrete | $2,300 – $4,600 | $4,600 – $9,200 | $6,900 – $13,800 |
| Porous asphalt | $2,000 – $3,700 | $4,000 – $7,500 | $6,000 – $11,200 |
| Concrete grass grid | $1,100 – $3,500 | $2,300 – $6,900 | $3,500 – $10,000 |
| Plastic grass grid | $1,400 – $2,600 | $2,800 – $5,200 | $4,300 – $7,800 |
*Total install cost. Removing old driveways adds $1 to $3 per square foot.
Permeable asphalt driveway cost
A porous or permeable asphalt driveway costs $7 to $13 per square foot or $2,800 and $5,200 installed.
A standard asphalt driveway costs $3 to $7 per square foot installed.
Porous asphalt costs $50 to $95 per ton for materials only. Permeable asphalt has no fine-ground stones or sand and requires an 18” to 24” deep large-stone base.
Pervious concrete cost vs. concrete
Pervious concrete costs $8 to $16 per square foot installed, while plain concrete costs $4 to $8 per square foot.
A 24'x24' pervious concrete driveway costs $4,600 to $9,200, while a regular concrete driveway costs $2,300 to $4,600.
| Factor | Pervious concrete | Regular concrete |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per square foot | $8 – $16 | $4 – $8 |
| 24'x24' driveway cost | $4,600 – $9,200 | $2,300 – $4,600 |
| Lifespan | 20 – 40 years | 30 – 40 years |
| Gravel-base depth* | 12” – 36” | 4” – 8” |
*Base depth of pervious concrete depends on the local soil type. Clay soils need a deeper base.
Tax rebates for permeable pavements are available in some locations.
Some cities require a $50 to $200 permit to install permeable pavement systems.
Porous paving parking lot cost
Permeable pavers for a parking lot cost $3,000 to $9,000 per space of 300 square feet, including installation. Paving a 10-car permeable parking lot costs $12,000 to $48,000 on average, depending on the pavement type.
| Type | Per parking space | 10-car lot |
|---|---|---|
| Permeable pavers | $3,000 – $9,000 | $30,000 – $90,000 |
| Pervious concrete | $2,400 – $4,800 | $24,000 – $48,000 |
| Porous asphalt | $2,100 – $3,900 | $21,000 – $39,000 |
| Concrete grass grid | $1,200 – $3,600 | $12,000 – $36,000 |
| Plastic grass grid | $1,500 – $2,700 | $15,000 – $27,000 |
*Includes materials and installation.
Permeable pavers pros and cons
Permeable pavement provides various environmental benefits. However, disadvantages of permeable pavement include higher installation costs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Pervious pavement maintenance cost
Pervious pavement maintenance costs $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot on average for pressure washing with vacuum-sweeping service. Homeowners can rent pressure washers at $50 to $100 daily from hardware stores.
Important: Permeable pavements require regular maintenance and cleaning to prevent clogging and increase longevity.
| Pavement type | Maintenance |
|---|---|
| Pervious concrete & porous asphalt |
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| Permeable pavers |
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| Grass pavers / gravel grids |
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Permeable pavement FAQs
What is permeable pavement?
Permeable paver systems include:
Pervious concrete and porous asphalt are regular pavements without fine-grain materials like sand, so they become porous.
Permeable pavers are brick or concrete pavement stones with gravel-filled spaces in between them. Permeable pavers are also known as “permeable interlocking concrete pavements” (PICP).
All types have a stone aggregate base below them to send water into the soil or city drains.
What is the lifespan of permeable pavement?
Most types of permeable pavement last 20 to 40 years on average, depending on the pavement materials, installation quality, and maintenance frequency.
| Pavement type | Average lifespan (years) |
|---|---|
| Permeable interlocking pavers | 20 – 35 |
| Pervious concrete | 20 – 40 |
| Porous asphalt | 15 – 30 |
| Concrete grid | 10 – 20 |
| Plastic grid | 20 – 60 |
What's the difference between pervious, porous, and permeable pavers?
Pervious, porous, and permeable pavers all have a different installation process and application, depending on the soil conditions. Pervious concrete drains faster than porous asphalt or permeable pavers.
| Paver type | Features |
|---|---|
| Permeable stone paver system |
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| Porous pavers (grass- or gravel-grid pavers) |
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| Pervious pavers |
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Do permeable pavers only work for driveways?
Permeable pavers work in various locations beyond just driveways. However, permeable pavers cause damages near a home foundation because they trap water around it.
Where to use permeable pavers:
Around garden boundaries to supply more water to plants
Near backyard grills and fire pits with stone-based permeable pavers
For sidewalks, garden paths, pool decks, & backyard landscaping
Patios & parking lots
How much does Topmix Permeable concrete cost?
Topmix Permeable concrete costs $8 to $16 per square foot installed. Topmix is a patented concrete blend from Tarmac, a U.K. company, currently unavailable in the United States. Other pervious concretes are available from U.S. suppliers like Cemex in this price range.
How much does Ecoraster® cost?
The Ecoraster® permeable paving grid system costs $6 to $16 per square foot installed, depending on the surface type, base depth, and site accessibility. Finishing options include filling the grid with vegetation, sand, gravel, or paver-stone blocks.
| Grid type | Average cost per square foot |
|---|---|
| Gravel-filled or sand-filled | $6 – $8 |
| Paver stone-filled | $12 – $16 |
*Includes materials and installation.
Ecoraster paving grid benefits:
20-year warranty
Made from 100% recycled plastics
Low maintenance
UV-resistant and frost proof
Great cold weather performance
Supports loads of 82 tons per square foot
How much do TRUEGRID® pavers cost?
TRUEGRID® pavers cost $6 to $9 per square foot with sand, gravel, or sod installed in the open grids. Alternatively, TRUEGRID® ROOT™ grass-stabilizing grids let existing grass grow through when installed with heavy rollers.
DIY permeable pavement installation cost
Most permeable pavement installations are not DIY projects because they require specialized training and equipment. Hire a qualified contractor to prevent drainage problems.
DIY-friendly gravel-grid permeable paving systems cost $3 to $7 per square foot.
Plastic grids cost $2 to $4 per square foot.
Gravel prices add $1 to $3 per square foot, depending on the depth.
Hiring a permeable pavement installer
Before hiring a masonry installer, make sure to:
Collect estimates from three paving companies to compare prices.
Browse reviews from their previous work on HomeGuide and Google.
Choose companies with experience installing permeable paving.
Pervious-concrete installers should have pervious-concrete certification from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.
Grid-system installers should have taken installation courses from the grid manufacturer or other LEED construction courses.
Porous-asphalt installers should have certification from asphalt-training programs like the State Department of Transportation.
Landscapers installing permeable paving-stone systems should have a current general contractor’s license and certification from the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute.
Beware of ultra-low bids for low-quality work.
Select only insured, bonded, and licensed contractors.
Follow a payment schedule instead of making an upfront payment.
Ask for a written copy of the detailed estimate, contract, and warranty beforehand.
Questions to ask
Can you give me local referrals to see examples of your work?
How many permeable paving systems have you installed?
Will you pull all the permits for this project?
Does this design meet all the local code requirements for stormwater drainage?
How much site preparation will you do, and how should I prepare for it?
How long will this porous pavement system last?
Are all materials and labor costs in this quote? What other costs can I expect?
Does your estimate include cleanup charges?
What does your warranty cover?
What’s your daily work schedule, and when should the project start and finish?