How much do permeable pavers or pervious concrete cost?
Ashburn, VA

How much do permeable pavers or pervious concrete cost?

Ashburn, VA

How much do permeable pavers or pervious concrete cost?

$8 – $30Average cost per square foot
$4,000 – $17,000Average 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.

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$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.

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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.

Permeable pavement cost - chart
Permeable pavement cost - chart
Permeable pavement cost comparison
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

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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.

Average permeable pavers cost
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 driveway paver installation
Pervious driveway paver installation

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.

Pervious concrete pavers cost
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.

Pervious driveway cost comparison - chart
Pervious driveway cost comparison - chart
Pervious concrete driveway cost comparison
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.

Porous asphalt and concrete comparison
Porous asphalt and concrete comparison

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.

Pervious concrete cost vs. plain concrete - chart
Pervious concrete cost vs. plain concrete - chart
Pervious concrete cost vs. concrete
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.

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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.

Costs of pervious or permeable parking lot surfaces
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.

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Permeable pavement pros and cons
Pros Cons
  • Used as a stormwater management system
  • Prevents flooding & drain problems
  • Reduces standing water & ice formation
  • Less surface heat than impervious surfaces
  • Minimizes erosion
  • Less mosquito breeding
  • Improves local water quality
  • Refills groundwater table
  • Reduces the need for drainage infrastructure, irrigation systems, and retention ponds
  • Reduces landscaping watering costs
  • Reduces the amount of storm drains needed.
  • Requires specialized installation and equipment
  • Not suitable for clay soils
  • Less effective on sloped land
  • Clogs without maintenance

Permeable pavers with gravel and grass
Permeable pavers with gravel and grass

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.

Permeable pavement maintenance
Pavement type Maintenance
Pervious concrete & porous asphalt
  • Vacuum sweeping in spring and fall
  • Pressure wash if deeply clogged
  • No sealcoating like regular pavements
  • Deicing materials only since abrasives clog pavement
Permeable pavers
  • Keep gaps free of dirt & debris
  • Sweep or vacuum every 3 months
  • Refill spaces with gravel as required
  • Replace gravel when fully clogged or uncleanable
  • Replace damaged pavers right away
Grass pavers / gravel grids
  • Mowing, fertilizing, watering, & seeding grass
  • Adding more sod, gravel, or sand
  • Surface sweeping only to remove debris

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.

Permeable brick pavers for residential driveway
Permeable brick pavers for residential driveway

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.

Permeable pavement lifespan
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.

Pervious, porous, and permeable paver differences
Paver type Features
Permeable stone paver system
  • Most common type
  • Gravel-filled joints drain water between paver stones
  • Concrete or clay brick pavers
  • Architectural appearance
  • Good for heavy traffic
  • Lowest infiltration rate
Porous pavers (grass- or gravel-grid pavers)
  • Water drains through a cellular grid system
  • Concrete or plastic honeycomb design
  • Grids filled with dirt, gravel, sand, or grass
  • Vegetation grows through open cells
  • Reduces soil compaction
Pervious pavers
  • Drains through open voids in the stone’s surface
  • Highest infiltration rate of all systems
  • Made from natural stone
  • Bonded with organic compounds & UV inhibitors
  • Allows tree roots and microbes to interact

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.

Ecoraster cost
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?