Installed gravel drives cost $4 to $10 a square foot on HomeGuide's national page, so a drive 100 feet long and 10 feet wide comes to about $4,000 to $10,000. On rural Clark County parcels, rock depth, fabric and ditches decide whether a drive survives winter.
We did not set the dollar figures on this page: they are national ranges from HomeGuide. In Clark County, wet-season clay, trees, slope, groundwater and haul distance are what push a real job up or down. Figures checked October 2026.
How much does a gravel driveway cost to excavate and install?
HomeGuide's gravel driveway page puts installation at $4 to $10 a square foot and grading for the drive at $1 to $3 a square foot. For the dig alone, its excavation page lists a driveway pad at $1,000 to $2,500.
| Driveway area | National range, HomeGuide |
|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $2,000 to $5,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $4,000 to $10,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $8,000 to $20,000 |
How deep do you dig before building a driveway?
We strip the topsoil, sod and roots and dig to firm subgrade, then build up with compacted crushed rock. Wet clay needs deeper rock and usually geotextile fabric; sandy flood gravel needs less. For asphalt or concrete, the paving contractor's spec sets the final depth.
How thick should the rock base be, and how much gravel for a 100-foot driveway?
Here the base must stay firm in February, so it is usually thicker than in drier places; we set it after seeing the soil. Cubic yards of rock equal length x width x depth in feet, divided by 27. A drive 100 feet long, 12 feet wide and 9 inches deep: 100 x 12 x 0.75 = 900 cubic feet, or about 33.3 cubic yards.
What kind of gravel is best for a driveway?
Crushed rock or crusher run with fines works best, because the angular pieces lock together into a firm surface. By the ton, crusher run is $25 to $50 and crushed stone $30 to $60 on HomeGuide's gravel page. Round river rock and pea gravel roll under tires and spread.
My gravel driveway gets potholes and floods every winter. How do I fix it?
Potholes and winter flooding mean water is sitting in the drive and softening the base. Regrade with a crown, add rock where it has thinned, lay fabric over soft clay, and cut ditches along the sides with a culvert where water crosses. Once water drains off, the potholes stop coming back.
Do I need a culvert where the driveway meets the road?
Often, where the road has a ditch. The city or the county that owns the road sets the culvert size and issues the approach permit, and a stream crossing can need state approval too. Culverts or drains cost $500 to $2,000 in HomeGuide's driveway figures.
What does a long driveway through the woods cost?
HomeGuide has no figure for a long private road, so the cost is built from parts: clearing at $1,200 to $8,000 an acre, grading at $1 to $3 a square foot and the rock. A long drive through firs in La Center or Washougal often adds culverts, fabric and a fire-truck turnaround.
What does it cost to remove an old asphalt or concrete driveway?
HomeGuide gives no separate removal price. We price breaking out and hauling an old drive by its area, thickness and truck loads, recycle the concrete or asphalt where we can, and usually quote it together with the new base.
Tell us about your project and we will come look at the ground, then send the scope and the price in writing. Call or text (360) 276-9112.