The average cost of building a concrete walkway is about $2,350, with a typical price range between $1,900 and $2,800. The average cost of a paver walkway is about $2,850, with a range between $1,700 and $4,000.
Updated February 22, 2022
Written by HomeAdvisor.Adding a patio or walkway is a great way to make your outdoor space more usable. A patio allows you to entertain guests while enjoying the outdoors, while a walkway helps make your grounds more accessible. The specific paving material and surface area are the biggest factors for the material costs. The labor costs primarily depend on the costs of patio contractors in your area and whether the site requires leveling.
A 400 square foot walkway costs an average $2,400, including materials and labor. This figure includes $3 per square foot to pour basic concrete and 34 hours of labor for a team of two to three people, depending on the project and location. A walkway with curves and other features like coverings will increase the project cost.
The material cost of the pavers is between $3 and $6 per square foot for basic materials, although expensive pavers can greatly increase this start cost. The labor cost ranges from $3 to $4 per square foot, depending on the hourly rate. The total installation cost is between $6 and $10 per square foot.
The average labor cost for a team of paving contractors in your area starts at $35 per hour, depending on experience. The basic process of laying pavers isn’t complicated, but it does require skill to do it well. Walkways and patios also have direct exposure to the elements in most cases, so the durability of the materials is an important factor.
The cost of replacing a front walkway with cement ranges from $6 to $15 per square foot, depending on whether it’s poured or stamped concrete. If you want to use pavers for your front walkway, you’ll probably want to use more expensive ones due to the high use this type of walkway receives. The cost of these pavers is between $8 and $20 per square foot.
The minimum cost of a 400 square foot walkway with a cover, or pergola, is $4,000, while the maximum cost is $20,000, depending on materials. The minimum figure assumes a walkway made of poured concrete with a steel pergola, while the maximum figure assumes a walkway with high-end pavers and a pergola made of hardwood. The total installation cost for just a steel pergola is $4 per square foot, while aluminum and vinyl pergolas cost about $12 per square foot. The cost of wood pergolas varies by species, with hardwood pergolas averaging about $30 per square foot.
The cost of a heated walkway is $12 per square foot. The heating element is the primary expense, but this feature also requires controls, relay panels and accessories. The total cost per square foot is about the same whether the walkway is made of pavers or concrete, although concrete walkways require sensors to ensure even heating.
The prices for walkway, pathway and sidewalk materials range from $1 to $35 per square foot. These materials include the following:
Brick
Poured concrete
Stamped concrete
Concrete pavers
Stone
The cost of brick pavers is between $8 and $20 per square foot. Many types of bricks exist, but they all involve the use of grouting to fill the space between bricks. Ensure you use bricks rated for cold or moisture if you live in these climates to minimize cracking over time.
A poured concrete walkway costs $6 to $12 per square foot, although the cost is at the lower end of this price range. It’s primarily a mixture of cement, gravel, sand and water. You can pour concrete relatively quickly compared to pavers, since it doesn’t require you to lay and grout individual pieces.
The cost of stamped concrete is slightly more than that of poured concrete, but still in the range of $8 to $20 per square foot. This method involves pouring the concrete and stamping a pattern on the surface, causing it to resemble another material such as brick, stone or tile. This technique gives the walkway the look of these materials without paying the higher price.
Concrete pavers cost $8 to $15 per square foot. They resemble natural stone, but at a substantially lower price. The installation cost of these pavers varies, as you may install them with or without grout.
The cost of installing a flagstone walkway with stone is between $15 and $30 per square foot. Other types of expensive stone include flagstone, granite, slate and travertine. They’re also highly durable, making them less likely to crack as a result of weather exposure.
A walkway’s features provide the best indication of whether you should attempt to build it yourself. You may be able to make a straight walkway if the site doesn’t require leveling, and you have experience in mixing and pouring concrete. However, a walkway contractor in your area should level the site and build a walkway with curves. Building a walkway with pavers is also a task you should leave to professionals.
Poured concrete is the cheapest material that you’ll typically use to make a patio, walkway or pathway. The cost of a gravel walkway may be as low as $1 per square foot, but it’s not a common material for these structures.
Concrete generally provides the most cost-effective methods of building walkways. Stamped concrete and concrete pavers can resemble stone pavers, which are much more expensive.
The total cost of adding a canopy to a walkway is between $4 and $30 per square foot, depending on the material. Wood is particularly expensive compared to metals like steel and aluminum and is also more challenging to install.
A moving walkway like the ones at airports cost about $1.1 million to build and $100,000 per year to operate. These costs mean a moving walkway isn’t economical unless the foot traffic is very high.
A walkway and sidewalk are structurally similar, although their environments differ. A sidewalk generally runs parallel with a road, while a walkway typically connects a road to a structure like a house.
