A driveway price is area times a per-square-foot rate for the finish, plus removal of whatever's there now, plus the apron at the street, which in Cincinnati is built to a heavier spec under a permit and costs more per foot than the rest. The published ranges below are the starting point; the local lines are where Cincinnati bids differ from the national picture.
About the numbers. The ranges on this page are published national figures from HomeGuide, quoted with each page's date because they change. They are not our prices. Our price for your job is written after an estimator measures it, and it lists thickness, base, reinforcement, finish and the apron separately.
Published ranges, 2026
| Item | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Plain broom-finish concrete, installed | $6 to $10 per sq ft | HomeGuide, driveway page dated June 2025 |
| Exposed aggregate | $10 to $15 per sq ft | same |
| Stamped | $15 to $20 per sq ft (additional-cost section: $8 to $26) | same |
| Typical two-car driveway, total | $2,400 to $8,600 | same |
| Removal of the old driveway | $2 to $6 per sq ft | same |
| Resurfacing instead of replacing, two-car | $1,200 to $2,900 | HomeGuide, resurfacing page dated Feb 2026 |
The Cincinnati lines
- The apron. From the sidewalk to the curb the City requires 7 inches of ODOT Class QC1, 4,000 psi, air-entrained concrete under a Street Opening Permit, by a DOTE-licensed street contractor. Nearly double the concrete of the driveway behind it, a stronger mix, curb work and a permit fee. It's a separate line on our price and you should look for it on any other.
- Thickness. Four inches for cars is the published baseline; five inches where a pickup or trailer parks adds material. The thickness guide.
- Air entrainment. Standard in any mix we order, because of the salt. It costs little and it's the reason the driveway lasts.
- Slope and drainage. A hillside driveway needs a thicker base, sometimes a trench drain at the garage, and more labor on the forms. Flat lots are cheaper.
- Old concrete removal. An old reinforced slab costs more to break out and haul than asphalt or an unreinforced one; the published $2 to $6 range covers that spread.
- Access. A truck that can back up to the forms pours fast. A driveway behind a narrow side yard means wheelbarrows or a pump, which is labor.
- Season. A late-fall pour needs blankets and a cold-weather mix; the same job in May doesn't.
A worked example, shape only
A two-car driveway 20 feet wide and 40 feet long is 800 square feet, plus a 15-by-20-foot apron, 300 square feet. At the published plain-concrete rate the 800 feet would run $4,800 to $8,000; the apron is priced separately at the heavier spec; removal of an old asphalt driveway at $2 to $6 per foot adds $1,600 to $4,800 for the 800 feet. Your driveway will differ in every one of those numbers, which is why the estimator measures it.
Reading another bid
Look for the thickness, the base depth, whether the mix is air-entrained, whether reinforcement is listed, who's doing the apron and under what permit, and whether removal and haul-off are included. A low number with none of those on it is a number, not a bid. Then ask for the written warranty terms.
Questions
Can you price a driveway over the phone?
A rough range from the size you describe, yes. A real price needs the estimator to see the slope, the access and what's there now. The visit is free and the price is in writing.
Is the apron really extra?
It's part of the driveway and it's on the price, as its own line, because it's built to a different spec under the City's permit. A bid that doesn't show it has either underbuilt it or left it out.
How does concrete compare with asphalt on cost?
Asphalt is cheaper to install and needs sealing every few years and replacement sooner. Published 2026 figures put an asphalt driveway at a lower per-foot rate than concrete; concrete's advantage is the decades it lasts.
Does stamped cost double?
Roughly, at the published ranges: $15 to $20 against $6 to $10 per square foot. The pattern, the color count and the sealing are what you're paying for.
Do you charge for removal?
Yes, as a separate line, by the area and the material. Asphalt is cheap to remove; old reinforced concrete isn't.
What about financing?
Most people pay on completion; larger jobs can be arranged through a third-party lender with the terms in writing. Ask the estimator.
Get a written price
Tell us the job and where it is. Someone calls back the same day, an estimator measures it in person, and you get a written price with the thickness, the base and the finish spelled out. Nothing is poured on a verbal.