Paver driveway installation starts with a base built for the weight of a car, deeper and more carefully compacted than a patio. Cicarelli Contractors removes the old driveway or path, builds that base, lays driveway pavers in the pattern and border you choose, and files the encroachment permit when the work reaches the street.
Paver driveways and walkways
A paver driveway carries tires that turn, brake and park in the same spots every day, so everything below the pavers works harder than under a patio. The base is deeper, compacted in more layers, and the edges are restrained firmly so the field does not creep toward the street or the lawn.
A paver walkway is lighter work but has its own details: steady slopes for walking, steps where the grade changes, and borders that keep the path crisp. Walkways also tie a yard together, linking the driveway to the front door, the side gate and the patio in back.
Most of our driveways replace old concrete, which our patio and driveway removal crew takes out first. We build paver driveways and walkways from San Francisco and Oakland to San Jose and Walnut Creek, and the apron at the street is handled under the city's permit.
Six Google reviews quoted word for word, starting with a paver carport chosen over a concrete slab. Use the arrows or swipe to keep reading.
Just this past week, I hired Cicarelli Contractors to install a carport. Initially I wanted concrete but after speaking with Athalyson and being educated on pavers instead of regular concrete we decided to go with his recommendation. And to our surprise the pavers turned out to be the correct choice versus a concrete slab. The color that we chose really compliments the paint that’s on the house. Cicarelli did an incredible job. They followed the timeline to completion to a tee and each day they worked at my home they always cleaned up before they left for the day. We are so excited how everything turned out, our neighbors constantly come over to say how beautiful the pavers look. To my surprise they completed the work in one week. Not only did they have to prep the work they also had to remove 3 large trees and the existing fence and replace it with a new one. Still hard to believe they did all that work in a short period of time and at the end everything looks very professional.
We are extremely happy with the job performed in my backyard. And my front yard It was done very fast and the quality of the job is excellent. Highly recommended because you have a great service at a reasonable price.
Couldn’t be happier with how our yard turned out! We had Cicarelli remove an old concrete pool and install pavers around the new garden area. The whole process was smooth, and the crew was polite and professional.
Excellent job and ZERO complaint. The project was done on time.
The team exhibited exceptional performance, demonstrated effective communication, and displayed a commendable work ethic.
Great Job. Good communication. Hard working crew.
On our jobs
We have not filmed a driveway install yet. These clips show the crews and machines behind our hardscape work: a yard rebuilt with pavers in Vacaville and excavation on our jobs in San Ramon, Fremont and Hillsborough.
Watch On YouTubeBuilt for cars
The layers are the same as a patio, but each one does more work under a car. These are the parts we never shortcut on a driveway.
Walkways use a patio-style base; see our paver patios page for those details.
Paver driveway step by step
Permits and grades are settled before the old driveway comes out, so the new one meets the garage and the street cleanly.
Start With A Free EstimateWe set grades at the garage and street and file the encroachment permit if needed.
Concrete or asphalt is broken out and hauled, edges saw-cut where they meet.
Soil is dug to driveway depth and the subgrade is compacted.
Base rock is placed and compacted in lifts to carry vehicle loads.
Driveway pavers go down in the pattern and are locked in by edge restraints.
Joint sand is swept in, the field compacted and the apron finished.
Driveways and paths we have built
Driveway pavers and walkway paths from finished Cicarelli projects.
Big pavers with dark joints give a modern, clean surface.
A charcoal border frames the driveway and its curve.
Red brick pavers laid in a diamond pattern on a front walk.
A narrow paver path with a planter wall in Burlingame.
Pricing
Driveways are priced by area and by the base they need for cars. These are the items we measure.
Breaking out and hauling concrete or asphalt, with saw cuts at the garage and street.
Driveways need a deeper, more compacted base than patios.
Paver size, thickness and patterns such as herringbone change labor and material.
Contrasting borders and connecting walkways add cuts and edges.
Apron and sidewalk work in the right-of-way needs a city permit.
Channel drains or slopes that keep water off the garage.
Our paver walkway cost guide explains what moves a paver budget, or send photos for a written quote. Get a written quote
Permits and rules
The private part of a paver driveway usually needs no building permit, but the apron, curb and sidewalk at the street belong to the city. Work there needs an encroachment permit, and some cities issue it only to licensed contractors. A dumpster on the street can need a permit too.
Before excavating, USA North 811 needs two working days' notice to mark buried lines.
Paver driveway answers
Driveway pavers and paver driveway installation raise practical questions: what they cost, whether they hold up under cars, how they compare with concrete and what permits apply. These answers come from how we build driveways and from city rules.
It depends on the size, removing the old driveway, the base depth, the paver and pattern, borders, drainage and any work at the street apron. A straight two-car driveway and a curved one with a border and a walkway are very different jobs, so the reliable figure is an itemized estimate.
We price removal, base, pavers and street work as separate lines.
Yes, when the base is built for vehicles. The pavers spread the load through the joints, but the compacted base below does the real work. A driveway built on a patio-depth base will rut where tires turn; one built on a deeper, well-compacted base and firm edges carries cars for years.
Thicker driveway-rated pavers and an interlocking pattern help in turning areas.
It depends on what matters most. Pavers can be lifted and reset when the ground moves or a utility needs access, and they offer patterns and borders. Concrete usually costs less up front and gives one continuous surface, but cracks show and repairs rarely match. Both need a good base.
Our concrete vs pavers guide compares them in detail.
Usually not for the part on your lot, but yes for work at the street. The apron, curb and sidewalk are in the public right-of-way, so cities require an encroachment permit there, and Albany issues it only to licensed contractors. We check your city's rule and file the permit.
Ask any contractor who will pull the street permit before you sign.
| Rule | Official source |
|---|---|
| Driveway approach in the right-of-way | Licensed contractors only in Albany (city handout) |
| Work reaching the curb or gutter | Encroachment permit in Pleasant Hill (city page) |
| Dumpster or work in the street | Encroachment permit in San Ramon (city FAQ) |
| Driveways up to 30 in above grade | Exempt in Oakland (city page) |
| Driveway and sidewalk work | Public Works permit in San Pablo (city handout) |
Summarized from the official city pages linked above.
Updated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors · CSLB #1109419
FAQ
Send photos of the driveway, where it meets the street and the garage, and the look you want, and we will reply with a written estimate. Phones are open Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, and the FAQ page answers more.
Call (650) 404-7049Yes. Our demolition crew breaks out and hauls the old concrete or asphalt, saw-cutting where the driveway meets the garage, walks and street, then builds the new base. Removal and installation are on one estimate and one schedule.
Interlocking patterns such as herringbone handle turning tires best, because each paver is locked by its neighbors in several directions. Running bond and other patterns work too on straight driveways with a strong base and edges. We help you choose a pattern that suits both the look and the traffic.
Oil can stain pavers, as it does concrete. Wiping spills quickly helps, and a sealer can make cleaning easier. Because pavers are individual units, a badly stained one can also be lifted and replaced, which is not possible with a poured slab.
Yes. We match the elevation, slope and paver style where possible, or use a border to make a clean transition between old and new. Connecting paths to the driveway, front door and patio is often what makes a yard feel finished.
Permeable paver systems let water pass through wider joints into an open-graded base below. They need a different base design than standard pavers, and suitability depends on the soil. If you are interested, ask at the estimate and we will go over whether they fit your site.
Call or text (650) 404-7049, Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm, or send photos of the driveway and the look you want through the free estimate form. A written, itemized driveway estimate follows within 24 hours of the photos or the site visit.
GuideConcrete vs. Pavers for Bay Area Driveways and Patios: Comparison
GuidePaver Walkway Cost in the Bay Area: 2026 Guide to What Drives the Price
GuideConcrete Slab Removal Cost: 7 Factors Bay Area Homeowners Should KnowUpdated · By Athalyson Bernardo, Owner of Cicarelli Contractors
