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What Driveway Excavation and Base Cost in New Brunswick

$1,500 to $5,000 for excavation and base

National guide read in September 2026. Gravel for a single-car drive about $400 to $1,200. Paving is a separate trade.

Reviewed 2026-09-28 · how we set these ranges

A driveway is two jobs: the dig and base on your lot, and the connection to the road. The road side decides which permit you need.

1 The pieces of the price

Dig and base

Quoted for the job or by machine hour

$1,500 to $5,000 (national guide)

Gravel

For a single-car drive

$400 to $1,200 (guide)

Crushed stone or Granular A

Per cubic metre, plus delivery

Crushed stone $40 to $75/m³ · Granular A $35 to $55/m³ · delivery $75 to $200 a load

Curb cut or entrance permit

Set by the town or the province

See the town rows below

2 What's under your yard

The things nobody can see until the bucket goes in, and what to do about each before it does.

Buried lines

Gas, power, cable and old private lines can sit anywhere in a yard. NB Power says its lines can be buried as little as one foot down.

Before the dig: The contractor must have utilities located before digging (WorkSafeNB). Ask to see both tickets: Info-Excavation (3 working days' notice, valid to the end date on the request) and NB Power (five business days, valid 60 days, NB Power lines only). Mark private lines yourself.
Rock

We found no public source on how deep rock sits under any New Brunswick town, so nobody can promise a rock-free lot.

Before the dig: Get the rock clause in writing before the dig: how it is found, how the breaker time is logged and what it costs per hour.
What is under the topsoil

We found no New Brunswick standard for how deep a driveway base is dug; it is a site judgement.

Before the dig: Ask how deep the contractor plans to go and why, in writing.
A brook, lake or wetland nearby

Any clearing, digging, fill or machine work within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland needs a provincial WAWA permit first. The 30 metres is measured from the top of the bank, on the ground.

Before the dig: Measure before you book the machine. The landowner usually applies; a single alteration is $25.

3 Before the first bucket

Tick them off as you go. Nothing here is saved or sent anywhere.

Find out who owns the road First A provincial highway needs a permit from the Minister under the Highway Act; a town street means the town's curb cut or culvert rules.
Book both locates 5 business days ahead Info-Excavation needs 3 working days' notice and NB Power runs its own request with five business days' notice. Ask the contractor for both tickets.
Check the 30-metre rule Before anything is booked Within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, a WAWA permit comes first.
Ask for a WorkSafeNB clearance certificate Before you sign Coverage is mandatory for employers with three or more workers, and a customer can be held responsible for an unregistered business's premiums.
Keep the 10% holdback When you pay The Construction Remedies Act requires the owner to retain 10% of the contract price for 60 days after substantial performance; ask a lawyer about the details.

4 Rules by place for this job

Moncton: A new or extended driveway needs a Curb Cut Permit; the City tenders the cutting itself. $48.63 per metre April 1 to October 31 (minimum $188.40 under 4 m), $60.78 per metre November 1 to March 31 (minimum $243.11), before HST.
Fredericton: Curb cut $125 per metre plus tax, 2 m minimum; curb replacement $165 per metre plus tax.
Quispamsis: A second access to a residential lot needs a Driveway Development Permit, and a second driveway needs lot frontage over 30 metres.
Saint John: A Driveway Culvert Permit and a Street Excavation permit are listed among the City's street permits; ask which one your job needs.
Provincial highways: A private entrance or driveway onto a highway needs a permit from the Minister under the Highway Act.
Anywhere else: We found no excavation-specific rule for Dieppe, Sussex, Miramichi or other towns: ask your municipality or Regional Service Commission before the machine arrives.

What the written quote should name

The depth of the dig and the base material
Whether a culvert or curb cut is included, and who pulls that permit
Where the old material and spoil go
How rock is priced
The grade the driveway will drain to

More on the work itself: Driveway Excavation & Base

Questions people ask

Does Moncton do the curb cut?

Yes. You apply for the Curb Cut Permit and the City tenders the cutting to its own contractors.

Can I add a second driveway in Quispamsis?

Only with a Driveway Development Permit, and the lot needs more than 30 metres of frontage.

Is there a rule for how deep the base must be?

We found no New Brunswick standard for a residential gravel driveway; ask the contractor to put the depth and material in the quote.

Want this done at your place?

Tell us what needs digging and we'll pass it to local New Brunswick excavation contractors for a written quote. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.

Request received We’ve sent your details to local New Brunswick excavation contractors. They’ll contact you directly. A confirmation is on its way to your inbox.

Plan another job

Foundation dig$7,500 to $30,000 for a whole-house dig
Water or sewer trenchMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Septic dig$3,000 to $12,000 for the excavation
Lot clearing and gradingMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Weeping tile and drainage digMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Rock breaking$200 to $300 an hour for a breaker
Backfill and haul-awayCrushed stone $40 to $75 per m³