Interlock repair vs replacement in Ottawa: how to decide, and 2026 price ranges
Updated
Concrete pavers rarely wear out. The base under them does. How to tell if your driveway needs a repair or a rebuild, what drives the price, and indicative 2026 ranges for Ottawa.
Start with the base, not the pavers
Concrete pavers are tough. Most driveways that look tired have pavers that are still sound. What fails is the stone base, the sand, the edge or the drainage.
So the first question is where the damage is. If it is in one or two spots, a repair usually makes sense. If the whole surface has moved, the base is the problem, and resetting the pavers on it only buys time.
A contractor can answer this quickly by lifting a few pavers and measuring the stone. The Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) sets 150 mm (6 in.) of compacted stone as the minimum for a residential driveway on well-drained soil, and recommends more on wet or weak soils and where winters are hard.
When a repair makes sense
A repair is usually the better value when:
The problem is local, such as a dip along the garage over settled backfill, a sunken corner or a soft spot below a downspout. The base measures close to spec where it was checked. The pavers are in good shape and can be cleaned. The edge has spread in one area but the rest is holding. The joints have washed out but the surface is still flat.
A lift and relay rebuilds the base and sand in the problem area and reuses the same pavers, so the colour matches. Fixing the water source at the same time, such as extending a downspout, is what keeps the repair from coming back.
When replacement is the better money
Replacement is usually the better choice when:
There are ruts in both wheel paths along the whole length. The stone is well under 150 mm across the driveway, or clay has mixed up into it. The slope sends water toward the house or garage. The driveway has already been repaired two or three times. The pavers are cracked, spalled or discontinued, so repairs will not match. Or you plan to widen or reshape it anyway.
If widening is part of the plan, check the rules first. The City of Ottawa regulates the part of a driveway on the City's road allowance under its Private Approach By-law (2003-447), and zoning also limits driveway size. A good contractor will tell you what applies before quoting.
Indicative 2026 price ranges
These are the indicative 2026 ranges from the price guide on this site, before HST. They are for planning only. Every real quote follows photos or a site visit.
Spot repair of a small sunken or heaved area: $200 to $600. Lift and relay of a larger section or a full driveway: $1,500 to $5,000. New interlock driveway, supplied and installed: $25 to $35 per sq ft. New interlock walkway: $20 to $30 per sq ft. Cleaning and polymeric sand: $3 to $5 per sq ft. Sealing: $2 to $4 per sq ft. New edge restraint: $15 to $25 per linear ft.
A worked example. A double driveway of about 20 by 25 ft is 500 sq ft. At the indicative new-driveway range, that is $12,500 to $17,500. Ontario's HST is 13%, which brings it to about $14,125 to $19,775.
Compare that with a lift and relay on the same driveway. If only the strip along the garage has dropped, the repair sits near the low end of its range. If the whole base is thin, repair and replacement costs get close, and replacement comes with a new base.
What moves the number
Area is the biggest factor, but not the only one. Removal and disposal of old pavers and base. How deep the excavation goes. Whether fabric is needed over clay. Access for equipment. Curves, borders, steps and inlays. The paver you pick. Whether the work includes a walkway or retaining wall. And the season, since spring books up quickly.
How to compare quotes
Ask each contractor to put these in writing: base depth in millimetres after compaction, the stone type, how it will be compacted and in what lifts, whether geotextile is included, the edge restraint type, and the joint sand product. If they use polymeric sand, ask whether they follow the maker's conditions. Techniseal, for example, calls for joints at least 4 cm deep and 24 to 48 hours before vehicles drive on it.
Also ask what the warranty covers, who arranges any City approval, and where the water will drain. Two quotes with the same total can describe very different driveways.