How much for paver repair on a Vancouver driveway?

Paver driveway repair in Metro Vancouver typically runs $1,500–$4,000 for a standard relevelling job covering 150–300 sq ft, though the final cost depends heavily on what caused the problem in the first place.

If the issue is isolated — a few sunken or shifted pavers over a small area — you're looking at the lower end of that range. If the base has failed across a significant portion of the driveway, or if drainage problems need to be corrected at the same time, costs can climb to $5,000–$8,000 or more for a larger driveway.

What Drives the Cost of Driveway Paver Repair

The biggest variable is whether the repair is a surface fix or a base fix. Lifting and relevelling pavers that have simply settled slightly — adding bedding sand, re-screeding, and relaying — is relatively straightforward. But if the gravel base beneath has been saturated, displaced, or was never deep enough to begin with, the pavers need to come up, the base needs to be excavated, rebuilt, and compacted properly before anything goes back down. That's a significantly larger job.

In Vancouver specifically, drainage failure is the most common root cause of driveway paver problems. Our 1,200mm+ of annual rainfall — most of it hitting between October and March — saturates inadequate bases and turns clay subgrade into a soft, unstable layer that allows pavers to shift and sink under vehicle loads. A repair that doesn't address the underlying drainage issue will fail again within a year or two. Any reputable contractor will diagnose why the pavers failed before quoting the fix.

Common repair scenarios and rough costs:

Relevelling 50–100 sq ft of sunken pavers with a sound base underneath runs approximately $800–$2,000. This covers lifting the pavers, correcting the bedding sand, re-compacting, relaying, and replenishing polymeric sand in the joints.

Base reconstruction under a problem area (100–200 sq ft) — excavating the failed base, installing proper 10–12 inches of compacted granular material, and relaying pavers — runs $3,000–$6,000 depending on site access and whether drainage pipe needs to be added.

Adding or repairing a perimeter drain or catch basin to address the root drainage problem adds $1,000–$3,000 depending on the outlet location and how far the pipe needs to run.

Polymeric sand replenishment across the full driveway surface (if joints are empty or weed-filled) adds $500–$1,500 to any repair job and is worth doing at the same time since the contractor is already mobilised.

What to Watch For When Getting Quotes

Make sure any contractor quoting your repair is diagnosing the cause, not just the symptom. Ask specifically: Why did these pavers fail, and what are you doing to prevent it from happening again? A quote that just covers lifting and relaying without addressing base depth or drainage is a short-term fix.

Also confirm the contractor is using 80mm (3-1/8 inch) pavers if any units need to be replaced — driveway pavers must be this thickness to handle vehicle loads. Thinner 60mm pavers are for patios and walkways only and will crack under cars.

For access-challenged properties — older Vancouver homes with narrow side yards or rear-lane driveways — expect to add $500–$1,500 for manual material transport if a truck can't get close to the work area.

Vancouver Interlock can match you with experienced driveway paver contractors in your area at no cost. Find local hardscape professionals through the Vancouver Construction Network at vancouverconstructionnetwork.com.