the Hamptons
Gravel, paver and Belgian-block driveways and aprons in the Hamptons
On Long Island a crushed-bluestone gravel driveway costs about $4–8 per square foot installed, a paver driveway $20–35, a full Belgian-block surface $30–70, and Belgian-block borders $30–50 per linear foot (national edging $15–45); asphalt, for comparison, is $7–15 and lasts 15–20 years against 25–50+ for pavers. The gravel drive with a Belgian-block edge and a cobblestone apron is the Hamptons default, and the apron is where the permits live: a state highway work permit ($210, stamped plan) on Montauk Highway, a county permit on county roads, a $200 curb-cut application in Southampton Village.
Last updated · Reviewed by Sag Harbor Masonry Co.
The Hamptons driveway
Crushed bluestone gravel, held by a Belgian-block (granite cobble) edge, with a paved apron of cobbles or pavers where the drive meets the road so the gravel stays off the pavement. It drains, it is quiet under tires, it costs a fraction of a paver drive, and it is what most of the older estates have always had. The alternatives: a full paver or Belgian-block surface for a formal court, or asphalt where budget rules.
What it costs (2026)
| Surface | Installed |
|---|---|
| Crushed-bluestone gravel driveway | $4–8 per sq ft (material $30–65 per cubic yard, about $2.50 per sq ft) |
| Paver driveway (Long Island) | $20–35 per sq ft; national $10–30 |
| Full Belgian-block surface (Long Island) | $30–70 per sq ft |
| Belgian-block border (Long Island) | $30–50 per linear foot; national edging $15–45 installed, material $8–20 |
| Cobblestone apron | Priced inside the Belgian-block figures above; no source prices it separately |
| Asphalt, for comparison | $7–15 per sq ft; 15–20 year life against 25–50+ for pavers |
| French drain alongside | $10–100 per linear foot by depth and type |
A 2,000 sq ft gravel drive with 200 feet of block edge is roughly $8,000–16,000 in gravel plus $6,000–10,000 in edging, before the apron; the same drive in pavers is $40,000–70,000. Hamptons drives are long.
The base
A gravel drive is only as good as what is under the gravel: a 4–6 inch compacted base is standard, and 8–12 inches in total (6–8 of base, 2–4 of surface stone) carries trucks and deliveries without rutting, compacted in 2–4 inch lifts. On the outwash plain the sand drains fast; on the moraine's clay a deeper base and a drain keep the drive from turning to soup in March. Paver drives sit on the same base with a screeded bedding layer and edge restraint.
The apron is the permit
Where a driveway meets a public road, the road's owner has rules.
- State roads (Route 27, Montauk Highway and Sunrise Highway): an NYSDOT Highway Work Permit (form PERM 33), a $210 non-refundable fee, a site plan stamped by a New York-licensed engineer or surveyor, a single-family driveway no wider than 30 feet at the property line, and at least 5 feet between neighboring curb returns.
- County roads (County Road 39, 27, 79 and others): a Suffolk County DPW non-utility highway work permit; a fee schedule exists but the amount is not published online.
- Village of Southampton: a Curb Cut and Driveway Application, $200.
- Town roads: the town highway department; no published fee or timeline.
Sag Harbor's historic-district review explicitly includes aprons, driveways and curbing visible from the street, so a Certificate of Appropriateness comes before the permit there.
Coverage
Driveways count toward lot coverage where villages cap it: 20% of the lot in the Village of East Hampton (plus 500 sq ft on lots under 40,000 sq ft), 14% plus 1,500 sq ft in the Village of Southampton up to 30%. Gravel is treated differently from pavers in some codes; ask before assuming a long gravel drive is exempt. The Village of Sagaponack regulates impervious surface under its stormwater and zoning codes; we have not found a published percentage.
Timeline and upkeep
A paver driveway of about 2,000 sq ft takes about 7 working days (4–7 in general). We have not found a reliable figure for a traditional gravel-and-base drive; the "one day" claims online refer to a grid-paver product, not a compacted base. Gravel wants topping up every few years and a rake after storms; polymeric sand in paver joints lasts 3–7 years; a penetrating sealer on pavers is reapplied every 3–5 years if used at all.
FAQ
Common questions
When is the best time of year for masonry work in the Hamptons?
Spring and early fall. The ground is workable, the temperatures suit curing, and crews are not yet booked by June. Summer works but the villages restrict hours: East Hampton Village allows weekdays 8am–6pm and Saturdays noon–4pm from May 15 to September 15, no Sundays; Southampton Village weekdays 8am–6pm and Saturdays 9am–5pm, no Sundays (a Saturday ban was proposed in July 2026); Sag Harbor weekdays 8am–7pm and Saturdays 9am–5pm; Sagaponack 7am–7pm, no Sundays. Mortar work stops when the air or the stone drops below 40°F unless materials are heated and the work is protected for 24–48 hours, so mortared walls, repointing and chimneys are April-to-November jobs; dry-set patios and dry-stacked walls can go on in winter when the ground is not frozen. Permits set the real calendar: 2–4 weeks in East Hampton Village, a reported 16–20 weeks in the Town.
How does Sag Harbor Masonry Co. work, and what does it cost me?
It costs homeowners nothing. You tell us about the project once, roughly sixty seconds: where the house is, what you want built or fixed, and when you want it done. We put you in touch with one licensed, insured mason who works your town and is right for the material and the job, and they call you within one business day to look at it and quote it directly. We are a Hamptons-only referral service, not a masonry contractor, and we are not connected to any stone yard or stone-veneer product of a similar name: one mason, and nobody else gets your number. Participating masons pay us a referral fee.
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