Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Excavation & prep for driveway pavers - need a reality check

We are installing our own brick paver driveway. Existing driveway is half asphalt and half gravel. We are hiring a contractor just to remove the asphalt and haul away excess dirt/gravel, as well as pour the gravel & sand (including screeding) for paver prep. Total square footage is ~2400.

I just got a bid back that seemed extraordinarily high. Based on the specs I laid out, can someone give me a reality check on cost per sq. ft. I should expect for prep only?

Thanks!

If I were doing it here in Indianapolis (not far from Chicago), I would charge about $2 per square foot for the demolition/hauling, or $4,800 for that portion. Then, to put in a bed and screed it off for you, I would charge for the fill material plus about five hundred dollars to screed it off and compact it. Therefore, not counting the fill material (sand and gravel), I would charge you about $5,300.
Prices would vary wildly by region, so this is very rough. Consider, however, that this contractor is doing all the hard work. You're just laying in pavers on a perfectly prepped base. This would be akin to doing a jigsaw puzzle with all rectangular, same-size pieces, and sweeping in some sand. Just out of curiosity, what was your extraordinarily high bid?

If I were doing it here in Indianapolis (not far from Chicago), I would charge about $2 per square foot for the demolition/hauling, or $4,800 for that portion. Then, to put in a bed and screed it off for you, I would charge for the fill material plus about five hundred dollars to screed it off and compact it. Therefore, not counting the fill material (sand and gravel), I would charge you about $5,300.
Prices would vary wildly by region, so this is very rough. Consider, however, that this contractor is doing all the hard work. You're just laying in pavers on a perfectly prepped base. This would be akin to doing a jigsaw puzzle with all rectangular, same-size pieces, and sweeping in some sand. Just out of curiosity, what was your extraordinarily high bid?

Thanks for that insight - it really helps. He bid me $10k for everything you mentioned. And he wouldn't even be leveling the sand - we'd be doing that. :rolleyes:

$10,000 is fairly high. BTW, what are you calling screeding? To me, that is leveling it off with a straightedge.