A walkway is the small job that changes how a Scottsdale house looks from the street. In south Scottsdale, it's usually swapping the original concrete front walk for one that matches a new paver driveway. In the master-planned neighborhoods, it's entry and side yard paths the HOA signs off on. Up north, it's a path through desert landscaping that has to stay out of protected open space.
What a paver walkway costs in Scottsdale
Most Scottsdale walks fall between 100 and 250 square feet, and these are the installed totals at that size:
- Concrete pavers: $850 to $2,750
- Natural stone or travertine: $1,500 to $4,500
- Porcelain: $1,900 to $5,500
The minimum job is $800. Steps, borders and removing an old concrete walk get priced when we measure. (Side note: concrete paver walkways come to roughly $8.50 to $11 per square foot at typical sizes.)
Here's a worked example. A south Scottsdale front walk rebuilt 4 feet wide and 35 feet long is 140 square feet. In concrete pavers that match the driveway, that's about $1,200 to $1,550. The same walk in porcelain runs about $2,650 to $3,100. Measuring the actual walk gives you the exact number. For a ballpark, use the estimator or read the pricing guide.
Front walks that match the driveway
If you're redoing the driveway on an older south Scottsdale house, do the front walk at the same time. An original concrete walk next to a new paver driveway looks like an unfinished job, and matching the paver and border later is harder than doing it once. A new walk can also be wider than the old one, which helps it look right against the house.
Pavers aren't only for big custom homes. A paver walk fits a 1960s ranch house just as well as a new build in the foothills. Are pavers really only for expensive homes?
Side yards and HOA front yards
In McCormick Ranch, Gainey Ranch and Scottsdale Ranch, the front walk is part of the front yard the HOA reviews, so the color and pattern usually get approved with everything else. Side yard paths are less visible but work harder. They carry roof runoff, trash cans and trips to the pool equipment. We grade a side yard walk so water crosses it and keeps moving instead of running down the middle, and we keep it below the house slab edge so water isn't pushed toward the wall.
Under each walk we compact a base, screed the bedding sand and set edge restraint, and the joint sand gets swept in last. On something this narrow, almost everything is edge, and the restraint along both sides is what keeps it straight for years. If someone offers to set your walk on DG or quarter-minus, that's a red flag.
Desert paths in north Scottsdale
On north Scottsdale desert lots, walkways wind through native landscaping and often cross a change in grade. Two things set the route. First, the Natural Area Open Space (NAOS) easement: no grading or excavation is allowed in it, so the path has to route around it. Second, the washes: a walk laid across a wash will move in the first big monsoon storm.
Where the path climbs, it becomes steps, and every riser needs to be the same height. Our approach to even steps and elevations. If your HOA reviews walkway changes, we line up that approval before the job is scheduled.
Paver Walkways in Scottsdale: Frequently Asked Questions
What does a paver walkway typically cost in Scottsdale?
A 100 to 250 square foot walkway runs $850 to $2,750 in concrete pavers, $1,500 to $4,500 in natural stone or travertine, and $1,900 to $5,500 in porcelain. The minimum job is $800.
I'm getting a new paver driveway. Should the front walk match it?
Yes, or at least tie into it with the same paver or border. Doing both at once is the easiest way to get a match.
Can a walkway go through the natural desert on my north Scottsdale lot?
Not inside a NAOS easement. No grading or excavation is allowed there, so we route the path around it.
Why do walkway edges matter so much?
A walkway is narrow with two long edges, so without solid edge restraint the pavers can drift and the lines wander. Edge restraint keeps it straight.
Is a short front walk too small a job for you?
No. The minimum job is $800, and a short walk often gets paired with a patio or driveway so it's built in the same materials at the same time.