Frequently Asked Questions

Asphalt and concrete both work here. Asphalt costs less up front, flexes a little with frost movement, is easy to patch and does not scale from road salt the way concrete can, but it needs sealing every few years. Concrete costs more and lasts longer with less upkeep. Most homeowners choose by budget, how long they plan to stay and what the neighborhood already has.

National cost guides put a new asphalt driveway at about $5 to $12 or more per square foot (HomeGuide) and $7 to $15 per square foot (Angi). HomeGuide lists a 400-square-foot driveway at $2,000 to $4,800 and notes that some contractors set minimums around $2,000. Tear-out, soft-soil repair and access move the number, and your written estimate is the price.

Asphalt pavement is crushed stone and sand bound with liquid asphalt cement, mixed hot at a plant, trucked to the site, spread and rolled while it is still hot. For a driveway it goes over a compacted gravel base. Once it cools it can carry traffic, and it reaches full hardness over the following months.

Often yes. Sealing cracks runs about $0.50 to $3 per linear foot and a pothole repair about $100 to $400 in HomeGuide's figures, far less than replacement. If the base is sound and damage is limited, repairs plus sealcoating can add years. If the base has failed, patches tend to keep failing and replacement is the better spend.

Cost guides give asphalt driveways 15 to 30 years. In a lake-effect climate the low end comes from poor drainage and skipped maintenance; the high end comes from a good base, a drained surface, crack sealing every fall and sealcoating every few years.

Usually after a few days for cars, longer in hot weather and for heavy trucks or trailers. New asphalt stays soft through its first summer, so avoid turning wheels while parked and put a board under kickstands and trailer jacks. We give you timing for your job when we finish.

Asphalt usually costs less to install, handles frost movement with a little flex and is simple to patch. It needs sealcoating every few years. Concrete costs more and needs less routine care, but salt and freeze-thaw can scale its surface. Either works when the base and drainage are right.

Cost guides describe 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted gravel for ordinary cars, and 3 to 4 inches over 8 to 10 inches of gravel for heavier vehicles. We write the numbers for your driveway into the quote.

Sometimes. An overlay works when the old surface is cracked but the base underneath is still firm and drains. If there are soft spots, heaving or widespread alligator cracking, an overlay will crack the same way, and full replacement is the better choice.

Work in the right-of-way, such as the approach between the sidewalk and street, needs a city Sidewalk/Drive Approach Permit pulled by a licensed sidewalk builder, and new curb cuts or driveways may need additional review. We check what your project involves before it is scheduled.

Early cracking usually means a thin or poorly compacted base, soft soil left in place, or water collecting along an edge or under the surface. That is where most of our time on a driveway goes.

It depends mostly on the base it sits on. Over a firm, drained base, an overlay can perform for many years with sealing and crack care. Over a weak base, cracks reflect through within a few winters, which is why we check the base first.

It would without prep, which is why we mill or taper the asphalt at the garage, sidewalk and approach. The goal is a flush joint that does not trap water or catch a shovel.

It can be done, but joints and cracks in the concrete tend to show through the asphalt over time. We look at the slab's condition and talk through whether that tradeoff makes sense.

Usually. HomeGuide estimates an overlay at roughly 20 to 30 percent less than full replacement on a driveway in reasonable condition. If heavy prep is needed, the gap narrows.

Every few years is typical. HomeGuide gives a range of 2 to 10 years depending on the sealer and conditions. Driveways in full sun, with heavy use or lots of salt exposure tend to need it sooner.

No. Sealer is a thin coating. Cracks need to be filled or sealed first, or water will keep getting in under the new coat.

Plan on 12 to 72 hours, per HomeGuide, with shade and humidity on the long end. You can usually walk on it after a few hours. We give you a time when we finish.

Yes, on warm, dry days. Once nights regularly drop toward freezing and days stay below about 50 degrees, sealer does not cure well and it is better to wait for spring.

The area drops below freezing on about 138 nights a year. Water in cracks and in the base freezes, expands and lifts the pavement, then leaves voids when it thaws. Traffic breaks the weakened asphalt over those voids.

As a temporary winter fix, yes. It does not bond or compact like hot mix and does nothing about the base, so it usually needs to be replaced with a proper hot-mix patch.

Fresh asphalt starts out blacker than the surrounding older surface. Sealcoating the whole driveway after patching evens out the color.

HomeGuide puts a typical pothole repair at $100 to $400, and many contractors have a minimum service fee of $100 to $250. Several patches done in one visit usually cost less per patch.

Late summer and fall. Cracks are wider in cooler weather, so sealant fills them fully, and sealing right before freeze-thaw season keeps water out when it does the most damage.

HomeGuide estimates 3 to 8 years for crack sealing with flexible material, compared with 1 to 2 years for basic crack filling. New cracks still form over time, so a quick check each fall is worth it.

No. Single cracks and joints seal well. Alligator cracking and cracks surrounded by broken pieces mean the base is failing, and those areas need a patch.

Yes. Sealcoat is a thin coating and will not keep water out of an open crack. Cracks are sealed first, then the surface is coated.

If the base is still firm, yes. If the driveway is covered in alligator cracking, sealing will not hold and the money is better put toward patching or replacement.

Usually, in part. We phase the work so one section is closed at a time and keep an entrance open. Small lots sometimes need a full day or a weekend closure instead.

Yes. The Department of Justice states that restriping a lot triggers the 2010 ADA Standards for accessible parking, including the required number of accessible and van-accessible spaces and their access aisles.

Cost guides cite 4 inches or more for commercial lots and heavy-wear areas, over a thicker base than a driveway. Truck routes and dumpster pads may need more.

When lines fade enough that drivers stop following them, after sealcoating, and any time the layout changes. Many lots restripe every time they are sealed.