Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide puts a new 1,000-square-foot asphalt driveway at roughly $5,000 to $12,000, or $5 to $12 or more per square foot installed. Tear-out, extra base rock on soft ground, slopes and long hauls push the price up. Some contractors also set a minimum charge, so very small jobs cost more per square foot. Your written estimate is the actual price.

Asphalt is usually cheaper to install. HomeGuide lists asphalt driveways at about $5 to $12 or more per square foot and concrete at about $6 to $15. Concrete generally lasts longer, while asphalt needs sealing every few years but is easier and cheaper to patch.

Two inches of compacted asphalt can work for a passenger-car driveway if it sits on a solid, well-drained gravel base, which cost guides put at 6 to 8 inches. If you park a heavy pickup, RV or trailer, or the ground underneath stays wet, 3 inches or more is the safer choice. The base matters as much as the asphalt.

An overlay on old concrete can work, but the joints and cracks in the concrete tend to show through the new asphalt over time, a problem called reflective cracking. How quickly that happens depends on how much the slabs move. We check the concrete first and tell you whether an overlay makes sense or the slabs should come out.

Roughly May through September, while the ground is dry and warm. July is typically the driest month here. Paving in the wet, cold months makes it hard to compact the mix properly, so we schedule around the weather.

Water getting under the asphalt. It enters through cracks or broken edges, softens the base, and when it freezes on cold nights it pushes the surface apart. Filling cracks before winter, keeping water draining off the surface and fixing failed patches quickly all slow it down.

Repaving on your own property often does not need one, but work in the public right-of-way near the street usually does. Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Thurston County each have their own right-of-way permit. The site visit settles whether your job reaches that strip.

For cars and light trucks, a common build is 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted rock. For heavy pickups, RVs or a wet subgrade, 3 to 4 inches over 8 to 10 inches of base is safer. Your quote lists both numbers.

Often, yes. An established gravel drive can make a good start for a base once it is regraded, topped up with fresh crushed rock and compacted. Muddy or rutted sections usually need to be dug out first.

Plan on a few days for passenger cars, a bit more if it turns hot. Heavy vehicles should wait longer. The crew will tell you the exact wait for your job.

HomeGuide puts asphalt driveway life at 15 to 30 years with proper installation and upkeep. In a wet climate, the difference between those numbers is mostly drainage, base quality and whether cracks get sealed.

Large firs and maples can lift pavement with their roots and keep it shaded and damp. We look at where the roots are and set edges and thickness with that in mind, and we tell you if a section is likely to heave again.

A small lot can often be paved in a day or two once base work is done. Larger lots or lots with reconstruction take longer and are usually phased. We give you a schedule with the quote.

Weekends and early starts are often possible, especially for retail and churches. Night paving depends on noise rules and the site. Ask when you request the estimate.

Every few years for most lots, depending on traffic and sun. Sealing cracks before winter matters at least as much in the South Sound, because water is what breaks down the base.

Yes. Fresh asphalt covers the old lines, and the new layout should meet the accessible parking requirements of the 2010 ADA Standards. We include striping in lot quotes unless you tell us otherwise.

On a sound base with good drainage, an overlay can give many years of service. On a failing base, cracks can reflect through in a year or two. That is why we assess the base before recommending one.

Yes, by the thickness of the new layer. We mill the edges where it has to meet a garage, walkway or street so you do not end up with a step.

No. Sealcoating is a thin protective coating. Resurfacing adds a new layer of asphalt that restores the surface and adds structure.

It is possible, but concrete joints tend to crack through the asphalt over time. If the slabs are stable we may recommend it; if they are broken or uneven, removal is usually better value.

Generally not. Sealer needs dry pavement and mild temperatures to cure, so we schedule it for the drier months and move the date if rain is forecast.

A fresh, tight surface gives moss less to grip, but shade and debris still matter. Keeping needles and leaves cleared and trimming back overhanging growth helps the most.

Wait until the asphalt has cured. HomeGuide recommends 3 to 6 months after paving.

No. Sealer is a thin coat. Cracks need to be filled first, and failed areas need patching.

Usually because only the hole was filled and the wet base under it was left in place. A lasting repair cuts out the damaged area and rebuilds the base before new asphalt goes in.

Before the wet season, in late summer or early fall, so water cannot get in over the winter. Sealant needs dry cracks to bond.

We can place a temporary cold patch to make a hole safe. Lasting hot-mix patches wait for dry ground.

A handful of bad spots on otherwise solid pavement is a repair job, not a replacement. If patches would cover much of the surface, replacement or an overlay over rebuilt areas often makes more sense.

According to the Department of Justice, restriping counts as an alteration, so the lot must meet the 2010 ADA Standards for accessible parking. How many accessible stalls you need scales with the lot's total stall count.

It depends on traffic, weather and the paint used. Busy lots may need restriping every year or two; quieter lots last longer.

We wait until the sealer has cured, usually a day or more, so the paint bonds and does not track.

Often. We measure the lot and draw up a plan. Layout changes may need approval from the city or county, and we tell you if that applies.