Parking Lot Paving in Olympia, WA

Parking lot paving is not just a big driveway job. A lot carries box trucks, refuse trucks and a constant churn of turning wheels, and it has to move a large volume of rainwater to catch basins without ponding. Around Olympia, where most of the year's rain falls in a few winter months, a lot that drains poorly wears out years early. We build and rebuild lots for stores, offices, churches, clinics, HOAs and apartment complexes from Olympia and Lacey out to the smaller towns.

Thickness and structure

Cost guides describe commercial and heavy-wear pavement as 4 inches of asphalt or more, compared with 2 to 3 inches for a typical home driveway, over a thicker compacted base. Truck routes, dumpster pads and entrances usually get the heaviest section because that is where pavement breaks first. We mark those areas on the layout and price them separately so you can see what each part costs.

Drainage and catch basins

A lot needs enough slope to move water without making the surface uncomfortable to walk on. Low spots around catch basins, settled grates and broken curb lines are common failure points on older South Sound lots. When we rebuild a lot, we check the grades to the existing structures and adjust the asphalt around them. If storm structures themselves are damaged, we point that out so you can decide how to handle it.

Rebuild, overlay or repair

Not every worn lot needs to be torn out. If the base is sound and the damage is mostly on the surface, an overlay costs much less. If large areas have alligator cracking, soft spots or potholes that keep coming back, the base has failed and an overlay will crack again quickly. We often recommend a mix: dig out and rebuild the failed sections, then overlay the whole lot so it matches.

Keeping your business open

Most lots can be paved in phases so customers, tenants or congregations still have a way in and out. We plan the sequence with you, schedule around business hours or services, and lay out temporary access and signage. Weekend and early-morning starts are often possible for retail and churches.

Permits, stormwater and accessibility

New lots and large additions of hard surface trigger stormwater review in Thurston County and its cities, and work at the driveway entrances can reach into the right-of-way, which needs a permit from the city or county. When a lot is restriped, the accessible parking requirements of the 2010 ADA Standards apply. We cover what is likely to apply when we quote, and we confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work starts.