Frequently Asked Questions

National guides list new asphalt driveways at about $5 to $12 or more per square foot (HomeGuide) and $7 to $15 per square foot (Angi), with HomeGuide pricing a 400-square-foot driveway at roughly $2,000 to $4,800. Removing the old surface, extra base work and alley or curb work add to that. You get a written price after we see the site.

Most of the cost is labor, equipment and base material rather than the asphalt itself. A crew, a paver, a roller and dump trucks are needed whether the driveway is small or large, which is why some contractors have minimum charges of $2,000 or more. Asphalt prices also follow oil prices, so material costs move from year to year.

If the old surface is cracked but still firmly supported, a new layer of hot asphalt (an overlay) can go on top, usually 1.5 to 2 inches after the surface is cleaned, patched and tack-coated. If the base underneath has failed, the cracks come back through, and removing the old pavement is the better choice. Sealcoating is the other option, but it protects good asphalt rather than fixing broken asphalt.

Paving that stays on your own lot is usually not the issue. Cutting into a city street or alley calls for a Public Works permit under Chapter 545, and curbs and sidewalks are permitted separately. Rules can change, so we confirm the current requirements for your address before scheduling.

Cost guides put asphalt driveway life at 15 to 30 years. In a climate with 33 inches of snow and many freeze-thaw cycles, the base, the drainage and how often the driveway is sealed and crack-filled decide where yours lands in that range.

Usually after two or three days, longer during hot weather when the surface stays soft. For the first few weeks, avoid turning the steering wheel while parked and keep trailer jacks and kickstands off the surface. Sealcoating should wait three to six months.

Asphalt usually costs less to install, flexes a little with freezing ground and is easy to patch, and salt does not scale it the way it can scale concrete. Concrete lasts longer with less upkeep but costs more and is harder to repair invisibly. Budget, slope and how long you plan to stay all factor into the choice.

National guides list about $5 to $12 or more per square foot (HomeGuide) and $7 to $15 per square foot (Angi). A 600-square-foot driveway runs about $3,000 to $7,200 in HomeGuide's table. Tear-out, base repair and access change the total, and we price your driveway in writing after seeing it.

For cars, 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted stone is the common residential build. If you park a pickup with a plow, a camper or a work truck on it, go thicker on both layers.

Yes. The pad on your property is ordinary driveway work. If the job would open or change the alley surface itself, Allentown requires a Public Works permit first, and we plan the work so that is either avoided or handled properly.

Most residential driveways take one to three days: removal and base work, then paving. Weather can shift the schedule, since we do not pave on wet or cold ground.

Usually a thin or poorly compacted base, soft soil left in place, or water collecting at an edge. Those are the parts of the job we spend the most time on.

HomeGuide estimates an overlay typically saves 20 to 30 percent compared with full replacement. The savings shrink if a lot of patching is needed first.

On a sound base and with regular sealing and crack filling, an overlay can last many years. On a failing base, cracks can reflect through within one or two winters, which is why we check the base before recommending one.

It can if nothing is done about it. We mill or cut back the old asphalt at the garage, sidewalk and curb so the new surface meets them flush.

Asphalt can be placed over a sound concrete slab, but the joints in the concrete tend to show through as cracks over time. We look at the slab and explain the trade-off before quoting.

HomeAdvisor lists asphalt lots at about $2 to $4.50 per square foot, or $400 to $1,130 per space, with a 10-space lot around $10,000. Truck lanes, milling and drainage repairs change the number.

Yes. The Department of Justice says restriping triggers the 2010 ADA Standards, so the new layout needs the required number of accessible and van-accessible spaces.

Yes. We phase the work so part of the lot and at least one entrance stay open, and we can schedule paving after hours or on weekends where practical.

Every few years, depending on traffic and sun exposure. Crack filling every year or two is just as important in this climate.

HomeGuide lists $1 to $2 per square foot, about $600 on average, and $580 to $1,200 for a 576-square-foot two-car driveway. Crack filling and patching are extra.

HomeGuide suggests every two to ten years depending on the product and conditions. Driveways in full sun with heavy use need it more often than shaded, lightly used ones.

Not right away. New asphalt should cure for three to six months first.

Rain before the sealer dries can wash it off. We schedule around the forecast, and if a storm arrives early, we look at the affected areas with you and explain what needs to be recoated.

Usually because it was filled with cold patch over a wet, broken base. A lasting repair cuts out the failed area, fixes the base and places hot asphalt full depth.

We can make a temporary cold patch to get you through, then return for a permanent hot-mix repair when the weather allows.

HomeGuide lists typical pothole repairs at $100 to $400, with minimum service charges of $100 to $250. Larger saw-cut patches run $4 to $12 per square foot.

New asphalt is darker at first and weathers toward the color of the old surface. A sealcoat after the patch cures makes the whole driveway look uniform.

Crack filling seals individual cracks against water. Sealcoating coats the whole surface against sun, oil and salt. Cracks should be filled first.

Hot-applied filler typically cools and can take traffic within an hour or so. We let you know on the day.

Filled cracks can open again as the pavement moves with temperature. A pass every year or two keeps them sealed.

If the cracks are separate lines and the surface is still solid, yes. If they connect into alligator patterns over large areas, the money is better spent on patching or resurfacing.

Published ranges run about $0.35 to $1.00 per linear foot (SealMaster) and $0.50 to $3 per linear foot (HomeGuide), often with a minimum service charge. Most driveways are a modest job.