Frequently Asked Questions

National cost guides put new asphalt driveways at about $5 to $12 or more per square foot (HomeGuide) and $7 to $15 (Angi). HomeGuide lists a 20 by 20 foot driveway at roughly $2,000 to $4,800. Removal, soft-soil repair, culvert work and access change the total, so we give a written price after seeing the site.

A common build is 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted gravel base, and 3 to 4 inches over 8 to 10 inches for heavier vehicles. On the clay soils around Baytown, the base and drainage matter as much as the asphalt thickness.

Yes, between storms. Asphalt should not go onto a wet or soft base, so we watch the forecast and the ground and move dates when needed. Baytown rarely gets cold enough to stop paving, so rain is usually the deciding factor.

An overlay can work when the old surface is cracked but still well supported, and cost guides say it often saves 20 to 30 percent compared with replacement. If the driveway has potholes, sunken areas or soft spots, the base has failed and an overlay will crack in the same places. We check the base before recommending either.

It depends on where you live. Unincorporated Harris County requires a permit for building, widening, replacing or repairing a driveway or culvert in the county right-of-way, and driveways onto a state highway need a TxDOT permit. Inside a city, the city sets the rules. We confirm what applies to your address before work begins.

Cost guides put asphalt driveways at 15 to 30 years. Heavy rain and strong sun push toward the shorter end unless the surface drains well and is resealed every few years. Filling cracks before water gets into the base helps the most.

Usually after two or three days for cars, longer in summer heat. Avoid turning the wheels while parked and keep trailers, RVs and kickstands off it for the first weeks. The first sealcoat should wait about three to six months.

Both work. Asphalt usually costs less up front and is easier to patch or overlay later, but it needs sealing every few years. Concrete costs more and lasts longer, but clay movement can crack it and those cracks are hard to hide. Budget, slope and how long you plan to stay decide it.

Usually the pipe is crushed or rusted out, the fill around it was not compacted, or water is washing soil out around the pipe. Paving over it again without fixing the cause brings the dip back. We look at the culvert before quoting.

Yes. The existing rock can sometimes be regraded and used as part of the base, with more stone added and compacted before paving. If it is mixed with clay and stays soft, it comes out.

Yes, on your side of the property line. Widening at the road can mean a longer culvert and a permit from the county or city. We explain what is involved at the estimate.

Usually two to three days for cars, longer in hot weather. Keep heavy trucks, trailers and RVs off it for a few weeks.

HomeAdvisor puts asphalt lots at about $2 to $4.50 per square foot, or $400 to $1,130 per space, with a 10-space lot near $10,000. Base repair, drainage work and phasing move the number. We quote after walking the lot.

Usually. We split the lot into phases, keep an entrance open and stripe each section before it reopens.

If the lot is cracked and faded but not rutted or potholed across large areas, an overlay over repaired spots is often the most economical choice. If the base has failed broadly, an overlay will crack again quickly.

Those stalls are lower than the inlet path, often because the base settled. We regrade those areas during repair or overlay so the water moves.

Cost guides give 2 to 10 years depending on the product and climate. With strong sun and heavy rain, many driveways here benefit from the shorter end. When the surface turns gray and the stone shows, it is time.

No. Sealer bridges hairline cracks at most. Open cracks need to be filled first, and failed areas need patching, or they keep breaking up under the seal.

Usually a day or more before driving, depending on heat, humidity and the product. HomeGuide lists 12 to 72 hours. We tell you the timing for your job.

Not right away. New asphalt should cure for about three to six months before the first coat.

Most short-lived patches were placed on wet or broken base, or were cold patch meant only as a stopgap. A saw-cut patch rebuilt to firm ground lasts much longer.

HomeGuide lists typical pothole repairs at $100 to $400, with many contractors charging a minimum of $100 to $250. Larger base repairs are priced by the square foot.

Yes. We repair private drives, HOA streets and parking areas. Public streets are handled by the city or county.

If the failures are few and the rest is sound, yes. If patches would cover much of it, replacement is usually the better value.

Yes. Utility cuts often settle; we cut them back to firm edges, rebuild the base and patch.

Residential overlays are commonly an inch and a half to two inches compacted; lots often more. We state the thickness in your quote.

Some may reflect through over time, especially if they are moving. Repairing failed areas and filling cracks before the overlay keeps that to a minimum.

Not if the transitions are milled. We grind the old asphalt at the slab, sidewalk and street so the new surface meets them flush.

On a sound base with good drainage and regular sealing, an overlay can last many years. On a failing base it can crack within a year, which is why we test first.

Small ones, by adjusting the new surface. Larger problems need base regrading first.

It depends on the total number of spaces, following the table in the 2010 ADA Standards; for example, a lot with 1 to 25 spaces needs at least one, and one of every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible. We count your lot and lay them out to the table.

Yes. The DOJ says restriping is an alteration, so the accessible spaces must meet the 2010 Standards in number and design.

When lines are hard to see. In strong sun and heavy rain, that is often every year or two, and right after any sealcoat.

Often, yes. We schedule around business hours and church services.

Yes, once the surface is ready, using the layout agreed in writing.