Frequently Asked Questions

A 20 by 20 foot driveway is 400 square feet. HomeGuide lists that size at about $2,000 to $4,800 installed, and Angi lists $2,000 to $2,800. Removal of old pavement, extra base work on soft clay and approach work add to it. We give a written price after seeing the site.

HomeGuide puts 1,000 square feet of new asphalt at roughly $5,000 to $12,000. Where your job lands in that range depends on how much has to be removed, how much base is needed, the thickness, and how easy the site is to reach with trucks.

A compacted gravel base, usually 6 to 8 inches for a home driveway, on top of a subgrade that has been graded and compacted. Soft or wet soil is dug out first. On lots and some overlays, a tack coat goes down so the new layer bonds to what is underneath.

Usually asphalt. HomeGuide lists asphalt at about $5 to $12 or more per square foot and concrete at about $6 to $15. Concrete lasts longer, roughly 30 to 40 years against 15 to 30, but asphalt is quicker to install and simpler to patch.

Most paving here happens from spring into fall, when the ground is warm enough for hot asphalt to compact before it cools. We avoid cold, wet ground and watch overnight lows in shoulder months. Sealcoating needs dry weather between about 50 and 95 degrees.

Paving on your own lot generally does not touch the right-of-way, but the approach and sidewalk do. Loveland requires a Minor ROW permit for driveway approaches and sidewalks and a Major ROW permit for other work in the right-of-way. We check this at the estimate.

HomeGuide gives asphalt a 15 to 30 year life. The base and drainage decide where in that range a driveway lands. Regular crack sealing and sealcoating keep it toward the long end.

Only if the old pavement is structurally sound. If the base has failed, cracks reflect through a new layer within a year or two. We look for alligator cracking, soft spots and heaving before recommending an overlay or a full replacement.

For cars, a common build is 2 to 3 inches of asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of base. For trucks, campers and trailers, 3 to 4 inches over 8 to 10 inches. We set the section to what will actually use the driveway.

Work on your own lot usually does not, but replacing the approach or sidewalk in the right-of-way needs the city's Minor ROW permit. We tell you at the estimate whether your job reaches that strip.

Under the 2010 ADA Standards, 1 to 25 spaces need one, 26 to 50 need two, 51 to 75 need three and 76 to 100 need four. At least one of every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible.

Usually, yes. We divide the lot into phases so at least one entrance and part of the parking stay usable, and we schedule around your busiest hours.

Fresh asphalt has to cool and harden first, usually within a day in mild weather. Heavy trucks and sharp turns should wait longer. Striping follows once the surface is ready.

We tell you at the estimate whether the work reaches the right-of-way and what your city requires, including insurance certificates and traffic control plans.

On a sound base with good drainage, an overlay can give many more years of service. On a failing base, cracks reflect through quickly, which is why we check the base first.

No. Heaving comes from movement in the soil below. Those areas need to be dug out and rebuilt before any overlay, or the bump will return.

Typically 1.5 to 2 inches on driveways, sometimes more on lots. We state the compacted thickness in your quote.

Usually. HomeGuide estimates an overlay saves 20 to 30 percent over full replacement, but only when the pavement underneath can support it.

Because the base under them is still soft or wet. Filling the hole on top does not change that. A saw-cut repair that replaces the base is what stops the cycle.

A cold patch can make a hole safe in winter, but it is temporary. Permanent hot-mix repairs need warmer ground and an open asphalt plant, usually from spring onward.

New asphalt is darker than old asphalt at first. A sealcoat after the patch has cured evens out the color.

HomeGuide reports minimum service fees of $100 to $250 for small asphalt repairs. Grouping several repairs into one visit usually lowers the cost per patch.

HomeGuide gives a range of 2 to 10 years depending on product and climate. In practice, reseal when the surface has faded and stones show. Strong sun at altitude tends to push that toward the shorter end.

Wait 3 to 6 months after paving so the asphalt can cure. Sealing too early traps oils that need to evaporate.

No. Cracks need to be cleaned and filled first. Sealer then covers the surface, including the filled cracks.

Foot traffic is usually fine after a few hours. Cars wait 12 to 72 hours depending on temperature and shade. We tell you when it is ready.

For rural drives, pads and shop yards, yes, when they are graded and compacted properly. They are firmer and less dusty than gravel and cheaper than hot-mix, but they need occasional re-compaction and never look quite as smooth as new asphalt.

Angi says a properly maintained millings driveway can last 20 to 30 years. Drainage and compaction decide most of that.

Yes. A compacted millings drive can serve as part of the base for hot-mix later, as long as it is firm and well drained.

If it connects to a numbered Larimer County road or county-maintained subdivision road, yes. Larimer County charges $50 for a residential access of one or two homes.