Whole new driveway or just seal-coat?

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
A blacktop contractor is probably going to suggest I get a whole new driveway (tear up, re-grade and put down new asphalt). I am always suspicious that they are looking for a more lucrative job than just a slap and dash one. Could I get away with just having it seal-coated?

driveway.jpg
 

debodun said:
A blacktop contractor is probably going to suggest I get a whole new driveway (tear up, re-grade and put down new asphalt). I am always suspicious that they are looking for a more lucrative job than just a slap and dash one. Could I get away with just having it seal-coated?

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Don't know enough about driveways to tell you what it would need. But I will tell you that contractor scams around fixing driveways are endless! So, definitely see if you can get some competent advice before going forward.

quick look and quick guess by an amateur? I think you could ride that out with a patch and seal and not replacing the whole thing.

best of luck...
 
It depends on how long you want to live there. If you intend to be there for a decade, or longer, paying a bit more to begin with will probably save you some money, over time. To do the job properly, they should remove the old asphalt, grade and add some good rock base, then lay down the new asphalt....however, IMO, putting in a good concrete driveway would be Much better than asphalt....lasts longer, and increases the value of the house.
At the minimum, get 2 or more estimates, look for "reviews" online for the contractors, and even ask any neighbors who have had similar work done.
Just putting down a thin overlay or sealant will not last very long in a climate that has substantial temperature changes from Winter to Summer.
 
Plus, if you go with asphalt, and get some unusually warm Summer weather, that black stuff can easily become "sticky", and you could wind up leaving some good "footprints" in your house, until a year or two passes and the asphalt fully "cures".
 
Don M. said:
It depends on how long you want to live there. If you intend to be there for a decade, or longer, paying a bit more to begin with will probably save you some money, over time. To do the job properly, they should remove the old asphalt, grade and add some good rock base, then lay down the new asphalt....however, IMO, putting in a good concrete driveway would be Much better than asphalt....lasts longer, and increases the value of the house.
At the minimum, get 2 or more estimates, look for "reviews" online for the contractors, and even ask any neighbors who have had similar work done.
Just putting down a thin overlay or sealant will not last very long in a climate that has substantial temperature changes from Winter to Summer.
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by the way, in reading Don's comments here and many other places on the Forum, I am quite confident in saying that he knows his stuff and is always offering helpful advice.
 
What’s the price difference between seal-coating and a new driveway? I’m not advocating based on price, just want to learn the difference. A second or third quote is a good idea too. What do other neighbours have?
 
I had a new driveway put in at the old house about 20 years ago. The contractor had advertised a $1000 "special" for 1000 sq ft and that was just about the size of that driveway (100 ft long and 10 ft wide). When he presented the bill it was $1600. I question him about his ad and he said that was the price just for the asphalt, it didn't include removal of the old driveway and re-grading it. But even so, prices have probably gone up considerably since than. I haven't seen anyone's price for my new driveway size less than $3000.
 
debodun said:
I haven't seen anyone's price for my new driveway size less than $3000.
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That's probably going to be true, at this time. With the rising costs on everything, over the past year, getting a new driveway for $3K is easily understandable. Get multiple estimates, research the contractor, then get it done. Something like this, properly done, will add to the homes value if/when the time comes to sell it.
 
I would replace it. They also may be able to do some repair work for that bad area and then top the entire driveway. I had that done to my home in PA and that was almost 10 years ago and it still looks good. I have it coated every 2-3 years.
 

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