Asphalt Driveway Costs

[DCarr]

This isnt exactly a Garage question, but it is about how to get to one.

I have a slope going to my Shop and after a year all the gravel has washed away and I am looking at putting something down that is going to stay around longer.

Anyone with ideas on what Asphalt cost to have put down ? The Drive area I want done is approx. 30' x 40'.

TIA

 

[danho]

My parents just had 2000 sq/ft paved and it cost them around $4000.

 

[Crusty Nut]

Roughly $2 a sq. ft around here. Price depends on how much you are doing and the price of oil.

 

[JSBriggs]

Price depends on how much you are doing and the price of oil.

I would also look into concrete. As asphalt prices continue to climb, the compromises of asphalt can overide the cost savings on smaller projects.

-Jeff

 

[DCarr]

Thanks for the info ! And Yes I am going to look into concrete also.

 

[Chris Adams]

Oh, and do get some professional measurements.

When I first decided to put my shop behind my inner yard, about 45 feet from the house, I estimated driveway because zoning requires driveways for anything that has a garage door. So I figured from my existing driveway then back to my pad in front of the shop.
I came up with about 800 square feet.
Then I had the pro's check it. Nope, 1200 square feet. There are codes on driveways...

Anyway, rather than toss 4.50 per square foot for cement, or even 3.25 per square foot for asphalt, I got my contractor to toss in four inch deep gravel for free.
Been driving over it about two three times a day for 16 months, I'm satisfied.

 

[srmofo]

compacted limestone stays put for a while. Not sure what the runoff would do to any vegetation nearby though

 

[DCarr]

Anyway, rather than toss 4.50 per square foot for cement, or even 3.25 per square foot for asphalt, I got my contractor to toss in four inch deep gravel for free.
Been driving over it about two three times a day for 16 months, I'm satisfied.

compacted limestone stays put for a while. Not sure what the runoff would do to any vegetation nearby though

Here is a pic of the area I want done. That is my House in the background. Its a pretty straight shot from the road my House is on to the Road the Shop's driveway is on ( I purchased a Residential Lot and had it surveyed and added to my existing lot ). So when it rains, it was a river running through it. I had a 24" culvert dug at the base of the rock whichs exits on the North ( left side ) End of the lot and one one the South side that goes all the way to the road and drains into a culvert pipe thats run under the driveway. There is still a lot of water that lands on the lot and runs right down the driveway.

There is easily a 20' + drop in elevation from Street to Street.

 

[e-tek]

I paid about 7K for a 100' x 10' drive, plus a 20'x25' drive ($4.50/ft). I would've gone gone concrete if I could have (one area was asphalt already and one was crumbling concrete - no choice), due to tire pitting, weed infiltration, summer heat....

 

[Shocker]

I did a 24x40 area for 4k.

 

[Chris Adams]

Here is a pic of the area I want done. That is my House in the background. Its a pretty straight shot from the road my House is on to the Road the Shop's driveway is on ( I purchased a Residential Lot and had it surveyed and added to my existing lot ). So when it rains, it was a river running through it. I had a 24" culvert dug at the base of the rock whichs exits on the North ( left side ) End of the lot and one one the South side that goes all the way to the road and drains into a culvert pipe thats run under the driveway. There is still a lot of water that lands on the lot and runs right down the driveway.

There is easily a 20' + drop in elevation from Street to Street.

I have a lot of gravel (about half an acre has been graveled, I hate taking care of lawns and hate to waste the water, here in the desert.

I also have sand under that which is lousy for water control.

None of my gravel has washed out even with the recent 6 days of rain, a record for our area, caused massive flooding everywhere around us.

However, the asphalt of the street in front of my house was undercut badly. My wife went around taking pictures of storm damage and some of her shots show areas under roads where you could park a Motorhome under the asphalt. Big caves, I may get her to give me those shots. Spooky stuff.


My point being, the run off, if not controlled, will undercut whatever you put in there, badly.
If controlled, gravel or whatever, will stay put.
Gravel, the trick is get it very wet, keep it very wet, and pack it by driving over it a lot.

Concrete is coolest though, followed by asphalt. The gravel, limestone, etc. is just economical.

 

[DCarr]

^ --- agreed 100 % .. plan is that whatever I go with to cover the surface .. at the top I plan ( as a non - expert ) is to dig down befow the grade and have the concrete / asphalt below the grade so the water wouldnt be able to go underneath it. I also want to angle it to the North ( Left ) so it will help guide the water.

As of right now, 90% of the gravel has washed off and the majority of it happened in the last couple of months. After the gravel was laid, it had been wet enough and I drove on it for hours ( litteraly ) to compact it.

I started driving on the lot as soon as the grading work was done to compact it ... doing 5-6" at a time. Even had friends drive around on it when ever they where in the area.

I have been out there during down pours trying to figure out the water flow .. even going as far as using red food coloring and watching the path it took.

Thanks for all of the info !!! Tomorrow I will start making calls to get estimates on Concrete and Asphalt.

 

[danfromsyr]

I'll just toss my vote in for a Polypavement soil solidifier, they use it for surface tensioning and dust control
right down to parking & road surfaces.
http://www.polypavement.com/more_info.php#strength

 

[dnroe]

In my neck of the woods that would be roughly $3800 to add additional stone and do a 2" surface of asphalt. Might be more of less in your area.

 

[rickycobra]

It could cost a couple of grand but I would look repair costs and costs down the line.

 

[PurdueSD]

Maybe $500 more a year or every other for sealer and crack treatment. Just something to think about

Asphalt *****!, How do i know? I have it! Concrete is cheaper in the long run if you plan on being there a long time!

 

[Justanoldguy]

4.50 per square foot for cement.

If you pay that much just for cement then how much would concrete be?

 

[Chris Adams]

If you pay that much just for cement then how much would concrete be?

Y'all know, dependin on what part O this big ol country you'all hail from, things is called kinda different.

Round abouts these here parts, we have Cement Ponds, some folks think they's concrete, but we un's know they is Cement.


Gonna have me a Pop, them city slickers call it soddy, I think, and them southreners call it a coke, but anywho, gonna kick back by the Cement pond.

 

[Chris Adams]

If you pay that much just for cement then how much would concrete be?

OK, last post was just kidding. I live near the Mitsubishi, Riverside and Victorville Cement plants. About one person in 20 has worked, or has family that works at one of the three. So it's normal for everyone here to call it cement, even the contractors.
"You want a cement driveway?" I was asked about as often as concrete.

 

[Kev442]

My neighbor just did 7000 square feet of asphalt.

 

[padstack]

I did one summer of '09. 85x20' driveway in Cleveland for $5000. Look around and call the signs people have posted when they're getting a job done and look on craigslist as well. Shop around and don't BS the contractors, but don't let them BS you either. 1/2 of them will actually talk to you and the other half will give you this long drawn out story about how they won't do it unless it's right and that they JUST tore out a drive from someone who got it done "cheap" before and if you don't pay $6-7 sq ft, then you are going to be calling them begging them to replace it in under 4 years. On the 1/2 that aren't idiots, call a couple of their references. In this economy, you shouldn't have much trouble getting it under $4 sq ft. Oh, and mine included complete tear out of the old driveway (and disposal), 4" slab with 6" apron, as well as all permits, etc pulled. Lastly, he sealed it for me as well.

I don't see your location, but if you're in northern OH I can give you the name of the guy who did mine. Still looks as good as when he poured it (granted, it's only been 2 years).

 

[Porcupine]

When we re-did our old driveway last year (original was 24 years old), we were quoted two prices. Now, in our case, it was already paved before, so the first price quoted was to remove all the existing asphalt, re-grade and compact it, and then re-pave it. The second price which was a several hundred dollars more expensive was to remove the old asphalt and fill down to 14 inches, put in 12 inches of crushed stone, grade, pack and pour new asphalt. We also got our driveway widened 4 feet on one side and about 3 feet on the other.

The company came in and slammed the bucket of their Bobcat down into the existing fill in three parts in the driveway (top, middle, bottom). In the top and middle, we found quite a few bricks and other debris. At the bottom we found another asphalt driveway that went up about 6 feet up from the bottom, that surprised everyone who was standing and watching that day. The fill was not clean, and we decided to have them remove everything and start fresh. That way, we knew exactly what was there. We ended up paying more, but in the end we got what we wanted. The true test will be in the spring and summer to see if there is any shifting of the driveway.

Best bet is to call around and get some quotes - we had seen the work of the paving company we chose and the price was pretty good, so we went with them.

Best of luck, whichever direction you choose.

 

[OccupantRJ]

After the flood, I moved onto the back of a farm on a piece of property I had previously purshased, but it was 1075 feet off the paved road, and had a steep clay hill to get to it. A local contractor graded and paved it 10 feet wide in I2 asphalt for 83 cents a square foot, right on top of the soil, since things were pretty tight after losing most of what we owned, and it has proven to work well in the area. It has held up surprisingly well, and that was in 2001. Temps here range from about 14 in winter to 100 in summer. Pavement was about 5 years old in this pic.

 

[Ohio Auto]

Around here....if you go concrete it is considered a 'permanent' home improvement and therefore your property taxes will go up. If you go asphalt you do not get assessed for higher taxes. Something I would check in to.

 

[mtwaterguy]

^^^+1

In Oregon we got taxed just on concrete. Here in Montana asphalt will also raise your taxes.

 

[Zick]

My neighbor just did 7000 square feet of asphalt.

Any idea on what that cost him?

 

[nate379]

Property value goes up here for anything other than gravel since that is what most homes have.

I would not do asphalt again for an area that something is parked on. On a driveway that is long maybe then, but for sure a pad in front of the garage.

My driveway which is 24x85 and another 16x30 on the side of the garage was around $7000. Held up fine teh first year, but the snow melted off a few weeks ago and I see I have one part that is cracked. Was bad enough it even cracked the ground where grass is as well

 

[Kev442]

Any idea on what that cost him?

I was afraid to ask. He does things right, I think he won a lottery or something!
It'll stay a 2 track for mine.