Asphalt driveways - MN

[Big-Foot]

I need to put in a couple of driveways and the budget says that concrete is out.

Actually two driveways - one to the garage on the house (about 150' x 20') and the other will be an extension off of the garage driveway an additional 75' x 15' back to my shop.

There is currently a really good bed of class 5 crushed rock there.

I'm in south central MN not far from Faribault. Any ideas on what something like this might cost? Any tips? Any referrals / recommendations for the work?

Thanks guys...

 

[FreddiFiche]

I need to put in a couple of driveways and the budget says that concrete is out.


Thanks guys...

Have you gotten a quote for concrete yet? With the price of oil, and asphalt using a lot of it, the premium for concrete might not be as much as you think it is.

 

[Slick111]

I am in the same situation asphalt/concrete now the local concrete company's are tacking on a fuel surcharge each load.

 

[Gary S]

South Minnesota should be a fairly warm climate compared to north Minnesota and the truly cold parts of the US. Asphalt might be OK there. Check with other people in your area and see how it is working for them.
In my "really cold" part of the US, asphalt has a very short life compared to concrete. Here, you will be much happier spending more for concrete than settling for asphalt. More money up front for concrete, and longer life.
Forty below eats the weaklings like asphalt.

 

[Falcon67]

Depends on the site prep, but concrete is usually cheaper here. Very few asphalt driveways, even long ones. We have expansive soils and even the streets use concrete at intersections for water control.

 

[nehog]

Why so wide? Most driveways are 10 to 12 ft wide... My guess for your driveway would be about 10K, but there are way too many variables to give you a price idea.

 

[DCarr]

Not in your area, and this was approx 14 months ago in TN. but I paid about 1 $ per sq.ft., A lil over 4,000 sq. ft. was 4,200 $

 

[Nighttrain]

Had a quote yesterday for $22 per yard for asphalt installed. I would not trust these guys but its a number all the less. My drive way is 12' by 1800' . so maybe a smaller number due to the job! If I could I would go with cement.

 

[Big-Foot]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I should probably get it quoted both asphalt and concrete. I had not thought of the premium tacked on for the petroleum aspect of asphalt.
Why so wide? Right now it is 30' wide and I thought I would skinny it up just a bit. 20' wide would actually be as narrow as I would want to go as I would like the additional room to manuever my truck and trailer as I back it all the way down the driveway to my shop out back. However, that said, the sticker price of the paving may well narrow that driveway even more..

We do get cold here, but not Bismark cold.. 25-30 below is about it. Asphalt holds up well here if you top coat it every few years. What I like about the asphalt is that it only takes a small patch of it to be cleared of snow on a cold sunny day and within 8 hours most of the driveway is clear and dry..

 

[smalltruck]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I should probably get it quoted both asphalt and concrete. I had not thought of the premium tacked on for the petroleum aspect of asphalt.
Why so wide? Right now it is 30' wide and I thought I would skinny it up just a bit. 20' wide would actually be as narrow as I would want to go as I would like the additional room to manuever my truck and trailer as I back it all the way down the driveway to my shop out back. However, that said, the sticker price of the paving may well narrow that driveway even more..

We do get cold here, but not Bismark cold.. 25-30 below is about it. Asphalt holds up well here if you top coat it every few years. What I like about the asphalt is that it only takes a small patch of it to be cleared of snow on a cold sunny day and within 8 hours most of the driveway is clear and dry..

Ok we have a game changer here. If you are back a semi or other heavy truck trailer combo on normal residential asphalt look for it to fail quick. Base or the layers of asphalt won't be thick enough to take the weight. Now you need to take that part into account as well. Having your 2 year old driveway with big honking ruts in it would ****.

 

[Big-Foot]

Okay - try this again since my brwser just crashed (iPad no less)

No semi. My 28' car trailer and 3/4 ton Avalanche. Trailer is about 9k loaded. Truck is about 7k.

Here is my place as seen from the street

From these shots you can see my shop out back

Sme times I come home late at night and need a little more manuevering space when backing all that way in the pitch darkness. Also nice to have space to get around cars that might be parked in the driveway..

 

[NUTTSGT]

If concrete is more expensive in the beginning, how long does it take (for the asphalt)to catch up with sealing it every year ?

You can always split up the driveway in two different pours. Do the rear drive first and follow the next year with the house drive.

 

[Big-Foot]

Hi Eric,

Most well kept asphalt drives around these parts are resealed every 2-3 years, but I hear what you're saying.. I really need to get the house driveway done first as it needs to get plowed out regularly.. This spring I spent an afternoon raking class 5 rock out of the lawn and back into the driveway. The rock was displaced during plowing..

I'm going to make a few calls this week and see what I'm up against...

 

[gsport]

i too have a drive way and a large area in front of the shop and sure wish it was concrete. the up keep for reseal adds up real fast over the years, where concrete is pretty much a one time thing...

 

[CARS]

A few years ago I had a couple estimated done for my parking lot. One was concrete, one asphalt.

Can't find the numbers right now but they were both within a few hundred dollars or each other. Both were for complete tear outs of the old, new packed sub, and thick enough for heavy trucks.

Couldn't afford either so part of it is still packed rock, other part old concrete.

I would get a couple concrete guys out there to bid it. You never know when you are using a floor jack or a skid loader for something. One is soft, the other can take it.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Hi Eric,

Most well kept asphalt drives around these parts are resealed every 2-3 years, but I hear what you're saying.. I really need to get the house driveway done first as it needs to get plowed out regularly.. This spring I spent an afternoon raking class 5 rock out of the lawn and back into the driveway. The rock was displaced during plowing..

I'm going to make a few calls this week and see what I'm up against...

I understand that but just remember when they come to do the back drive, have them stay off the front drive or they might ruin it.

 

[Big-Foot]

Cars - good info.. Thanks! If it is within $5-700 of each other, concrete will get the nod.

Good points too Eric...

Now all of this is going to be subject to what I have in the bank...

 

[Nighttrain]

Just a thought, check your locat taxing office. I have heard in some areas if it is a cement driveway they tax more of a value than balcktop. I remember reading this on here a while back..

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just a thought, check your locat taxing office. I have heard in some areas if it is a cement driveway they tax more of a value than balcktop. I remember reading this on here a while back..

I know it is here as asphalt is considered temporary. I'd still rather have the concrete as the asphalt will radiate more heat during the summer too.

 

[HIRISC]

Hey Randy.

http://midwestasphalt.net/residential_services.cfm

Owner is Blair Bury - he's a Motorplex neighbor of mine. They blacktoped the Motorplex.

Don't know how competitive they are.

Chris

 

[Wes Tex]

I have had both concrete and asphalt. The concrete is good for a long, long time. The ashpalt not so long. I think you will find little difference in the price. And you can work on the concrete without worrying about spilling something on it that will ruin it.

 

[Big-Foot]

Thanks again for the tips guys..

Chris, I'll check in with Blair.. Thanks for the referral!

 

[Iroc-Z]

I like concrete but I am happy I chose asphalt for my drive way. Why you ask because in the winter the ice melts of an asphalt driveway. I watch my neighbors driveway look like an ice ball where as mine is clean and dry.

 

[Dustball]

I like concrete but I am happy I chose asphalt for my drive way. Why you ask because in the winter the ice melts of an asphalt driveway. I watch my neighbors driveway look like an ice ball where as mine is clean and dry.

Orientation makes a huge difference in melting. My asphalt driveway which faces north melts much, much more slowly than my neighbor's concrete driveway across the street which faces south.

 

[smalltruck]

Check with the county to see if you need permits for either and how the taxes work. I talked to somebody in Bloomington this weekend who bought a house that had tax problems due to an unpermited concrete driveway. Most counties in MN call a concrete driveway permanent so your property taxes go up and you need a permit to install. Don't leave this step to the builder or it will bite you on the ****.

 

[Iroc-Z]

Orientation makes a huge difference in melting. My asphalt driveway which faces north melts much, much more slowly than my neighbor's concrete driveway across the street which faces south.

I would agree. My neighbors house and mine both face east. So I am comparing apples to apples.

 

[brawls43]

What did you end up doing BigFoot? I'm looking at similar on the north side of the cities.

 

[Big-Foot]

What did you end up doing BigFoot? I'm looking at similar on the north side of the cities.

Have done nothing yet as I have not had the $$

I hope to get some estimates yet this spring if the snow stays gone for 20 minutes...

 

[brawls43]

Yeah the snow definitely is not giving up easily.

 

[johnny5jz]

I just got quotes for both asphalt and concrete for my driveway in Ham Lake, MN. My driveway is 140' long, 40' at the garage, and necks down to about 16' at the road. I was quoted about $12,000 for asphalt (3" thick) if my base is in good shape, and over $24,000 for concrete. Most places I have talked to in MN have said that concrete will be at a minimum double the price of asphalt. I have heard this from 3 different companies. The price of oil may have gone up, but so has the price of concrete. Also, the amount of labor that is involved with concrete is substantially more than with asphalt.

 

[Big-Foot]

Wow... That's about my driveway! Well one of them, then there's another section of driveway that goes back to my shop... Moan... This is gonna hurt...

 

[borderstaff]

I went back and forth between the two myself. I'm in White Bear Lake MN and in the end decided to go concrete. I'm only doing 1875 Sq. ft. So my quote was $9000 including tearing out the old 12X42 driveway hauling it, replacing the new driveway area soil with class 5 and related excavating. I opted to spend another $3000 to have a sidewalk and step for my back garage/shop added on along with 2 colors of concrete and stamping the outside secondary color of the driveway. The main driveway will be a tan color and the outside 12" will be colored a brown and stamped.

In the end I'd rather spend a few extra dollars to have a driveway I enjoy seeing when I pull in rather than just grey. It takes away from the money for projects for mow, but, hey I can always make more!

 

[SeanM]

I went back and forth between the two myself. I'm in White Bear Lake MN and in the end decided to go concrete. I'm only doing 1875 Sq. ft. So my quote was $9000 including tearing out the old 12X42 driveway hauling it, replacing the new driveway area soil with class 5 and related excavating. I opted to spend another $3000 to have a sidewalk and step for my back garage/shop added on along with 2 colors of concrete and stamping the outside secondary color of the driveway. The main driveway will be a tan color and the outside 12" will be colored a brown and stamped.

In the end I'd rather spend a few extra dollars to have a driveway I enjoy seeing when I pull in rather than just grey. It takes away from the money for projects for mow, but, hey I can always make more!

Which company did your concrete work?

 

[dwm]

On a budget, I'd also look at tar and chip if you can find someone in your area that does it and see an example of their work. Even if just for the part from the front of the house to the shop, it'll save you money versus concrete.

 

[MG44]

Just did a 60ft x 105ft lot with concrete. Asphalt was almost dollar for dollar back in October when I had the job done.

 

[SeanM]

I just got a quote last night for $6440 for 1768sq ft. That includes removal of existing, fill, grading and asphalt.