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), and parking lots at about $2 to $4.50 (HomeAdvisor). HomeGuide lists a 600-square-foot driveway at roughly $3,000 to $7,200. Removal, base repair, slope and access move the total, so we price your job in writing after the site visit.

The City says installing or changing a driveway always requires a permit. The apron in the public right-of-way needs a Minor Improvement or Public Works Permit, and private-property work may need a separate permit. Rules in PCC 17.28.110 and TRN-10.40 limit single-dwelling lots to one driveway and set widths, such as 9 to 12 feet for a single-width parking area. Simply repaving an existing driveway in the same footprint is a different job from adding or widening one, and we confirm what applies to yours.

Most of the cost is not the asphalt you see. It is removal, hauling, grading, crushed stone, compaction and the equipment and crew needed to place hot mix before it cools. HomeGuide notes some contractors set a minimum charge of $2,000 or more because those costs exist even on small jobs. Angi adds that dense metro areas, slopes and odd shapes raise prices.

The dry season, roughly mid-June to early September, plus dry stretches in late spring and early fall. Asphalt needs a dry base and has to be compacted while hot, so we avoid the wet months for new paving. Small repairs can happen more of the year when the weather cooperates.

Sometimes. If the old driveway is solidly supported and the damage is mostly on the surface, an overlay costs less than replacement; HomeGuide suggests it can save 20% to 30%. If there are ruts, sunken areas or widespread alligator cracks, the base has failed and new asphalt on top will crack in the same places. We check before recommending either.

HomeGuide gives 15 to 30 years for a properly built and maintained driveway. In Portland, the biggest factors are a well-drained base, cracks sealed before they let winter rain in, and a sealcoat every few years.

Savings are real when they come from the right places, such as reusing a sound gravel base or overlaying a driveway that is still well supported. They are false when they come from a thinner base, skipped compaction or paving on wet ground. Ask every bidder to state base depth and compacted asphalt thickness in writing so you are comparing the same driveway.

HomeGuide advises waiting 3 to 6 months so new asphalt can cure, and its FAQ suggests a first seal after about a year and then every 2 to 3 years. In Portland, that usually means sealing during the summer after the driveway was paved, once it has had time to cure.

National guides list about $5 to $12 or more per square foot (HomeGuide) and $7 to $15 (Angi). A 600-square-foot driveway lands around $3,000 to $7,200 in HomeGuide figures. Tear-out, base repair, slope and length change the total; we price yours in writing after seeing it.

A common residential section is 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of stone. If you park trucks, trailers or an RV, plan on 3 to 4 inches over 8 to 10 inches. On wet ground, the base depth matters as much as the asphalt.

Installing or changing a driveway always requires a City permit, including work on the apron in the right-of-way. Repaving the same driveway without changing it is a different case, and voluntary driveway repairs have their own permit. We check your address and scope before scheduling.

Both work. Asphalt usually costs less up front and is easy to patch or overlay, but it needs sealing every few years. Concrete costs more and lasts longer, but repairs are harder to blend in. Budget, slope and how long you plan to stay all factor in.

Temporary cold patch can go in during wet weather to keep a hole safe. A lasting hot-mix or saw-cut repair needs a dry hole and workable temperatures, so we schedule those for dry stretches and the warmer months.

Usually because the base under it is wet or broken and the patch only filled the hole. A saw-cut repair that removes the failed base and rebuilds it is the fix.

HomeGuide puts the average at about $100 to $400, with a minimum service fee of $100 to $250 common. Larger saw-cut areas are priced by the square foot, typically $4 to $12.

Yes, in a wet climate it is one of the best-value maintenance steps. Sealed cracks keep winter rain out of the base, which is what turns cracks into potholes.

If the surface is worn or lightly cracked but there are no ruts, sunken areas or widespread alligator cracks, it is a good candidate. We check the base at the estimate before recommending it.

HomeGuide lists driveway resurfacing at about $3 to $7 per square foot and estimates savings of 20 to 30 percent versus replacement. The spot repairs your driveway needs first affect the total.

Yes, a little. We plan for that at the garage, walks and apron, grinding or tapering edges so the new surface meets them cleanly.

Cracks caused by a failed base will. That is why those areas are cut out and rebuilt first, and why we do not recommend overlays on driveways with widespread base failure.

The dry season, roughly mid-June to early September. Sealer needs dry pavement and temperatures of about 50 to 95 degrees to cure, so we avoid the wet months.

HomeGuide gives 12 to 72 hours for cars and 1 to 3 hours for walking, depending on the sealer and the weather. We tell you the timing for your job.

Not by itself. Cracks are filled with crack sealant first; the sealcoat goes over the top. Wide cracks or failed areas need repair before sealing.

HomeGuide puts it at about $1 to $2 per square foot, or roughly $400 to $800 for a 400-square-foot two-car driveway. Crack filling is extra.

HomeAdvisor puts asphalt lots at about $2 to $4.50 per square foot, or roughly $400 to $1,130 per space; a 10-space lot runs about $10,000. Base repair, drainage work and phasing affect the total.

Yes. We phase the work so part of the lot remains open and schedule around your busiest times.

HomeAdvisor gives about 20 to 30 years with routine care: crack filling, sealcoating every few years and prompt repairs.

When a lot is restriped, the 2010 ADA Standards apply. A lot with 1 to 25 spaces needs at least one van-accessible space, and the number rises with lot size.

HomeGuide says about every 2 to 5 years, sooner on busy lots or after sealcoating.

Under the 2010 ADA Standards, 1 for 1 to 25 spaces, 2 for 26 to 50, 3 for 51 to 75 and 4 for 76 to 100, with at least one van-accessible space.

No. Paint needs a dry surface to bond, so we schedule striping for dry days.

HomeGuide lists about $4 to $5 per standard stall and $25 to $40 per accessible stall, with a 30 to 50 stall lot around $500 to $1,200 plus mobilization.