All paving contractors frequently receive phone calls from homeowners asking questions about Asphalt Driveway Installation & Cost. A reputable contractor will typically say “it depends”. There are just too many factors involved to blithely toss out a quote without first seeing the location.
Asphalt Driveway Installation & Cost – Questions
• The amount of preparation needed — Naturally, a long, wide driveway will require more preparation that a short, narrow one. However, even the size of the driveway does not give the complete picture. The site must be properly prepared to ensure proper drainage — otherwise, whenever it rains, you could find water in places where you do not want it, such as your garage or basement. The terrain plays a critical part in determining how much preparation will be needed to provide adequate drainage.
• The distance from the asphalt plant to the job site — Contractors must factor in the cost of having truckloads of asphalt delivered to your site. With fuel prices being what they are, this can be a considerable expense if your location is far away from the nearest asphalt plant.
• The amount of asphalt that must be installed manually — Contractors have some excellent (and expensive) equipment that can make installation much faster and easier. However, there may be areas that are not accessible to heavy equipment. In that case, the crews will have to lay the asphalt by hand. This will require more time, thus increasing the labor costs.
• The mobilization costs — The contractor will have to move the personnel, equipment and tools to the job. This requires trucks to move the rollers, tractors, pavers and everything else needed for the job, plus salaries for the truck drivers and the cost of fuel.
• The cost of materials — Asphalt suppliers and contractors typically enter into a pricing agreement at the start of every season. This price does not change by the job, whether the job is large or small. What can vary is the amount of asphalt needed for your job, based on the square footage and thickness required. In addition, if you need sub-grade installed first, those material costs must also be included.
As you can see, the calculations for determining the cost of installing an asphalt driveway are complicated. Even if a contractor were willing to give you a price per square foot of asphalt, that would cover only part of the total cost of installing a driveway.
Alpha Paving Industries believes that the only way accurate way to estimate a new driveway is to visit the location. We can then provide you with a quote that is based on facts rather than assumptions. We are an experienced, well-respected asphalt company serving the needs of customers in Austin and throughout Central Texas. As a full-service asphalt contractor, we can provide you will new pavement, sealcoating, asphalt paving and maintenance, parking lot striping, asphalt repair and much more.
Call us at 512-677-9001 to discuss questions about Asphalt Driveway Installation & Cost, or use our quote request form to send us your information online.
Alpha Paving Industries is the premier Austin Paving expert!