Frequently Asked Questions

HomeGuide's national figures run $5 to $12 or more per square foot for standard hot-mix asphalt, which works out to $2,000 to $4,800 for a 400-square-foot driveway and $5,000 to $12,000 for 1,000 square feet. Tear-out, extra base work for soft soil, and the distance to the street all move the price. Your written estimate is the figure that counts.

It is the tracked or wheeled machine that lays hot asphalt. Trucks dump mix into its hopper, conveyors carry it to the back, and a heated screed spreads it to an even width and depth before rollers compact it. On small residential jobs some areas are also spread by hand with rakes and lutes.

Both work here. HomeGuide lists asphalt at $5 to $12 per square foot with a 15 to 30 year life and concrete at $6 to $15 with 30 to 40 years. Asphalt flexes with freeze-thaw and is easier to patch and resurface; concrete lasts longer but costs more up front and is harder to repair. Some HOAs require one or the other, so check your covenants.

If the base is solid and the surface is just worn, an overlay is often the right call and, per HomeGuide, typically saves 20 to 30 percent over replacement. If the driveway has alligator cracking, ruts or soft spots, the base has failed and an overlay will crack again. We check before recommending either.

Usually after two to three days, longer in hot weather. Avoid turning your wheels while parked, keep trailer jacks and kickstands off the surface, and stay off the edges for the first several weeks while the asphalt hardens.

Not right away. HomeGuide advises waiting 3 to 6 months so the asphalt can cure, then resealing every 2 to 10 years depending on the sealer and the weather. Sealing too often builds up a layer that can crack and peel.

For cars and pickups, 2 to 3 inches of compacted asphalt over 6 to 8 inches of compacted stone is the common residential section according to HomeGuide. If you park a camper, a box truck or a loaded trailer on it, plan for 3 to 4 inches of asphalt and 8 to 10 inches of base.

HomeGuide puts asphalt driveways at 15 to 30 years. The low end is usually a thin base, poor drainage or no maintenance. Sealing every few years and filling cracks before winter push it toward the high end.

Most residential driveways are torn out and paved over two or three working days, plus a wait for the locate ticket beforehand. Then the new surface needs a few days before you drive on it.

Work on your own lot behind the right-of-way often does not, but work in the public right-of-way does go through the city. Noblesville's Street Department issues encroachment permits for work in streets, sidewalks and shoulders. If your project changes the curb cut or apron, we confirm the current requirements with the city before scheduling.

If it is firm, drains reasonably and mostly has surface wear and fine cracks, it is a candidate. Alligator cracking over large areas, ruts, potholes that keep coming back or soft spots mean the base has failed and replacement is the better spend.

Usually 1.5 to 2 inches of compacted asphalt. Thicker overlays are possible but raise the surface more at the garage and walks, which is why transition milling is part of the job.

Some can over time. Cracks in the old surface can reflect up through the new layer. Filling the larger cracks and rebuilding failed spots first slows that down.

Often yes. A fresh, black driveway changes how a house looks from the street, and an overlay costs less than replacement. If the base is bad, though, buyers' inspectors may notice the cracks returning.

HomeAdvisor gives asphalt lots 20 to 30 years, with repaving every 15 to 20 years and sealcoating every few years. Lots with poor drainage or thin sections under truck routes fail sooner.

Usually. We split the lot into sections and pave them in order so part of it is always open. Restaurants and churches often prefer weekday nights or specific days, and we plan around that.

A milling machine grinds off the top inch or two of worn asphalt, and a new layer is paved in its place. The finished surface stays at the same height as curbs and drains, which a plain overlay would not.

Yes. Clubhouse lots, pool parking and private lanes owned by an association are priced the same way as commercial lots, and we can provide the scope in a form the board can review.

HomeGuide's range is every 2 to 10 years. In practice, reseal when the surface has gone gray and the stones are showing. Over-sealing leads to peeling.

Wait at least 3 to 6 months after paving so the asphalt can cure. Sealing too early traps oils that need to escape.

Walking is usually fine after 1 to 3 hours. Cars should wait 12 to 72 hours depending on temperature, humidity and shade. We tell you when yours is ready.

No. Sealer is too thin. Cracks are cleaned and filled first, and then the whole surface is sealed.

Late summer into fall, when cracks are open and the pavement is dry, and before the first hard freeze. Sealing in spring is better than waiting another year.

As a winter stopgap, yes. It is not a permanent repair: it does not bond or compact like hot mix and tends to loosen. We replace it with a proper hot-mix patch in warm weather.

Repeated cracking in one spot usually means a soft or wet base, a settling trench, or water draining onto the pavement. Fixing the surface alone will not stop it; the cause needs to be fixed too.

Yes. Most repairs are sections. The new asphalt will be darker than the old at first; a sealcoat after it cures evens out the color.

It depends on the total number of spaces, under the table in the 2010 ADA Standards. For example, a lot with 1 to 25 spaces needs at least one, and one of every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible. We count your lot and tell you what applies.

When lines are faded enough that drivers stop following them, and every time the lot is sealcoated, since sealer covers the old paint.

Usually, by working in sections or outside business hours. Paint dries quickly in warm weather.

Yes. The paint and prep differ slightly, but the layout rules are the same.

Yes. Stenciled numbers and words such as RESERVED or VISITOR are painted after the lines; HomeGuide prices stencils at $2 to $5 per letter or number.