Whether you are looking to repair or install a new asphalt driveway in front of your home, you need to have an idea of how much it would cost you. One of the best ways to go about it is to ask several companies for an estimate and do an average. The average will be the market price for whatever it is you want to do for your pavement. You can also ask for discount once you know the real market price of a proper asphalt driveway installation.
In this guide, we are going to look into different asphalt driveway costs. I am also going to share a few tips and tricks with regards to the asphalt driveway renovation. This article will help you estimate or calculate the real cost of a new asphalt paving installation based on many things like size, quality, type, and many more. We are also going to look into the most common repairs for asphalt to make you understand the real price of maintaining one.
Rising material cost
In the last year of 2016, we’ve experienced quite a drastic increase in the price of raw materials. An average of around 5% was seen across the board compared to the price in 2015. This was due to the labor changes and new government regulations with regards to asphalt driveway installation.
We are going to use the most recent data to give you an accurate representation of what to expect. However, I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy on the pricing since there are many factors that I can’t consider like the state you’re in. The state you’re in has a huge effect on the price of the materials because of different labor codes and tax regulations. For simplicity, I will be using the average price across America.
Estimating the price of a new asphalt driveway
It’s actually not that hard to estimate the price of a new asphalt driveway. Just take the dimensions of your driveway and multiply it by the average cost of asphalt per foot. The average cost of today’s asphalt is around $4/square foot. This is just an approximate cost and should get you started. You should already have this estimate in mind prior to talking to a contractor. This way, you can avoid expensive contractors and get your money’s worth.
Replacement asphalt driveways
For replacement asphalt driveways, you need to put a fresh coat on top of the old surface. This would cost much less compared to a completely new asphalt because coating is just applied at the top of the existing one. Most contractors can finish replacement asphalt driveways in a day. They just need to come in, clean the old surface and roughen up the edges to ensure good adhesion of the new topcoat. The cost is around $2 per square foot, which is substantially lower than installing a brand new asphalt driveways.
Just remember that these are mere estimates and not an absolute guide for the cost. There may be some additional charge due to the condition of the pavement, quality of the material, and more. The best way to go about it is to get an estimate using this guide then compare it to estimate from contractors.