Frequently Asked Questions

A 20 by 20 foot driveway is 400 square feet. HomeGuide lists that size at roughly $2,000 to $4,800 installed, and Angi lists $2,000 to $2,800. Tear-out, extra base on soft ground and approach work add to it. We give you a written price after a site visit.

Chinook winds and cold nights create many freeze-thaw cycles each winter, and water in cracks expands as it freezes. Shale and clay soils that swell when wet add movement from below. Good base, drainage and crack sealing before winter are the defenses.

Inside Rapid City, work on the driveway approach, curb or sidewalk in the right-of-way needs a city permit. On county roads, Pennington and Meade counties issue approach permits. Paving inside your lot usually needs neither. We check at the estimate.

Be careful. Very low door-to-door offers usually mean a thin layer of leftover asphalt on unprepared ground, and the crew may not be around when it fails. Ask for a written quote that lists base depth, asphalt thickness and drainage work.

Mostly late spring through early fall. Hot asphalt needs warm ground to compact, and Rapid City's first freeze usually arrives in early October. Higher towns in the Hills have shorter seasons.

HomeGuide gives asphalt driveways 15 to 30 years. In this climate, the base, drainage and how often cracks are sealed decide where a driveway falls in that range.

Most residential driveways take one to three working days from tear-out to final roll, depending on size and how much base work is needed. You can usually drive on it within a few days.

Thickness is mainly about load. What protects against winter is a dry, compacted base and good drainage. We set thickness by vehicle weight and spend the extra effort on base and water.

Yes. Steep drives need careful compaction, water control and a strong joint at the bottom. We look at grade and access during the estimate.

Only if the work reaches the approach, curb or sidewalk in the right-of-way. Rapid City requires a permit for any approach work.

HomeAdvisor lists about $400 to $1,130 per space, and $2 to $4.50 per square foot overall. Site work, drainage and thickness decide where a lot falls.

Yes, if the schedule allows. We suggest spring work for businesses that depend on August traffic, so the lot is paved and striped well before the crowds.

Fresh asphalt needs to cool and harden, often within a day in mild weather. Heavy trucks should wait longer, and striping follows once the surface is ready.

We tell you when an entrance is on a state highway and the SDDOT area office has to approve work there, and we plan around that process.

It slows them down. Cracks from a failing base will reflect through, which is why we repair those areas before overlaying.

Driveway overlays are often 1.5 to 2 inches compacted; lots may need more. The thickness is written on your quote.

Sometimes, if the slabs are stable. Moving or broken slabs will crack the asphalt at every joint, so they usually need to be addressed first.

HomeGuide puts the savings at roughly 20 to 30 percent compared with full replacement, assuming the base is sound.

The base under it is still soft or wet. Filling the hole on top does not change that; a saw-cut repair that rebuilds the base does.

Cold patch can make a hole safe in winter. Permanent hot-mix repairs wait for warmer ground, usually spring.

Yes. We repair potholes, edges and washouts on private roads and can quote each owner the same scope.

New asphalt is darker at first. Sealcoating after it cures evens out the color.

As a winter stopgap, yes. It keeps a hole from growing until spring. It will not hold long, so plan on a hot-mix repair once the ground warms.

Late summer to early fall, before the first freeze, when cracks are open and the weather is dry.

HomeGuide gives 2 to 10 years depending on product and climate. Reseal when the surface has faded gray and stones show.

Wait 3 to 6 months so the asphalt can cure first.

No. Sealer is too thin. Cracks are sealed separately first, then the surface is coated.

HomeGuide lists crack filling at about $0.50 to $3 per linear foot. A typical residential driveway with scattered cracks is usually a small job.

Under the 2010 ADA Standards: one for 1 to 25 spaces, two for 26 to 50, three for 51 to 75, four for 76 to 100 and five for 101 to 150. At least one in six must be van-accessible.

HomeGuide says a well-maintained striping job lasts about 2 to 5 years. Plowing and sanding can shorten that here.

Yes. The Department of Justice says restriping a lot triggers the 2010 ADA Standards for accessible parking.

Yes. We can lay out motorcycle areas and wider stalls for RVs where space allows.