A properly paved driveway changes how your home looks and functions. You pull in without dodging cracks or feeling that rough, uneven surface under your tires. Water drains where it should instead of pooling near your foundation or creating ice patches in winter.
The difference shows up in how long it lasts. When the base is prepared correctly and the asphalt is laid at the right thickness, you’re looking at 25 to 30 years of use—not 5 years before you’re patching and resurfacing again. That’s the gap between doing it right and doing it cheap.
You also avoid the stress of wondering if your contractor will show up, finish on time, or leave your property looking like a work zone. The job gets done without drama, and you move on with your life.
We bring nearly 80 years of paving knowledge to every driveway in Pennington and throughout Mercer County. That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built on treating people fairly and delivering work that holds up.
Our crew focuses on one project at a time, which means your driveway gets full attention from start to finish. No juggling multiple jobs or rushing to the next site. Our philosophy is straightforward: treat every client like the top client, regardless of project size or budget.
Pennington homeowners value quality and long-term investment in their properties, and that aligns with how we operate. Five-star reviews on Angie’s List back up our reputation, along with specialized discounts for seniors, military personnel, and first-time customers.
The process starts with evaluating your existing driveway and property. If you’re replacing an old surface, the damaged asphalt gets removed and hauled away. If drainage has been an issue, grading gets adjusted to direct water away from your home and prevent pooling.
Next comes base preparation—the most critical step that many contractors rush through. A compacted gravel base provides the foundation that keeps your driveway from sinking or cracking prematurely. Proper compaction and adequate thickness matter here more than most homeowners realize.
Then the asphalt goes down in layers, typically at least 3 inches thick over the prepared base. The material needs to be hot, properly compacted, and finished with the right slope for drainage. Edges get sealed, transitions to existing surfaces are blended, and the site is cleaned completely before we leave.
You’ll need to stay off the new surface for a day or two while it cures, but after that, you’re set. The timeline depends on driveway size and complexity, but most residential paving installations in Pennington wrap up within a few days from start to finish.
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Whether you need a complete driveway replacement, resurfacing over an existing surface, or an extension to accommodate additional vehicles, the approach stays the same: custom solutions for your specific property. We handle residential driveways, commercial parking lots, and industrial paving projects throughout Pennington and Central New Jersey.
For homeowners in Pennington’s historic neighborhoods, that often means working around mature trees, addressing drainage challenges from older home sites, or matching the character of the surrounding properties. Each project gets evaluated individually rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Services include new asphalt installation, driveway replacement, resurfacing, grading and water management, and ongoing maintenance guidance. The goal is to deliver a finished surface that looks clean, drains properly, and stands up to New Jersey’s freeze-thaw cycles and temperature swings. Transparent communication throughout the process means you know what’s happening and when, with no surprises on timeline or cost.
Asphalt driveway costs typically range from $7 to $15 per square foot, including labor and materials, with variations depending on location, base material thickness, required prep work, asphalt thickness, and job site accessibility. For a standard two-car driveway in Pennington, you’re generally looking at a few thousand dollars for a complete replacement.
What drives the price up or down is mostly what’s happening below the surface. If your existing base is in good shape and just needs new asphalt on top, that’s less expensive than tearing everything out and starting from scratch. Poor drainage that requires regrading adds cost but prevents much bigger problems down the road.
The cheapest bid isn’t always the best value. Contractors who cut corners on base preparation or asphalt thickness will give you a lower number, but you’ll be repaving again in 5 to 10 years instead of getting 25 to 30 years out of it. Ask what’s included in the quote—removal, disposal, base work, asphalt thickness, and cleanup—so you’re comparing apples to apples.
An asphalt driveway should last 25 to 30 years, depending on the type of asphalt used, the climate, how well the foundation was prepared, the type of soil under the foundation, and how well you maintain your driveway, with regular maintenance like filling cracks and reapplying sealer every few years helping to extend the life.
New Jersey’s climate is tough on pavement. Freeze-thaw cycles cause expansion and contraction that creates cracks over time. Water seeps into those cracks, freezes, expands, and makes them worse. That’s why proper drainage and a solid base matter so much—they minimize water infiltration and give the asphalt a stable foundation.
Maintenance makes a real difference in longevity. Sealcoating every few years protects the surface from UV damage and water penetration. Filling small cracks before they spread prevents minor issues from becoming major failures. A well-installed, well-maintained driveway in Pennington can easily hit that 30-year mark.
It depends on what’s happening with your current driveway. To install new asphalt over an existing driveway, the new asphalt should be at least 2 inches thick and the existing driveway should be in relatively good condition. If you’ve got surface cracks and some wear but the base is still solid and draining properly, resurfacing can buy you another 10 to 15 years at a lower cost than full replacement.
Complete replacement makes sense when you’re dealing with major cracking, potholes, base failure, or drainage problems. If water pools on your driveway or the surface has sunken in areas, that’s a sign the base has failed. Putting new asphalt over a failed base is just throwing money away—the same problems will show up again quickly.
An honest assessment from an experienced paving contractor will tell you which route makes sense for your situation. Sometimes resurfacing is the smart move. Other times, you’re better off replacing everything and getting another 25 to 30 years out of it.
Start with how long they’ve been in business and whether they’re properly licensed and insured. Longevity matters because fly-by-night operators don’t stick around for decades—they disappear when problems arise. Licensing and insurance protect you from liability if someone gets hurt on your property during the job.
Ask about their process, specifically base preparation and asphalt thickness. An asphalt driveway should be at least 3 inches thick over a compacted gravel base, with areas with poor drainage requiring a thicker stone base. Contractors who give vague answers or promise unusually low prices are probably cutting corners somewhere.
Check references and reviews from actual customers in your area. Look for comments about communication, timeliness, cleanup, and how the driveway held up after a year or two. Get everything in writing—scope of work, materials, timeline, and total cost. If a contractor pushes for cash payment or wants a large deposit upfront, that’s a red flag.
You’ll typically need to keep vehicles off fresh asphalt for 24 to 48 hours, depending on temperature and weather conditions. Hot weather speeds up curing, while cooler temperatures slow it down. Your paving contractor will give you specific guidance based on when your driveway was paved and current conditions.
You can walk on the surface sooner than you can drive on it, usually within a few hours. But even after the initial curing period, the asphalt continues to harden for several months. Avoid parking in the same spot repeatedly for the first few weeks, and be careful with kickstands from motorcycles or sharp objects that can leave impressions while the surface is still relatively soft.
Heavy vehicles like moving trucks or dumpsters should be kept off new asphalt for at least a week if possible. The weight can create ruts or depressions before the surface has fully cured. A little patience in those first few days protects your investment for the long term.
Yes. We handle both residential and commercial paving projects throughout Pennington and Mercer County. That includes parking lots, private roads, industrial sites, and commercial properties of all sizes. The same commitment to quality work and personalized service applies whether it’s a home driveway or a multi-space parking lot.
Commercial projects often involve additional considerations like ADA compliance, line striping, traffic flow, and minimizing disruption to business operations. We work with property owners and managers to schedule paving during off-hours or in phases that keep the business accessible to customers.
Our one-job-at-a-time approach means commercial clients get the same focused attention as residential customers. No project is too small or too large—each one receives a custom solution based on the property’s specific needs, budget, and timeline. Transparent communication throughout the process keeps everyone on the same page from estimate to completion.
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