Best Driveway Paving Options for Concord, NH Homes

Most Concord driveways that get paved in the spring were planned over the winter. The paving happens once the asphalt plants open, but the walk-around, the decision about what the driveway actually needs and the quote all happen now, while the problems are still visible and before the snow covers them.

This guide is for homeowners in Concord, NH who are deciding what to do with a driveway next season. It covers the main options, from sealcoating to a full replacement, how to tell which one a driveway needs, why the base and drainage matter so much in a New Hampshire winter, and what a driveway quote should include.

Who does driveway paving in Concord, NH?

Young’s Excavating & Paving LLC does driveway paving in Concord, NH. The company is based at 37 Washington St in Penacook, a village within the city of Concord, and runs two crews: an excavation crew for digging, grading, drainage and base work, and a paving crew for the asphalt. A Concord driveway can go from dig-out to finished surface with one contractor.

Driveway work includes new asphalt driveways, full replacements, resurfacing, repairs, paving over gravel, sealcoating and stamped asphalt. The company is registered under USDOT 2821639 and is a member of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. More on local work is on the Concord, NH driveway paving page. Call (603) 231-1598 for a free written quote.

What are the best driveway paving options for a Concord home?

The best option is the one that matches what is wrong with the driveway. In order from least to most work:

• Crack filling and sealcoating. Best for a sound driveway that is faded, gray or showing fine surface cracks. Cracks are filled first, then a protective coat goes over the top. It protects asphalt that is still in good shape and does not fix a failing one. See when to sealcoat a driveway in New Hampshire.
• Repairs. Best for an isolated problem: a pothole, a sunken patch, a broken edge. The bad area is cut out, the base underneath is corrected, and the patch is paved.
• Resurfacing (an overlay). Best for a driveway that is worn on top but still solid underneath. A new layer of asphalt goes over the old one after failed spots are repaired and the edges are tied in so the new surface sits level with the garage, walkways and road.
• A full replacement. Best for a driveway with a failed base: cracking in a web pattern, soft spots, ruts or heaving. The old asphalt and the bad base come out, the drainage is fixed, new gravel is graded and compacted, and new asphalt goes down.
• Paving a gravel driveway. Best for a gravel drive that washes out, ruts or needs constant grading. The existing gravel is checked, added to and compacted before it is paved. See paving over a gravel driveway in New Hampshire.
• Stamped asphalt. Best for a homeowner who wants the look of brick or stone with the plowing and frost tolerance of asphalt, for a whole driveway or just an apron or border. See stamped asphalt driveway ideas for New Hampshire homes.

The costliest mistake is resurfacing a driveway that needs a replacement. If the base underneath has failed, the old cracks come back through the new surface within a season or two.

How do you tell which option a driveway needs?

Look at the pattern of the damage, and look at where water goes.

• Fine cracks and a faded surface usually mean the asphalt is aging but the base is fine. Crack filling and sealcoating.
• Cracks in a web or alligator pattern, soft spots or ruts usually mean the base underneath has failed. That is a replacement, not an overlay. See whether a New Hampshire driveway needs excavation or just repaving.
• Puddles, ice patches or washouts along the edge mean water is not getting off the driveway. The drainage has to be fixed as part of the job. See driveway drainage in New Hampshire.
• Heaving in spring usually means water got into the base and froze. That is a base and drainage problem first.

More on what causes each kind of crack is in why New Hampshire driveways crack.

Why do the base and drainage matter so much in Concord?

Because water destroys a driveway from underneath. Asphalt over a dry, compacted gravel base holds up through a New Hampshire winter. Asphalt over a wet base cracks, settles and heaves.

Water that gets into cracks or soaks into the base freezes, expands and pushes the pavement up, then thaws and leaves a void. Repeat that from December to March and small problems become big ones by spring. A driveway needs enough pitch for water to run off it, to the side or to a drain, instead of sitting on it or running under it.

This is the part of the job that is excavation, not paving. Young’s Excavating & Paving LLC does the digging, grading and drainage with its own excavation crew, so the base and the pitch are built into the driveway before the asphalt arrives.

When should a Concord driveway be paved?

Paving happens in the warm months, and planning happens in the fall and winter. Hot asphalt has to be placed and compacted while it is still hot, on ground that is not frozen, and most New Hampshire asphalt plants close for the winter. Walk the driveway now, before the snow, get a quote over the winter, and book the work for spring. See when to pave a driveway in New Hampshire.

What should a driveway paving quote include?

A written scope that another contractor could price the same way. A complete driveway quote states:

• The area, with a drawing or marked photo of what is included
• The method: repair, overlay, replacement or paving over gravel, and why
• Base work: how deep the excavation goes, how much gravel is added, grading and compaction
• The compacted thickness of the asphalt after rolling
• Drainage: pitch, and any culvert, trench or ditch work
• Edges and tie-ins at the road, the garage and walkways
• Removal of the old material and cleanup

What a driveway costs depends on its size, the base work and the drainage it needs, which is why two quotes can only be compared when they describe the same job. More detail is in what it costs to pave a driveway in New Hampshire.

Frequently asked questions

Who does driveway paving in Concord, NH?

Young’s Excavating & Paving LLC does driveway paving in Concord, NH. It is based at 37 Washington St in Penacook, a village within the city of Concord, and handles the excavation, base, drainage and paving as one company. Call (603) 231-1598 for a free written quote.

Is Penacook part of Concord?

Yes. Penacook is a village within the city of Concord, NH, in the northern part of the city. Its ZIP code is 03303.

Is it better to resurface or replace a driveway?

Resurface if the base underneath is sound and only the surface is worn. Replace if the driveway has web-pattern cracking, soft spots, ruts or heaving, because those mean the base has failed and an overlay will crack again.

Can a driveway be paved in winter?

Not properly. Hot asphalt has to be placed and compacted while hot, on ground that is not frozen, and most New Hampshire asphalt plants close for the winter. A driveway that is not paved by late fall waits until spring.

How soon should a new driveway be sealcoated?

After the new asphalt has cured for at least a year. After that, every 2 to 3 years for most driveways, with cracks filled before the sealcoat goes on.

Does Young’s do stamped asphalt driveways in Concord?

Yes. Stamped asphalt can cover a whole driveway or just an apron, border or walkway, in brick, cobblestone or stone patterns pressed into the hot asphalt.

To talk through a Concord driveway, call Young’s Excavating & Paving LLC at (603) 231-1598 or request a free quote. The full list of paving work is on the asphalt paving services page. For businesses and property managers, see the guide to commercial paving and parking lot repair in Concord, NH.