How much does it cost to resurface an asphalt driveway in Sonoma County?
HomeGuide puts asphalt driveway resurfacing at $1 to $3 per square foot, or $400 to $1,800 on average. HomeAdvisor’s range runs higher, at $600 to $6,000 with $3,000 on average. Both are national published ranges, and California prices run above them.
HomeGuide’s national average is $1,100. HomeAdvisor works out to roughly $3 to $10 per square foot for a standard 600 square foot drive. Whether resurfacing fits at all depends on the base under the old asphalt.
We price asphalt resurfacing in Petaluma and across Sonoma County after we look at the driveway and check the base. Then you get a written estimate.
What does it cost to resurface a driveway per square foot?
HomeGuide publishes $1 to $3 per square foot to resurface an asphalt driveway. HomeGuide’s replacement figure is $4 to $10 per square foot installed. HomeAdvisor runs higher on both, at roughly $3 to $10 to resurface and $8 to $18 to replace.
| Work | Publisher | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Resurfacing an asphalt driveway | HomeGuide | $1 to $3 per sq ft |
| Resurfacing a standard 600 sq ft drive | HomeAdvisor | Roughly $3 to $10 per sq ft |
| Replacing an asphalt driveway | HomeGuide | $4 to $10 per sq ft installed |
| Replacing an asphalt driveway | HomeAdvisor | $8 to $18 per sq ft |
| Paving a new asphalt driveway | HomeGuide | $5 to $12 or more per sq ft |
| Milling the top layer of asphalt | HomeGuide | $0.25 to $0.75 per sq ft |
All six rows are national figures, so read them as a starting point. The two guides disagree, which is why each row names its publisher. A brand new driveway is its own project, and our asphalt driveway cost guide covers that price.
How much does resurfacing cost for common driveway sizes?
HomeGuide’s $1 to $3 per square foot puts a 24 by 24 foot two car driveway at $576 to $1,728. At the same HomeGuide rate, a 12 by 100 foot drive comes to $1,200 to $3,600. That matches HomeGuide’s own figure for resurfacing a private road that size.
| Driveway | Area | At HomeGuide’s $1 to $3 per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 10 x 20 ft one car driveway | 200 sq ft | $200 to $600 |
| 10 x 40 ft single lane drive | 400 sq ft | $400 to $1,200 |
| 24 x 24 ft two car driveway | 576 sq ft | $576 to $1,728 |
| HomeAdvisor’s standard drive | 600 sq ft | $600 to $1,800 |
| 12 x 100 ft long drive | 1,200 sq ft | $1,200 to $3,600 |
The area is width times length, and each price multiplies the area by HomeGuide’s published rate. HomeAdvisor puts one car driveways at 200 to 300 square feet and two car layouts at 400 to 600. HomeGuide’s own size table runs wider, with $550 to $2,200 for a 24 by 24 foot two car driveway.
The same math runs higher at HomeAdvisor’s rate. HomeAdvisor’s roughly $3 to $10 per square foot puts a 600 square foot drive at $1,800 to $6,000. California prices run above all of these national figures.
On a long drive, length sets the total. HomeGuide puts a 12 foot wide private road at $12 to $36 per linear foot. At HomeGuide’s rate, every 100 feet adds $1,200 to $3,600.
Does your driveway need resurfacing or a full replacement?
Resurfacing fits a driveway with a sound base. HomeGuide says it suits pavement under 15 to 20 years old with a good foundation. HomeGuide’s other test is less than 30 percent surface damage. HomeAdvisor says resurfacing only makes sense when the base layer is still sound.
| What to compare | Resurfacing | Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| The work | 1.5 to 2 inches of new asphalt on top of the old surface | Old asphalt torn out and hauled away, new pavement built |
| When HomeGuide says it fits | Under 15 to 20 years old, good foundation, under 30 percent surface damage | Over 20 years old with multiple deep potholes, quarter-inch cracks or foundation damage |
| How long it lasts, per HomeGuide | 8 to 15 years | 20 to 30 years with proper maintenance |
Replacement costs more because more of the old driveway comes out. HomeGuide notes that contractors charge extra for demolition and hauling away old materials. HomeGuide’s driveway cost guide says an overlay typically saves 20 to 30 percent against full replacement. That figure assumes a driveway in reasonable condition.
We check the base before we recommend either job. When replacement is the answer, our asphalt driveway paving page covers how we build a driveway from the base up. This guide covers home driveways. For a business lot, read our guide to parking lot resurfacing vs replacement.
What adds to the cost of driveway resurfacing?
Repairs that come before the new layer add to the bill. HomeGuide puts crack filling at $1 to $3 per linear foot and potholes at $2 to $5 per square foot. Replacing broken sections runs $3 to $12 per square foot in HomeGuide’s guide.
Cracks get cleaned and filled before the overlay, and our crack sealing page covers that step. Potholes and broken spots get cut out and patched through asphalt repair before any new asphalt goes down. HomeGuide calls patching holes and cracks without resurfacing a temporary fix.
Milling adds $0.25 to $0.75 per square foot in HomeGuide’s guide, where a job needs it. On a driveway we usually mill only the edges, at the garage apron and the gutter. That way the new surface ties in flush. Our cold milling machine grinds the old surface, and its conveyor loads the ground asphalt into a truck.
Material is the other line on the bill. HomeGuide says resurfacing a two car driveway takes 3.5 to 7.5 tons of asphalt. Sealcoating the finished surface comes later, and our sealcoating cost guide covers that price.
Some jobs also need a permit. HomeGuide puts a permit for resurfacing a driveway at $20 to $60 on average. HomeAdvisor lists permit fees of $50 to $200. Our guide to driveway paving permits in Sonoma County covers when you need one.
When should you resurface a driveway in Sonoma County?
Plan it for the dry months. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the Petaluma Airport station show 0.43 inches of rain from June through September. In the same normals, rain returns with 1.27 inches in October and 2.74 inches in November.
We schedule overlays in that dry stretch. Winter is a good time to get the estimate and book the work for summer.
How do you get a real number for your driveway?
The published ranges give you a starting point, and California prices run above them. Your own number depends on the driveway’s size and the condition of the base. We look at the driveway and check what sits under the old asphalt. Then you get a written estimate for the job that fits.
Rich’s Paving has paved Sonoma County since 1988, and we are a third generation family paving company. For a driveway in Petaluma or anywhere in the county, give us a call or see our driveway resurfacing service.