Driveways and Patios
A driveway fails from the bottom. Cracks, ruts and sunken pavers are almost always a base problem, and the base is the part nobody looks at.
What this includes
- Excavation to the depth the surface and the soil under it actually require
- Removing unsuitable material rather than building on top of it
- Geotextile fabric over soft subgrade where it is needed
- Processed gravel base placed in lifts and compacted, not dumped and raked
- Cross slope and pitch set so water leaves the surface instead of standing on it
- Culverts and edge drainage where the driveway crosses a low point
- Finished gravel driveways complete, or a compacted base left ready for your paving or masonry contractor
What it does not include
- Asphalt paving, concrete flatwork, paver setting and stamped finishes. We build what goes under those.
- Curb cuts and any work inside the town road right of way, which is a permitted operation in its own right.
- Sealcoating and striping.
What we need from you
None of this is paperwork for its own sake. Each one is something that changes the price or the schedule if it turns up late.
- The finished surface you intend to put on top, because the base depth depends on it
- The route and width you want, walked on the ground rather than described over the phone
- Any town approval needed where the drive meets the road
- Confirmation that Dig Safe 811 has been called and the site is marked
How we price it
Driveway prep is priced by the square foot or the linear foot at a stated width, with the base depth written into the quote.
The depth is not a detail to be negotiated down. If you want a thinner base than the ground calls for, we will price it and note in writing what it gives up.
Culverts, unsuitable material removal and long haul distances are separate lines so you can see them.