We replaced our Brampton driveway this spring after 12 years of patches and seal-coats that never lasted. Here is what we learned and the final numbers.
Background: The driveway was installed by the builder in 2007 — standard builder-grade 2-inch asphalt on minimal base. By 2024 we had alligator cracking in three sections, a depression near the garage where water pooled, and edges crumbling at the concrete apron joints. The seal-coating we paid $450 for in 2021 lasted one season.
Quotes: We got four quotes. Range was $7,200 to $11,800 for our 780 sqft driveway. Cheapest quote was overlay-only (2 inches of new asphalt over existing). Three other companies all recommended full removal and replacement with new base. We went with the middle price — $9,400 — from a contractor with good HomeStars reviews.
What they found during excavation: Our existing base was 3.5 inches of granular, poorly compacted, and the bottom 1.5 inches had mixed into the clay subgrade. The Brampton clay had basically eaten the base. This is why overlays fail — you cannot overlay a base failure.
What was installed:
- Full excavation and removal of existing asphalt and base: included
- Compact native subgrade, correct any soft spots (we had two small soft spots, filled with granular C): $0 (included by contractor)
- 8 inches compacted Granular B base: included
- 2 inches compacted Granular A top base: included
- 2.5 inches HL-3 binder course asphalt, compacted
- 1.5 inch HL-4 surface course asphalt, compacted
- Concrete apron replacement at garage: $400 extra (needed it — cracked badly)
- Total: $9,800
Four years of quotes told us we were paying for base, not just blacktop. Anyone in Brampton/Mississauga on clay soil — do not let anyone talk you into an overlay on a cracked driveway.