Asphalt Repair & Patching in Greensboro, NC

Asphalt repair and patching deals with damage in one area before it spreads: a pothole by the mailbox, a sunken section where a tree root rotted out, an edge crumbling into the lawn, or a trench left by a utility repair. On Greensboro's clay, a small failure fills with water every storm and grows. Fixing it early costs a fraction of resurfacing.

Patching methods

Not every patch is the same. HomeGuide lists cold patch at $2 to $4 per square foot, hot patch at $2 to $5, saw-cut repair at $4 to $12 and infrared repair at $2 to $6. Cold patch is a stopgap that can be shoveled into a hole any time of year. A proper saw-cut repair removes the damaged asphalt in a clean rectangle, digs out wet clay, rebuilds the stone base and compacts new hot-mix flush with the surrounding surface. It costs more per square foot because it actually removes the cause.

Signs the base has failed

• Alligator cracking, a web of small connected cracks
• A low spot that holds water after rain
• Asphalt that moves or pumps water when driven over
• Potholes that return in the same place

When we see these, we dig until we reach firm material. Patching over soft clay only resets the clock.

Edges and aprons

Driveway edges break first because nothing holds them in place. We cut back the broken edge, rebuild the base, pave to a firm line and backfill against it with soil so the edge is supported. Where a driveway meets the city street, repairs in the right-of-way may need city or NCDOT approval, and we tell you if yours does.

Utility cuts

When a water, gas or sewer line is repaired under a driveway, the trench backfill often settles over the following months. The City of Greensboro's own pavement cut policy for street work calls for backfill compacted to 95 percent density and at least 6 inches of asphalt or a match to the existing section, which shows how seriously settling is taken. We rebuild private trench patches with compacted stone and hot-mix.

Minimums

Small repairs carry a mobilization cost for the crew and equipment. HomeGuide lists typical minimum charges of $100 to $250. Grouping several repairs into one visit, or pairing them with sealcoating, spreads that cost out.