What a driveway
really costs here.

For a typical Central Valley driveway, new asphalt installation generally runs in the $7–$14 per square foot range in 2026 — a standard two-car driveway (about 600 sq ft) usually landing somewhere between $4,500 and $8,500. An overlay over sound existing pavement typically runs $3–$6 per square foot. These are ballparks, not quotes: your soil, access, and layout move the number, which is exactly why estimates are free and in person.

Five things, in rough order: base condition (rebuilding failed base is the biggest variable), size and shape (small and awkward costs more per foot than big and simple — mobilization spreads over fewer feet), access (can a paver reach it, or is it hand-work?), thickness spec (RV pads and equipment access need more section than sedans), and drainage corrections (steering water is cheap when planned, expensive when retrofitted).

If your existing driveway drains right and shows only surface cracking, an overlay delivers a new surface for roughly half of rebuild money. If more than about a quarter of it is alligatored or soft, overlay money is wasted money — the failure telegraphs through. We make that call at the curb and put it in writing; it's the single biggest cost decision on the sheet.

Make every bidder state the same three numbers: base depth, asphalt thickness, and compaction method — plus who pulls permits where required and how edges are finished. A quote that says '2.5″ hot mix over 4″ compacted Class II base' can be compared; 'pave driveway — $5,000' cannot. Our quotes read the first way.

One more Valley-specific check: ask how the bidder handles expansive clay. If the answer is a blank look, keep shopping.

Plan on a sealcoat every 3–5 years (typically $0.25–$0.45/sq ft) and same-day crack sealing when cracks appear. That routine is the difference between a 15-year and a 25-year driveway — the cheapest square footage you'll ever buy is the maintenance kind.