Asphalt Driveway Replacement in Southern Maryland
Tear out the failed driveway. Fix the base. Pave it right.
Free Estimate: (410) 212-8084If your driveway looks like a dried-up riverbed, with cracks running in every direction, low spots that hold water, and chunks coming loose at the edges, sealing it is a waste of money. So is paving over it. That pattern, which pavers call alligator cracking, means the base underneath has failed. The only real fix is to take it out and build it again.
Driveway replacement is the work South State Paving does most, and it is the work we are best at. A lot of the driveways in this part of Maryland were put in when the neighborhoods were built, in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, often by whoever the builder could get cheapest. Thin asphalt over a skim of stone over clay. They lasted as long as they were ever going to.
A replacement with us goes like this. We break out and haul away the old asphalt. We look at what is underneath, because you cannot know the condition of a base until it is exposed, and we show you what we found. Soft spots get dug out. Stone goes in and gets graded so water leaves the driveway instead of running toward your garage. Everything is compacted. Then we pave with hot-mix asphalt at the right thickness and roll it tight, with clean tie-ins at the street and the garage apron.
It is more work than an overlay. It is also the last time you will have to think about your driveway for a very long time. We will always tell you honestly if your driveway can be saved with a resurface instead. Plenty can. When it cannot, we will show you why.
Why so many Southern Maryland driveways are failing now
Asphalt driveways built well last 20 to 30 years. Huge stretches of Anne Arundel, Calvert, and Prince George's counties were developed between the 1970s and the early 2000s. The math is simple: those original driveways are at or past the end of their life.
Add coastal plain soil that holds water, freeze and thaw cycles all winter, and builder-grade base work, and you get what we see every week. Driveways that are not just worn but structurally done.
Why homeowners hire South State Paving
South State is family owned and operated. George Cooper is a fourth-generation paver, and an owner is on site while your job is being built. The person who quoted it is the person answering for it.
Asphalt fails from the bottom up. We spend the time on excavation, stone base, grading, and compaction, and we put down the material thickness the job actually calls for. That is where a driveway's life is decided.
Before we start, we walk the property with you and explain what we found, what we are going to do, and why. No mystery line items. No surprises on paving day.
MHIC #05-169105. Licensed and insured in Maryland. Based in Deale, working Anne Arundel, Calvert, Prince George's, and the northern end of Charles and St. Mary's counties.
Call (410) 212-8084 any time, day or night. Estimates are free and written.
Driveway Replacement step-by-step
Same process on every job, with an owner on site and every step explained first.
We walk the property with you, measure, and talk drainage. Free written estimate, every step explained.
Old surface comes out. We look at the base, show you what we found, and rebuild it where it needs it.
Hot-mix asphalt placed by machine at the thickness the job calls for.
Rolled tight while it is hot. Walk on it the same day, drive on it in two to three days.
“This is a first class group! We had damage on our driveway.”
Driveway Replacement Projects
Driveway Replacement in your town
Driveway Replacement FAQs
How do I know if I need a full replacement or just resurfacing?
Look at the cracks. Long single cracks and a gray, worn surface usually mean the top is tired but the base is fine, and an overlay can work. Tight interconnected cracking, sinking, ruts, or spots that stay wet mean the base has failed and new asphalt on top will crack the same way. We will look at it for free and tell you straight.
How much does driveway replacement cost?
It depends on square footage, the condition of the base underneath, how much drainage or grading the lot needs, material thickness, and how easily equipment can get in. We do not quote off a phone call or a satellite photo. We walk the property, measure it, and hand you a free written estimate that spells out exactly what is included.
What happens to my old driveway?
We break it up, load it, and haul it off. Old asphalt is one of the most recycled materials in the country, so it goes back into the supply chain rather than a landfill.
Can you fix the drainage while you are replacing the driveway?
Yes, and it is the best time to do it. With the old surface out we can regrade so water runs where it should, and add drainage where grading alone will not solve it. Water is what kills driveways here, especially on low lots near the Bay.
Can you widen the driveway or add a parking pad at the same time?
Yes. Widening, turnarounds, extra parking pads, and aprons are all easier and cleaner to build as part of a replacement, because the new section gets the same base and is paved as one piece.