What's under a Steeleville driveway
Ground along Mary's River holds moisture, and the uplands above it run to silt and clay that do the same. Water sitting in a base freezes in winter, expands and lifts whatever is on top. Drainage is the fix, applied first: grade the surface, compact the rock in layers, keep the outlet open.
Before you sign anything, get the base depth and the compacted asphalt thickness on paper. Two bids that look far apart are often just two different pavements.
Compacted asphaltTypically 2 to 3 in. for a car drive
Stone baseTypically 4 to 8 in., compacted
Drive on itUsually 2 to 3 days, longer in heat
First sealcoatTypically 6 to 12 months after paving
Typical ranges. Your Steeleville estimate is sized to the soil, the traffic and the drainage on your property.