Asphalt Paving Built on a Real Foundation
New asphalt installations and full replacements across Utah's Wasatch Front and Bear Lake. Driveways, parking lots, private roads — built on properly compacted base so the surface above it actually lasts.
What asphalt paving means at 3H
Asphalt paving is the most-asked-for service we do — and the one with the widest quality spread in the industry. A new driveway can look identical on day one whether it was installed correctly or not. The difference shows up in year three, five, and ten, when the cut-rate job starts cracking and the properly built job is still flat and black.
Our installation work is a complete service: we excavate the existing surface (or grade raw ground), prep and compact the sub-base, install the binder layer, lay the hot-mix surface, and roll it to spec. We don't sub the base work out, and we don't pour over a base we didn't build. That's how we can put a real warranty on the work.
Residential driveways
Driveways are where most homeowners interact with asphalt for the first time. We pave new driveways, full replacements, driveway extensions, and long cabin access roads up around Bear Lake. The typical spec is 2.5–3 inches of compacted asphalt over 4–6 inches of road base — but we'll adjust based on your soil, your slope, and what you're driving on it.
Commercial parking lots
Parking lot work runs from small office lots to multi-acre retail and storage facilities. Lots get more weight, more traffic, and more punishment from delivery trucks — so we spec heavier asphalt (3–4 inches over 6–8 inches of base) and route the heaviest traffic lanes accordingly. We work around your operating hours so your business doesn't lose a day.
Private roads & long driveways
For HOAs, multi-family communities, cabin owners, and rural property holders, we build private roads and long access driveways. These projects need extra attention to drainage and slope; one wet spring without proper crown and shoulders can undo five years of asphalt.
Built for the way you'll actually use it
Different surfaces, different specs. We don't pour the same asphalt for a Volvo wagon and a fully loaded box truck.
Residential
- New driveways for primary residences
- Full driveway replacements
- Driveway extensions & widening
- Cabin access roads (Bear Lake, Garden City)
- Private cul-de-sacs & HOA roads
- Backyard sport courts (residential basketball, pickleball)
Commercial
- New retail & office parking lots
- Full lot replacements & mill-and-overlay
- Multi-family & apartment community paving
- Self-storage facility lots & lanes
- Church, school & warehouse lots
- Truck staging areas & loading zones
Every paving job includes all of this
There's no "tier 1 vs. tier 2" with us. The base is the base. The mix is the mix.
Site assessment & layout
We mark out grades, slopes, and drainage paths before any equipment arrives. You see the layout, you sign off.
Excavation & removal
Failed asphalt is cut out and hauled off. Raw-ground installs get excavated to the right depth for your sub-base spec.
Sub-base prep & compaction
Road base is placed, graded, and compacted in lifts. This is where most cheap jobs cut corners — and where ours don't.
Hot-mix asphalt placement
Surface course laid at the correct temperature, to the spec'd thickness, with the right joint technique between passes.
Rolling & compaction
Steel and rubber-tire rollers, multiple passes, while the mat is still in the temp window. Compaction is what makes it last.
Edges, transitions & clean-up
Sharp edges, clean ties to existing concrete or gutter, and a fully cleaned site before we leave.
Walk-through with you
We walk every job with the owner before we leave so any questions get answered the day the work is done.
Written warranty
Every job gets a written warranty delivered on completion — spec, materials, square footage, all documented.
From first call to final rolled pass
Most paving projects take 1–3 days on site. Here's what the timeline looks like end-to-end.
Free on-site estimate
We measure, walk the property, and give you a written quote — usually within 24–48 hours of the visit.
Spec, schedule & permits
You approve the spec and we lock in a weather-appropriate install window. We pull permits if your municipality requires them.
Install day(s)
Excavation, base prep, paving, and rolling. Foreman on site the whole time. Daily update if the job goes multiple days.
Walk-through & warranty
Final walk with you, written warranty delivered, and clear instructions on cure time before you drive on it.
Built for Utah's freeze-thaw cycles
Asphalt anywhere has to handle weather. Asphalt in northern Utah and at Bear Lake elevation has to handle a particularly nasty combination: brutal summer UV, sub-zero winter lows, and a dozen freeze-thaw cycles every spring and fall. Water gets into a hairline crack, freezes, expands, comes back as a bigger crack, and the cycle compounds.
That's why we won't pave below ~50°F, why we push clients to sealcoat on a real schedule, and why our base spec for Bear Lake jobs is heavier than what you'd see down in Salt Lake. Local climate, local spec. It's the kind of thing a national chain won't bother adjusting for — and it's why we're a local family business instead.
Asphalt paving questions, answered straight
How much does asphalt paving cost in Utah?
Most residential driveways run between $4 and $8 per square foot installed, and most commercial parking lots run between $3 and $5 per square foot at scale. The real driver of price isn't the asphalt — it's the base prep, the site access, the haul-off cost for any existing surface, and the asphalt mix. Every project gets a free, written on-site estimate before any work starts. No phone-only "ballpark numbers" that change once we show up.
How thick should my asphalt be?
Residential driveways: typically 2.5–3 inches of compacted asphalt over 4–6 inches of road base. Light commercial: 3 inches over 6 inches. Heavy commercial or truck routes: 3–4 inches over 6–8 inches, sometimes with reinforced sub-base. The wrong thickness is the most expensive mistake in asphalt — under-spec'd lots fail in 5–7 years instead of 25.
How long does a new asphalt installation last?
20–30 years with proper installation, regular sealcoating, and prompt crack repair. The single biggest factor is base preparation — pavement is only as good as what's underneath it. The second biggest is whether you sealcoat on time. Skip sealcoat and you can cut the life of a perfect install in half.
When can I drive on fresh asphalt?
Foot traffic is fine after 24 hours. Cars and light vehicles can drive on it after 48–72 hours. Avoid parking in one spot for long periods, sharp turns, and heavy point loads (like RV jacks or trailer tongues) for the first 30 days while the asphalt fully cures. Hot weather extends the cure window slightly.
Do I need a permit for a new driveway?
It depends on your city and whether the work touches the public right-of-way. We handle permit research and pulling for every job — you don't need to figure it out. We'll let you know during the estimate whether a permit is required and what the timeline looks like.
Can you tear out and replace my existing asphalt?
Yes — full removal and replacement is one of the most common jobs we do. We saw-cut clean edges, haul off the failed surface, evaluate the existing base, fix it where needed, and lay new asphalt. Often the base is salvageable, which keeps the cost down compared to a full excavation.
What time of year is best for asphalt paving in Utah?
May through October. Asphalt needs ambient and ground temperatures above roughly 50°F to compact and bond properly. We won't pour in the wrong conditions even if the calendar says we should. That said, peak season fills up fast — booking 4–6 weeks ahead is normal for residential, longer for commercial.
Get a real quote for your paving project
Free on-site estimate. Written spec. No pressure follow-ups. We'll tell you what your asphalt needs — even when it's less than you thought.