1,400 sq ft driveway replacement on Albuquerque clay
Full tear-out, engineered base for expansive clay soil, drainage swales for monsoon runoff, and a finished surface that'll last 25+ years.
Why this project needed engineering, not just paving
The customer's 1990s-era driveway had cracked, sunk in two spots, and was visibly heaving along one edge. The North Valley sits on alluvial clay deposited by the Rio Grande over millennia. Clay swells when wet, shrinks when dry, and is the #1 reason driveways in this part of Albuquerque fail ahead of schedule.
Most contractors quote a "drop a fresh layer of asphalt on top" overlay for jobs like this. We don't — because the underlying soil movement that broke the original will break the overlay too. The honest call here was full tear-out, re-graded sub-base, and a thicker-than-standard aggregate base sized for the clay.
Engineering choices
- Tear-out and disposal of 1,400 sq ft of failed asphalt
- 6" of compacted aggregate base (vs typical 4") for clay-soil stability
- 2.5" of hot-mix asphalt (residential standard)
- Two drainage swales planned to channel monsoon runoff away from the slab
- Hand-finished edges with saw-cut transitions at the sidewalk apron
- Written workmanship warranty
Want a driveway like this?
Free on-site quote within 24 hours. Honest scope, no upsell.