Why the base matters in Collinsville
Schoolhouse Branch drains the northwest part of the city and Canteen Creek the south, both flowing west into the Mississippi River valley. Where ground slopes toward those valleys, water moves fast; where it is flat, water sits. Clay-heavy soils common around St. Louis and freeze-thaw winters make a wet base the main cause of failure. We grade for runoff and compact rock in layers.
Bids are only comparable when they spell out the same things: base depth, compacted thickness, how edges are finished, and where water is meant to go. Ask for those before you pick a number.
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 Collinsville estimate is sized to the soil, the traffic and the drainage on your property.