# How much does it cost to asphalt a yard

Published: 2026-09-16

**In short:** In Romania, asphalting a yard generally costs between 30 and 70 lei per square metre. The difference comes almost entirely from ground preparation: laying just the asphalt surface sits at the lower end of the range, while the foundation, compaction and kerbs add the rest.

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When you ask for three quotes to asphalt a yard and get 30, 45 and 65 lei per square metre, the first reaction is that someone is trying to rip you off. Usually that is not the case: the three quotes describe different jobs. Here is what separates them.

## What each price range means

**The lower end of the range** usually covers only laying and compacting the asphalt surface, on ground that is already prepared — a yard that already had a good foundation, or old asphalt over which a new layer is laid.

**The upper end** also includes ground preparation: stripping the topsoil, ballast fill in compacted layers, profiling and possibly kerbs.

The difference is not commercial, it is physical. A 4 cm asphalt surface laid over uncompacted soil cracks and sinks in the first winter. Over a foundation of 20–30 cm of well-compacted ballast, it lasts for decades.

## What a complete job includes

1. **Stripping** the topsoil and removing the soil.
2. **Filling** with ballast or crushed stone, laid in layers.
3. **Compacting** each layer separately, with a roller or a vibratory compactor.
4. **Profiling** the surface, so water drains where it should.
5. **Priming** with bitumen emulsion.
6. **Laying** the asphalt mix with the paver.
7. **Final compaction** with a tandem roller.

If a quote does not mention steps 1–4, ask explicitly whether they are included.

## What else affects the price

- **The area.** Above 500 m², discounts can be negotiated, because the cost of bringing in the machinery is spread out.
- **Access.** A yard the paver cannot get into is asphalted by hand, and the labour increases.
- **Layer thickness.** A path used only by small cars needs less than a platform that trucks drive onto.
- **Falls and water drainage.** If a fall has to be created or drainage channels installed, extra costs appear.

## Questions to ask before you sign

- How thick is the asphalt layer, and how thick is the foundation?
- Is ground preparation included, or invoiced separately?
- Who removes the excavated soil?
- How is water drainage dealt with?
- Is there a warranty, and for how long?

## Why it matters who builds the foundation

The most common problem with asphalted yards is not bad asphalt, but a foundation built in a hurry. A company that carries out both the earthworks and the surface is responsible for both — it has no one to blame if it sinks.

We carry out the job from topsoil stripping to final compaction, with our own machinery: Vögele and Dynapac pavers, compactor rollers and a bitumen sprayer for priming.

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## Contact

Phone: +40 729 553 449
Contact form: https://inchiriez-utilaje.ro/en/contact/
Article: https://inchiriez-utilaje.ro/en/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-asphalt-a-yard/
Romanian version: https://inchiriez-utilaje.ro/blog/cat-costa-asfaltarea-unei-curti/