How much does it cost to asphalt a yard
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.
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
- Stripping the topsoil and removing the soil.
- Filling with ballast or crushed stone, laid in layers.
- Compacting each layer separately, with a roller or a vibratory compactor.
- Profiling the surface, so water drains where it should.
- Priming with bitumen emulsion.
- Laying the asphalt mix with the paver.
- 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.
Have a job in mind?
Describe it to us and get a quote the same day. Equipment with operator, from a single day.