Why the base inspection matters most
You are calling a contractor because the surface looks bad. A crack here, some ravelling there, maybe a pothole. The instinct is to ask about the surface fix. The contractor who asks about the base first is the one who has opened enough failed jobs to know where the real problem lives.
Asphalt almost never fails from the top down. Water gets into the base through a crack nobody sealed, the base softens, and the surface above it loses its support. The surface then cracks, settles, and fails. A contractor who quotes you a resurfacing job without looking at the base is selling you a temporary fix on top of a permanent problem.
Ask this: "What will you do to inspect the base before you quote?" The answer tells you whether they understand what decides the outcome. A contractor who says they will look at the surface and give you a number is not the one to hire. A contractor who talks about excavation and base condition, drainage patterns, and what they find under the surface is thinking like someone who has seen this fail before.
Ask about how they inspect the subgrade
A proper base inspection means more than walking the surface. It means probing, coring, or digging test holes to see what is underneath. In Edmonton's freeze-thaw climate, the base is where winter does its damage. Ice lenses form, water gets trapped, and the granular material loses its ability to support the asphalt above it.
When you call a contractor, ask: "Will you dig test holes to check the base?" and "How deep will you go?" A contractor who hesitates or says they can tell from the surface alone is guessing. A contractor who says they will excavate to see the subgrade and check for standing water and drainage issues is doing the work that prevents the failure from happening again.
Ask them to show you what they find. A good contractor will point out soft spots, water pooling, or material that has broken down. They will explain what they saw and why it matters. If they cannot or will not, that is your signal to call someone else.
Understand what the warranty actually covers
A warranty is only as good as what it covers and who stands behind it. Most contractors offer a warranty on the asphalt itself, but the real question is whether they take responsibility for the base.
Ask this: "If the surface fails because the base failed, does your warranty cover it?" Listen carefully to the answer. A contractor who says "yes, we warranty our work" but then explains that the warranty only covers the asphalt layer is not taking responsibility for the thing that decides whether the job lasts.
What a real warranty looks like
A contractor who stands behind their work will warranty the job as a whole, including the base preparation. They will explain that if the base was not properly prepared or compacted, they will fix it. They will put a timeline on it, usually measured in years. They will explain what voids the warranty (abuse, lack of maintenance, extreme weather beyond design parameters). Ask to see the warranty in writing before you sign anything.
Ask who takes responsibility for the base
This is the question that separates contractors who know what they are doing from contractors who are hoping nothing goes wrong. Ask: "If the subgrade fails, who fixes it? You, or is that my problem?"
A contractor who says "that is your problem, we only pave the surface" is telling you they will not stand behind the job if the base fails. A contractor who says "we prepare the base and we warrant it" is telling you they have thought about what happens when things go wrong.
In Edmonton, subgrade failure is not rare. The freeze-thaw cycle, clay soils, and poor drainage all conspire to soften the base. A contractor who has done this work for years knows that the base is where the money is made or lost. They will take responsibility for it because they know how to do it right.
Ask about drainage and grading plans
Water is asphalt's enemy. It gets into the base, softens it, and the surface fails. A contractor who does not talk about drainage before they start is not thinking about the long term.
Ask: "How will you grade the surface to move water away?" and "What will you do if the existing grade does not drain?" A good contractor will explain how they will slope the surface, where water will flow, and what happens if the lot or driveway has low spots.
Ask them to show you on a sketch or point it out on site. If they cannot explain the drainage and grading basics for your specific job, they are not thinking about what will keep it dry. Water management is not a nice-to-have. It is the difference between a surface that lasts and one that fails in a few years.
Ask about crack sealing and maintenance plans
A contractor who only talks about the big jobs (paving, resurfacing, removal and replacement) is leaving money on the table and leaving you with a surface that will fail sooner than it should.
Ask: "After you pave, what maintenance do you recommend?" A good contractor will talk about hot rubber crack sealing in the fall, before winter cracks the surface. They will explain that sealing cracks early stops water from getting into the base. They will offer a maintenance plan or at least a schedule.
A contractor who says "just sealcoat it every few years" without talking about crack sealing first is not thinking about prevention. A contractor who says "seal cracks in the fall, then sealcoat the surface" is thinking about the sequence that keeps water out.
Understand the timeline and mobilisation costs
Asphalt work has seasons in Edmonton. The surface has to cure, and the weather has to cooperate. A contractor who says they can pave in November is either lying or planning to do poor work.
Ask: "When can you start, and how long will it take?" and "Are there mobilisation costs?" Mobilisation is the cost to bring equipment and crews to site. It is real, and it is the same whether the job is small or large. A contractor who explains this upfront is being honest. A contractor who buries it in the quote is not.
Ask about weather delays. In Edmonton, rain stops paving. So does frost. A contractor who has a plan for what happens if the weather turns is thinking ahead. A contractor who says "we will just work around it" is not.
Ask for references from Edmonton jobs
A contractor who has done work in Edmonton for years knows the climate, the soils, and the freeze-thaw cycle. A contractor who has done one job in Edmonton and ten in Calgary is not an Edmonton contractor.
Ask: "Can you show me work you have done in Edmonton in the last two years?" and "Can I talk to someone who hired you?" A good contractor will have references they are proud of. They will offer to take you to a job site. They will give you names and numbers.
Call the references. Ask them: "Did the surface hold up?" and "Did the contractor stand behind the work if something went wrong?" A reference who says yes without hesitation is telling you something. A reference who hedges or says "it is holding up so far" is telling you something else.
Ask who handles permits and property lines
In Edmonton, some paving jobs need permits. Some do not. The rules vary by neighbourhood and by what you are doing. A contractor who does not mention permits is either not thinking about it or hoping you do not ask.
Ask: "Do we need a permit for this job?" and "If we do, who gets it?" A contractor who says "I will check and let you know" is the right answer. A contractor who says "we never need permits" is not thinking clearly.
Ask about property lines. If your driveway or lot is on a shared boundary, the work might affect your neighbour's property. A contractor who has a plan for permits and property lines is thinking about the legal side of the job, not just the paving.
Ask what happens on paving day
A lot of things go wrong on paving day because the homeowner or property manager does not know what to expect. A contractor who explains the process beforehand is setting you up for success.
Ask: "What time will you start?" "How long will it take?" "What do I need to do?" "When can we use the surface?" A good contractor will walk you through what happens on paving day before the crew shows up. They will explain that the surface needs to cure, that you cannot park on it for a few days, and that the first season is critical.
Ask about curing and the first season. A contractor who explains that the asphalt is still setting and that heavy loads or sharp turns can damage it is thinking about the long term. A contractor who says "you can use it right away" is not.
Know what a good quote includes
A quote is not just a number. It is a description of the work, the materials, the timeline, and the warranty. A contractor who gives you a one-line quote is not giving you enough information to make a decision.
A good quote will say: what is being removed, what base work is being done, what asphalt is being laid, how thick it is, what the timeline is, what the warranty covers, and what happens if something goes wrong. It will break down the costs so you understand what you are paying for.
A quote that says "asphalt paving, $X" tells you almost nothing. A quote that says "remove existing asphalt, excavate and inspect base, replace soft material, compact to 95%, lay 2 inches of hot mix, finish with 1 inch of surface course, 2-year warranty on base and surface, curing period 3 days" tells you everything you need to know.
Before you hire, check these things yourself
Walk the surface with a contractor and look at the cracks. Are they single, straight cracks or are they connected and block-like? Connected cracking means the base is failing. A contractor who sees that and still quotes a resurfacing job is not being honest.
Look for ponding. After rain, does water sit on the surface or does it drain? If it sits, the grade is wrong or the base has settled. Either way, a contractor needs to address it.
Feel the surface. Is it soft in some spots? Does it move under your foot? That is a sign the base has failed or is failing. A contractor who does not mention it is not looking carefully.
Ask yourself: does this contractor understand that asphalt fails from the base up? Do they have a plan to inspect and prepare the base? Do they warrant the base as well as the surface? Do they talk about maintenance and crack sealing? If the answer to all of these is yes, you have found a contractor who knows what they are doing.