Campus neighborhoods to new subdivisions

Asphalt Paving in Ames, IA

From rentals near Campustown to family homes on the edges of town, each driveway needs something different.

Free on-site estimates with a written, itemized price
City of Ames driveway permit and concrete approach rules checked before work
Paving scheduled for warm, dry ground so the mix compacts

Paving in a College Town on Glacial Till

Asphalt paving in Ames covers a wider mix of property than most Iowa cities. The 2020 census counted 66,427 residents, and the Census Bureau's estimate for July 2025 is 68,220. Iowa State University enrolled 30,177 students in fall 2023, and only 42.1 percent of Ames homes are owner-occupied, so a large share of the driveways and lots in town belong to landlords, apartment owners and property managers rather than the people parking on them. Owner-occupied homes carry a median value of $277,400. We pave and repair for both groups, and we write quotes that a landlord can approve by email and a homeowner can compare line by line.

Rental properties near campus

Rental driveways and small lots in the neighborhoods around campus take more traffic than a typical single-family drive: several cars, frequent turnover, cars parked on edges and lawns. The common failures are broken edges, ruts where cars turn, and potholes at the street end. The Census Bureau found that only 63.0 percent of Ames residents were in the same house a year earlier, so many owners want repairs that hold up through several leases without constant attention. Saw-cut patches, edge rebuilding and a sealcoat between tenants are usually the best value.

Owner-occupied homes

In the single-family subdivisions, the question is usually whether a 20- or 30-year-old driveway can be resurfaced or needs to come out. Ames sits on central Iowa's till prairie, where USDA soil descriptions put poorly drained Webster soils in the flats and low spots and better-drained Clarion and Nicollet soils on the rises. When the low end of a driveway heaves every winter, the base there is staying wet. An overlay will not fix that; digging out and rebuilding the low section usually will.

The city permit, in plain terms

Ames requires a driveway permit for new paving, for replacing or expanding a driveway, and for building or replacing the approach. The fee is $100 and includes an on-site inspection; the final inspection has to be requested within 48 hours of the pour by calling 515-239-5153 or through the city's permit portal. Planning and Transportation staff review a complete application within 5 working days, so we build that into the schedule. The approach and any sidewalk crossing it must be concrete, so an asphalt driveway in Ames ends at a concrete apron. Patching, crack filling and sealing are routine maintenance and do not need the permit.

Season

Ames averages its last spring frost around May 2 and its first fall frost around October 2, and the mean January low is 9.8 degrees. Full paving runs from late spring into early fall. If you want a driveway done before the fall semester brings traffic back, call in early spring.

Lots for apartments and small businesses

Ames has a large number of apartment buildings, duplexes and small commercial properties. Their lots are often tight, with dumpster pads that take garbage-truck loads every week and drive lanes where tenants turn sharply. We price repairs by area, rebuild the heaviest-loaded spots thicker, and restripe after sealing so stalls are visible again.

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What to Know in Ames

Permit and fee. The City of Ames requires a driveway permit to pave a new driveway, replace or expand an existing one, or build or replace an approach. The fee is $100 for review and an on-site inspection, and the final inspection is due within 48 hours of the pour.
Concrete approaches. Ames requires driveway approaches and sidewalks in the right-of-way to be concrete, at least 6 inches thick with an expansion joint at the back of curb. Paving a gravel driveway also requires paving its approach.
Width limits. On-site driveways may match the garage width up to 28 feet; drives that do not lead to a garage are limited to 12 feet. The approach must be at least 10 feet and no more than 34 feet at the curb including flares.
Short frost-free season. Using 1991-2020 normals for the Ames airport station, the typical last spring frost is around May 2 and the first fall frost around October 2, about 152 days apart. Ames averages 28.3 inches of snow a year.
Mostly renters. Census figures for 2020-2024 show 42.1 percent of Ames housing is owner-occupied, the median owner-occupied home value is $277,400, and 63.0 percent of residents lived in the same house a year earlier.

Our Services in Ames, IA

Ames Questions

Does my rental property driveway need a permit to repave?

If the driveway is being replaced or expanded, yes; Ames treats replacement as needing a permit regardless of who owns the property. Patching, crack filling and sealcoating are maintenance and do not.

Can I extend my driveway into a parking pad?

Ames limits paving in front of the home and caps on-site width at the garage width up to 28 feet. Drives that do not lead to a garage are limited to 12 feet. We lay out what fits before you decide.

Can you coordinate with my tenants?

Yes. We can schedule around move-in and move-out dates and give you notice text for tenants about when cars must be moved and when they can park again.

Why does the end of my driveway by the street keep heaving?

Usually because water collects there and freezes in the base. Low spots in central Iowa till stay wet into spring. Rebuilding that section with crushed stone and better drainage usually stops it.

Free Estimates in Ames, IA

Free estimates anywhere in Ames, from Campustown to the newest subdivisions.

Call (515) 758-9978 Free Estimate