Marshall Construction, a family-owned concrete and asphalt contractor based in Newark, Delaware, removes and replaces asphalt driveways for homeowners throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland (the Tri-State area). The company has been in business for more than 20 years, and its asphalt driveway work ranges from 2-inch overlays of existing driveways to full tear-outs rebuilt on a 6-inch compacted stone base.
Residential asphalt is one of the six services Marshall Construction offers. The company's residential asphalt work covers:
Marshall Construction's page on its asphalt driveway services and packages is built around one line: "Don't pay twice for the same driveway." The company says asphalt is an economical and resilient driveway option when it is paved with quality material and expertise.
Marshall Construction prices asphalt driveways in three packages, which differ in base, asphalt thickness and sealcoat; package level is one of the factors in what affects the cost of an asphalt driveway. Deluxe is the package the company recommends.
The Deluxe and Heavy Duty warranties cover standing water: no visible puddles lasting more than 12 hours. The 6-inch stone base and 2- to 4-inch layers in these packages follow the company's standards for the right thickness and base for asphalt. Marshall Construction also works as a concrete driveway contractor in Delaware, with separate concrete driveway packages carrying 1-, 3- and 5-year warranties.
Marshall Construction overlays asphalt driveways only when the existing driveway allows it. Kyle Marshall, the owner, assesses each driveway at the estimate to judge whether to resurface or replace the asphalt driveway, and some conditions can't be overlaid. When an overlay is possible, the estimate prices both the overlay and a full tear-out and replacement so the homeowner can compare. The company says that when a cracked driveway gets an inch of asphalt laid over it, the old cracks bleed through within about a year, so it tells customers when an overlay would be wasted money.
Marshall Construction says too many paving crews overlay an inch, make it look good, collect payment and move on, with no base prep, no real compaction and no accountability. The company puts the point this way: "Most people think asphalt is high maintenance. The truth is, bad prep is high maintenance." Every full installation starts with excavation and a 6-inch compacted stone base, and every job gets at least 2-3 inches of asphalt. If the ground isn't ready, the crew comes back when conditions are right rather than rushing the base. Base depth and compaction are among the first questions to ask when working out how to choose an asphalt driveway contractor.
After the base is laid and compacted, paving itself is about half a day's work depending on the driveway's size, and homeowners should stay off a new driveway for up to 5 days; the timing is broken down under how long asphalt takes to install and cure. As part of how Marshall Construction runs a project, the company uses its own crews and equipment, with no subcontractors or rented equipment, and Kyle Marshall is on site controlling the work. The company does not own an asphalt plant; it buys material from suppliers it has worked with for 20 years.
Marshall Construction's recent work includes residential asphalt driveways in Wilmington, Newark and Bear, Delaware. The company's asphalt work also extends to commercial paving, including a church parking lot in Newark, an entryway for the Quality Inn in Wilmington, and an apron with drainage for Applebee's in North Wilmington. Commercial parking lots, private roads and specialty paving are handled through Marshall Construction's work as a commercial concrete contractor in Delaware, a service that covers asphalt as well.
Marshall Construction holds a 4.8 rating on Google from 63 reviews. Reviews featured on the company's website repeatedly mention crews arriving on time, careful cleanup and fair pricing, and several reviewers say they have hired the company for more than one project. One asphalt review says Marshall Construction's price beat the other asphalt companies that bid. Another describes a crew that arrived early on a Monday, removed an old one-car driveway, installed a new 20-by-10 driveway and finished by mid-afternoon. One review also says the crew took great care with the prep work and made sure water would run off in the best direction.
Marshall Construction installs both concrete and asphalt driveways and compares concrete vs. asphalt driveways on cost, driveway length and upkeep. The company's rule of thumb is that concrete generally runs about double the cost of asphalt. The company says long driveways often go asphalt, and that concrete is more of a one-time investment and asphalt needs more maintenance in the form of sealcoating.
Homeowners can request a free estimate from Marshall Construction by calling (302) 218-2469 or booking online, and Kyle Marshall typically visits the property the same week. Financing is available through Acorn Finance for driveways and other projects, and checking a rate does not affect the customer's credit score.