We get the ground ready so the paving or concrete crew can show up and go straight to work. That means shaped subgrade, compacted base rock, grades that drain and inlets set to height. We don't pave or pour, we build everything underneath.
Paving Job Site Preparation in Boise
Asphalt and concrete are only as good as what's under them. A new driveway or lot can be smooth on day one and still sink at the drain or crack along a wheel path by its second winter. That's almost always a base problem, not a paving problem. A paver can only lay a smooth, even mat on a smooth, firm base.
We handle the layer between the dirt and the pavement for homeowners, builders, businesses and paving contractors in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Eagle, Caldwell and Kuna. Homeowners and builders call us for driveways, pads and aprons. Paving and concrete contractors call us when a job needs more dirt work than their crew wants to take on before the trucks arrive.
Where Our Work Stops and the Paver's Starts
We don't lay asphalt or pour concrete. Keeping the jobs separate gives the paver a finished base they can look over before they commit a crew and a load of material. If a grade looks off to them, it gets fixed while it's still rock. Our part of the job is:
- Cutting or filling the subgrade to the right elevation
- Hauling off unusable material and bringing in base rock
- Placing and compacting base in lifts
- Fine grading the base to the paver's or engineer's grades
- Setting drain inlets and catch basin frames to finished height
- Proof rolling and fixing any soft spots it turns up
Then we hand it over. On some jobs the paving or concrete contractor hires us directly. On others the owner hires both of us. Either way, we want to hear from the paver before we start: the base depth, how close the finish grade needs to be, and how thick they plan to lay the asphalt or concrete.
Shaping the Subgrade
Subgrade is the native soil, or fill, that the base sits on. It has to be cut to a set distance below finished grade so the base and pavement come out at the right height. Too high and the paving runs thin. Too low and someone pays for extra rock or extra asphalt to fill it.
Moisture matters here. Treasure Valley clay that's too wet won't compact, and it can look fine until a truck drives across it. Clay that's too dry needs water worked in. Caliche in Meridian and Nampa is the opposite problem: hard to cut to an exact grade, but solid once you're there. Our soil compaction page goes deeper into moisture and density.
Base Rock, Compaction and Proof Rolling
Base rock goes down in lifts, a few inches at a time, with each lift compacted before the next one. Dumping the full depth and rolling the top only packs the top. On commercial work, a testing company often checks density before paving is allowed.
The rock itself matters. Base is usually a crushed, graded gravel with angular pieces that lock together when compacted. Rounded river rock rolls under load and never gets as tight, so the material comes from the paver's or engineer's spec. Where existing ground needs to come up a long way, the lower layers may be a cheaper fill material with the crushed base on top.
Proof rolling is the last check. A heavy loaded truck drives slowly over the finished base while someone watches for rutting, pumping or ground that moves under the tires. Any soft area gets dug out and rebuilt before the paver shows up. It doesn't take long, and it costs far less than patching a brand new lot.
Grades That Move Water
Pavement doesn't soak anything up, so every drop that lands on it has to go somewhere. We set the grade so water runs to an edge, a swale or a drain, and never back toward a building or a door. On a driveway that's a steady fall toward the street. On a small lot it's cross slopes toward the inlets.
Drain inlets and catch basins get set before paving, with the grate at the exact height the asphalt or concrete will finish. Set one high and you get a bump. Set it low and you get a puddle ring around the drain, which is where pavement tends to break down first. For larger drainage work, see drainage excavation.
Working to the Paver's Schedule
Paving crews book their days ahead, and asphalt comes hot from the plant on a set schedule. If the base isn't ready, the crew sits or moves you to the back of the line. We plan backward from the paving date, so the grade is done and proof rolled ahead of time, not the night before.
Weather is the other half. Spring and fall rain can soften a finished base, so we check it again and re-roll it if it got wet. Asphalt work slows way down in the cold months, and frozen ground won't compact. Summer is busy for both trades, so call early if you have a date in mind. Our reviews say we "value communication and arrive on time," and on a paving job that's most of what the paver needs from us.
Prep for Homes and Businesses
At homes we prep driveways, shop aprons, RV pads, sport courts and patio slabs. For the dig-out side of a new driveway, see excavation for driveways. For businesses we prep small lots, drive lanes, dumpster pads and repaving jobs where the old base failed. Full tear-outs and rebuilds are on our parking lot excavation page.
What Changes the Cost of Base Prep
The biggest factor is how far the existing ground sits from subgrade. A lot of cut means hauling dirt off, and a lot of fill means bringing material in. After that comes base depth, the number of inlets to set, and room for trucks to dump and turn. To bid, we want the paver's spec or the engineer's plan, the paving date, and on commercial work, the surveyor's grade stakes.
Why Paving Contractors and Owners Call Us
We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) based in Caldwell with a 5.0 rating on Google. Tanner bids the job, checks with your paver on what they need, and keeps the base work on their timeline. Call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate.
