How to Bid a Sealcoating Job: Square Footage, Crack Filling and Minimums

To bid a sealcoating job, measure the asphalt area in square feet, calculate sealer needed from your coverage rate and number of coats, add crack filling by linear foot, prep and cleaning, edging by hand, and for commercial lots, re-striping. Then apply your labor rate, overhead and profit, and make sure small driveways hit your minimum charge.

Step 1: Measure the area

Break the driveway or lot into rectangles and triangles and add them up. For commercial lots, aerial imagery speeds this up; confirm on site. Note islands, curbs and areas you won't seal.

Step 2: Calculate material

Use your sealer's coverage rate per gallon for the number of coats and the surface condition; older, porous asphalt absorbs more. Add sand or additives if you use them. Price material at cost plus markup.

Step 3: Price crack filling separately

Crack filling is priced per linear foot or per pound of material and is often where profit hides or leaks. Estimate crack length from photos or a walk, and list it as its own line. See asphalt crack sealing cost.

Step 4: Labor and prep

• Cleaning: blowing, sweeping, oil spot treatment
• Edging by hand along garage floors, walkways and landscaping
• Application (squeegee or spray) at your production rate
• Barricades and drying time management

Step 5: Commercial extras

Re-striping, handicap stalls and stencils, working in sections to keep businesses open, and night or weekend work. See parking lot striping cost.

Step 6: Minimums and packages

Small driveways don't cover setup and travel on square-foot pricing alone, so set a minimum. Offer a maintenance plan that reseals every two to three years; see driveway sealcoating cost.

Quote residential jobs from photos

A photo of the whole driveway and close-ups of cracks and oil spots, plus rough dimensions, is enough for most residential quotes. Fast Snap Pro turns those photos into an itemized estimate from your sealcoating price book. See estimating software for paving and concrete.

Example: a residential sealcoating bid

A 1,000 sq ft driveway, two coats, with moderate cracking:

Line item	How it's priced	Example
Cleaning and oil spot treatment	Flat / hours	$60
Crack filling (120 linear ft)	Per linear ft	$180
Sealer, 2 coats (material)	Gallons by coverage + markup	$110
Application and edging labor	Sq ft × labor rate	$170
Barricades and cleanup	Flat	$30
Total		$550

Illustrative numbers only. Use your own rates, production times and local costs.

That's $0.55 per square foot all-in. Check it clears your minimum and your per-hour target.

Frequently asked questions

How do you charge for sealcoating?

Per square foot of asphalt, with crack filling, prep and striping priced separately and a minimum for small jobs.

How often should a driveway be sealcoated?

Commonly every two to three years, depending on climate, traffic and the condition of the asphalt.

Should crack filling be included in the sealcoating price?

List it separately. Crack amounts vary a lot, and separate pricing keeps the bid fair and profitable.