Problems guides

Symptoms first, quotes second

Most expensive driveway sealing mistakes start with a symptom described to a salesperson. The table maps the common symptoms to their usual cause — the diagnosis a contractor should confirm before quoting.

Symptom	Usual cause
Alligator cracking	Base failure, not a sealing problem
Fading colour	UV and traffic
Potholes	Water into the base
Edge crumbling	No support at the shoulder
Puddling	Grading, not sealer

What to document

• Photographs with something for scale, taken at the same angle over time.
• Dates: when it started, whether it changes with weather.
• Water: where it goes, where it pools, what it damages.
• Previous work: who did it, when, and with what material.

What not to do first

Do not accept a repair scope before the cause is named. Patching a symptom is how the same problem returns next season with a bigger invoice. The methods hub explains what each fix addresses; the cost hub shows what it should cost.

When is it an emergency?

When water is entering the structure, when something is structurally unstable, or when a safety system has failed. Everything else can wait for a second opinion.

Should I get an independent inspection?

For anything structural or over about $5,000, yes. A few hundred dollars for an independent report is cheaper than a wrong scope.