If it fails: the first hour
What the site contact should do before the technician arrives.
- Barricade or cone the hazard immediately
- Photograph the pothole with something for scale
- Note whether it is in a drive lane
- parking space
- or pedestrian path
- Call for emergency cold-patch repair if the hazard cannot wait for scheduled work
What fails
What a service call includes
- Identify whether the failure is surface-level or base-level before selecting a repair method
- Rout and seal cracks before they widen and let water into the base
- Cut out and patch potholes down to a stable, compacted base rather than filling over broken material
- Apply sealcoat in the correct weather window to protect intact asphalt
- Mill and overlay sections where wear has gone beyond what patching can fix
- Address drainage issues contributing to repeated failure in the same spot
- Compact and test patch repairs before opening the area to traffic
- Recommend full reconstruction when the base itself has failed across a large area
Preventive checklist
The items a maintenance program should carry for this system. Build a combined checklist across systems with the checklist builder.
Spring
- Crack seal before summer heat opens cracks further
- Assess winter freeze-thaw damage for patching priority
Fall
- Apply sealcoat in the appropriate temperature window before it turns cold
- Patch any potholes before winter freeze-thaw makes them worse
Annual
- Full pavement condition survey noting crack type and location
- Check drainage at low points contributing to repeat failures
What it costs
| item | typical range | what moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Crack sealing (per linear foot) | $1 to $3 | Priced by total footage, hot-pour rubberized sealant costs more than cold-pour but lasts longer. |
| Pothole patching (per patch) | $100 to $300 | Infrared or hot-mix patching that bonds to the surrounding surface costs more than cold-patch fill. |
| Sealcoating (per square foot) | $0.15 to $0.30 | Price depends on lot size, number of coats, and current pavement condition. |
| Mill and overlay | $2 to $5 per square foot | Reserved for lots with widespread surface wear but an intact base. |
| Full-depth reconstruction | $5 to $10 per square foot | Needed when the base itself has failed, not just the surface layer. |
National ranges. Local labor, access, after-hours timing and materials move them. Multi-site programs usually price below one-off calls.
When this is an emergency
A pothole deep or wide enough to damage a vehicle or create a fall hazard in an active traffic lane counts as an emergency.
How to choose a provider
- Ask whether the provider distinguishes crack sealing, patching, and resurfacing rather than defaulting to one method
- Confirm they compact and test patches rather than just filling potholes level with the surface
- Ask about the sealcoat product used and its expected wear life
- Get a quote that separates square footage pricing from any base repair work
- Ask what weather conditions they require for sealcoating and how that affects scheduling
Questions
How often should a commercial lot be sealcoated?
Most commercial lots benefit from sealcoating every two to three years, though traffic volume and climate exposure shift that timeline in either direction.
Why does a patched pothole fail again within a year?
Usually because the patch was filled over a broken base rather than cut out and compacted properly, or because a nearby drainage issue keeps saturating the same spot.
What is the difference between crack sealing and crack filling?
Sealing uses a flexible rubberized material meant for active cracks that will keep moving with temperature changes. Filling is a cheaper, less flexible option better suited to smaller, stable cracks.
When is resurfacing more cost-effective than continued patching?
When cracking or potholes have spread across a large share of the lot, or the same spots keep failing after patching, since that usually means the base has already broken down.