Everything you need to know

3–5 years for a professionally applied sealcoat using commercial-grade materials. Consumer-grade products from hardware stores last 12–18 months — less than half that.

Traffic volume, climate, and sun exposure all affect longevity. Heavy-use driveways in northern climates (lots of freeze-thaw cycles) may need resealing every 3 years. Lighter-use driveways in mild climates can go the full 5 years. Your contractor will give you a specific recommendation based on your surface.

Late spring through early fall — roughly May through October in most of the country. Two conditions must be met: air and surface temperature above 50°F, and no rain for at least 24 hours before and after the job.

Avoid sealing in extreme heat (90°F+) — the sealant dries too fast and can blister. Avoid fall when leaf debris is heavy and temperatures swing unpredictably. The sweet spot is a calm 65–80°F day with clear skies.

You can walk on it in 24–48 hours. Vehicles need to stay off for at least 72 hours.

Full cure takes about a week. During that first week, avoid sharp turns when pulling in or out — the weight of a turning wheel can scuff fresh sealant at the edges. Drive straight in and back straight out for the first few days.

No — you don't need to be home. The crew works entirely on the exterior. No entry into your house is required for any reason.

Just make sure the driveway is clear of vehicles, lawn furniture, basketball hoops, or anything else you don't want sealant on. The crew will document the before state, do the job, and send you before/after photos when done. You review from wherever you are.

If rain is in the forecast within 24 hours of your scheduled job, we'll reschedule at no charge. No penalty, no drama — just a new date when conditions are right.

If it rains unexpectedly mid-job, the crew will stop and return when conditions improve. Rain on fresh sealant causes blotching and uneven cure — we don't risk your results for the sake of finishing the job faster.

Simple six-step process:

1. Quote — Get a price in 90 seconds using our quote tool.
2. Card on file — We collect your payment info (not charged yet).
3. Contractor assigned — A vetted local pro is matched to your job and texts you to confirm the date and time window.
4. Job done — Crew arrives, cleans, fills cracks, applies sealant, documents everything.
5. You confirm — You review before/after photos and confirm you're satisfied.
6. Pay — Card charged only after confirmation. Done.

Total time from quote to done: usually 3–7 days depending on scheduling and weather.

Vetted local professionals — not gig workers, not national franchise employees. These are established local businesses in your area who've met our requirements and agreed to our quality standards.

Every contractor carries a Certificate of Insurance (COI), has passed license verification, and has been rated by real homeowners on every DrivewayJuice job they've completed. Low-rated contractors are suspended pending review.

Three steps before their first job:

1. Insurance verification — $1M+ general liability insurance, verified against the issuing carrier. Not self-reported — we check.
2. License check — State contractor license verified against the relevant state licensing board.
3. Reference jobs — Three verifiable completed jobs with homeowner references we actually call.

After that: every DrivewayJuice job is rated by the homeowner. Contractors maintain their standing through ongoing ratings, not just a one-time gate.

Your booking confirmation includes:

• Scope of work — exactly what's being done (sealcoating, crack fill, epoxy, etc.)
• Price — the agreed amount
• Weather clause — conditions that trigger a reschedule and who initiates it
• Satisfaction guarantee language — your rights if you're not happy
• Payment terms — card on file, charged after confirmation

No arbitration clauses, no auto-renewal traps, no fine print surprises.

Only after the job is complete and you confirm you're satisfied by reviewing the before/after photos.

Here's how it works technically: when you book, we create a payment authorization hold — like a hotel pre-auth. Your card is verified and funds are reserved, but nothing is captured (i.e., no actual charge). The charge only goes through when you actively confirm the job. If you don't confirm, nothing happens to your account.

Yes — move it the night before and plan to keep it off the driveway for at least 72 hours after the job.

Sealant needs time to cure. Vehicle weight — especially when turning — can cause impressions in fresh sealant. If you absolutely need to drive over it sooner, drive straight in and back straight out (no turning), and only after 48 hours minimum.

Minor cracks (up to about ½ inch wide) are filled as part of the standard service. The crew will route and fill them before applying sealant.

Major structural damage — alligator cracking, sections that have heaved from tree roots or frost, or cracks 2+ inches wide — is a different story. In these cases, sealant can slow the damage but won't fix the underlying problem. We'll give you an honest assessment: sometimes a section repair or full repave is the right call, and we'll tell you that rather than take your money for a band-aid.

Three things before the crew arrives:

1. Clear the floor completely — everything off the concrete. Shelving, boxes, bikes, car lifts, fridge if you have one. The crew needs unobstructed access to the entire floor.
2. Sweep — get the loose debris off so they can work on the actual concrete.
3. Identify oil stains — point them out when the crew arrives. Heavy oil penetration may require additional degreasing prep.

The crew handles grinding (mechanical prep), moisture testing, and application. We'll send you a prep checklist when you book.

Wait at least 28 days for new asphalt or concrete before sealing.

Fresh pavement needs to fully cure. Sealing too early traps off-gassing compounds, which can cause sealant to bubble and peel — ruining both the sealant and potentially the new surface. Some contractors recommend waiting 60–90 days for new asphalt in hot climates to let the surface oils fully volatilize.

We'll assess it honestly — before you spend a dollar.

If sealcoating can meaningfully extend the life of your driveway (even a rough one), we'll tell you. If structural damage means the sealant won't hold or won't make a real difference in 2 years, we'll say that too — and what we'd recommend instead.

We'd rather refer you to a repaving contractor and lose the job than take $1,400 from you for something that'll look the same in a year.

If you don't confirm the job, nothing is charged. There's no refund to issue because there's no charge to begin with.

If the job is done and you review the photos and decide you're not satisfied — you can decline to confirm. The contractor will discuss what went wrong and either fix the issue or the job is marked as not approved. In either case, you don't pay until you're satisfied.

It works like this:

1. Job is done. Crew sends before/after photos.
2. You review the photos. Happy? Confirm. Card charged. Done.
3. Not happy? Tell us why. Contractor returns to fix the issue.
4. Re-review. Still not satisfied? You don't pay. Full stop.

This isn't a complicated dispute process — it's the core mechanic of how payment works. You hold all the leverage until you're satisfied.

Only if actual conditions differ significantly from what was described when you got your quote.

Example: you described "minor cracking" but there's structural damage requiring additional prep. In that case, the contractor contacts you before starting with a revised quote. You approve or cancel — your choice, no pressure. The crew doesn't start (or stop) work and surprise-bill you after the fact.

If everything matches your description, your quoted price is your final price.

Yes — a 30-day workmanship warranty. If there are missed sections, uneven application, visible streaks, or obvious issues with how the job was done, the contractor returns and fixes it at no charge within 30 days of the job.

This covers how the work was done, not normal wear over time, oil stains from vehicles, or damage from weather events after the fact.

Because upfront payment removes your leverage.

When a contractor has already been paid, their incentive to make you happy is much lower. The industry has a long history of "pay now, hope for the best" — and homeowners have been burned.

Our model is different: we hold your card like a hotel hold. The contractor knows they get paid only when you confirm you're satisfied. That single change — shifting payment to after confirmation — completely realigns every incentive in the job. The contractor's interests and yours are perfectly aligned.