Driveway Replacement in Hillsboro, Oregon: When It's Worth It & What It Costs

When Does a Hillsboro Driveway Need Full Replacement?

There's a point where another patch or overlay is just delaying the inevitable. For Hillsboro homeowners, that point comes when the damage runs into the base — and in Washington County, the base often fails because the Tualatin Valley clay beneath it has been shifting with moisture for years. When the foundation is gone, no amount of surface work brings the driveway back.

Replacement means tearing out the old asphalt and, in most clay-soil cases, the failed base too, then rebuilding the foundation and paving fresh. It's a bigger investment than resurfacing, but when the base has failed, it's the only fix that holds. If you're still weighing repair against a rebuild, our 7 signs your driveway needs replacement guide covers the structural red flags.

What Driveway Replacement Costs in Hillsboro

Industry baseline ranges shown below. Actual costs vary based on tear-out depth, base condition, size, slope, and current market conditions.

Driveway Size	Approx. Square Feet	Industry Baseline Range
1-car	400–600 sq ft	$4,000–$8,000
2-car	600–900 sq ft	$6,000–$12,000
3-car / extended	900–1,400 sq ft	$9,000–$18,000+

Replacement costs more than resurfacing because the price includes demolition, haul-off, regrading, new base rock, compaction, and full-depth paving. In Hillsboro's clay soil, base rebuilds — sometimes with geotextile fabric — are common rather than the exception.

These are reference ranges from national contractor surveys. Your actual number depends on equipment access, disposal, how much base needs replacing, and sub-grade condition once the old surface is off.

Why Hillsboro Conditions Push Driveways Toward Replacement

Clay movement and base failure

Tualatin Valley clay expands when wet and contracts when dry. Over years of seasonal cycles, that movement fatigues the base and cracks the surface above. Once the base is broken, patching does nothing — replacement on a properly built, separated base is the fix.

Persistent wet-season moisture

Hillsboro's long rainy season keeps the ground saturated. Water that gets under a driveway with poor drainage softens the base and accelerates failure. Replacement is the chance to correct drainage and rebuild on a foundation that sheds water.

Age and prior repairs

A driveway past 20 to 25 years old with multiple patches and overlays — especially over clay — is usually a replacement candidate rather than a target for another repair.

The Replacement Process, Step by Step

1. Demolition and removal — The old asphalt is broken up and hauled off. Most asphalt is recyclable, which can offset disposal costs.
2. Excavation and sub-grade check — The crew evaluates the clay. Soft or saturated material is dug out and replaced with stable fill.
3. Base rebuild — Crushed aggregate base is placed and compacted to the right depth, often over geotextile fabric to separate it from the clay, with positive drainage.
4. Paving — Hot-mix asphalt is laid, typically in a binder and surface course, then rolled to compaction.
5. Curing — The new surface hardens before heavy use; sealcoating waits several months.

For the full build mechanics, see our new driveway installation in Hillsboro guide.

Replacement vs. Resurfacing: Making the Call

If your base is sound and the damage is only on the surface, resurfacing is the cheaper, smarter move — our driveway resurfacing in Hillsboro guide covers that. Replacement is right when:

• More than 25 to 30 percent of the surface is cracked or broken
• Sections have sunk or heaved, pointing to clay movement and base failure
• Water pools and drains poorly, keeping moisture under the slab
• The driveway is past 20 to 25 years old with multiple prior repairs
• Previous overlays have already cracked through

What a Contractor Can't See Until Tear-Out

Even a careful site visit can't reveal everything underground. Common surprises in Hillsboro replacements include:

• Saturated, unstable clay sub-grade — The extent of softening often isn't clear until the surface is off
• Thinner-than-expected original base — Older driveways built with minimal base rock over clay
• Buried debris or old fill — Material that complicates excavation
• Drainage problems — Grading that funnels water under the slab and needs correcting

These unknowns are why a site-specific quote beats any average. A contractor who evaluates your clay and drainage gives a far more accurate price.

Budgeting and Comparing Quotes

For regional pricing context, see our asphalt driveway cost in Hillsboro page and the complete asphalt driveway guide for Oregon. When collecting bids, make sure each specifies tear-out depth, base rock depth, whether geotextile is included, asphalt thickness, and what happens if the sub-grade needs extra work. Over clay, a bid that skips the base isn't a deal — it's a driveway that fails early.