Dirt Dogs Excavating just finished installing another new, recycled asphalt driveway for a home owner in Elizabeth, Colorado.
This driveway is about 500 ft. long. They previous driveway was about 15 years old and in very bad shape, with ruts, washboards and potholes enough to losen your teeth in your head as you tried to drive over it. Not only that…but water would accumulate (not run off) creating a muddy mess…and in the winter that would turn into slippery ice.
Our crew went in and re-graded the driveway and created a nice crown (so water would run off properly). Then we brought in about 100 tons of recycled asphalt (4 truckloads) and smoothed it all out to perfection.
Getting your driveway done before winter is a really good idea – especially if you have a rutted out, pot-holed driveway that will be dreadful to plough and drive on in the winter.
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently completed a gravel driveway expansion for a homeowner in Kiowa, Colorado, to improve accessibility around the property.
The home includes an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) where one family lives in the upper level while the homeowners’ grandparents reside in the lower-level apartment. Originally, the only access between the lower-level unit and the driveway required climbing a flight of stairs, making daily trips difficult and inconvenient for the grandparents.
To solve the problem, the homeowners asked Dirt Dogs Excavating to extend the gravel driveway around the side of the home and into the backyard. The new driveway provides direct, ground-level access to the lower-level entrance, eliminating the need to repeatedly climb stairs. The result is a safer, more convenient access route that improves mobility while adding functionality and value to the property.
This driveway as about 300 ft. long and with crushed gravel which we brought in and smoothed out (as you can see from the photo). Now the grandparents are happy they can get easier access to their car when they need to.
In case you’re curious about what an ADU is…
Definition: A house with a second, independent living quarters is most formally called an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). These self-contained units include their own kitchen, bathroom, and living/sleeping area.
Dirt Dogs Excavating can recycle your old asphalt driveway that has failed. We can use this material as either new road base or as a sub base for a new asphalt or concrete driveway. Don’t waste that asphalt…recycle it!
Check out a short video below of our asphalt grinder in action!
Why Recycling Your Old Asphalt Driveway Is the Smart Choice in Colorado
If your asphalt driveway is cracked, worn out, or beyond repair, you may be wondering what happens next. Many homeowners assume the old asphalt needs to be hauled away and dumped—but there’s a better solution.
At Dirt Dogs Excavating, we recommend recycling your old asphalt driveway whenever possible. This process—known as asphalt milling or grinding—offers major benefits for homeowners in Parker, Castle Rock, and surrounding Colorado communities.
♻️ What Is Asphalt Recycling?
Asphalt recycling involves grinding your existing driveway into a material called reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Instead of hauling it to a landfill, the material is reused as a base for new surfaces or repurposed for other applications.
👉 The result: less waste, lower costs, and a more efficient project.
💰 1. Save Money on Your Driveway Project
Recycling your asphalt can significantly reduce costs.
Lower hauling and disposal fees
Less need for new base materials
More efficient installation process
For homeowners in Castle Rock and Parker, this can mean noticeable savings compared to full removal and replacement.
🚛 2. Reduce Hauling and Environmental Impact
Traditional removal requires multiple truckloads of debris heading to a landfill.
With recycling:
Fewer trucks are needed
Less fuel is used
Local materials are reused
👉 This is especially important in growing areas like Douglas County, where reducing construction waste is a priority.
🏗️ 3. Create a Stronger Base for Your New Driveway
Ground asphalt makes an excellent base layer.
Compacts tightly
Drains well
Hardens over time
👉 This creates a stable foundation for new asphalt, concrete, or gravel driveways—ideal for Colorado’s freeze-thaw cycles.
🌱 4. Environmentally Friendly Solution
Asphalt is one of the most recycled materials in the United States.
Recycling your driveway:
Reduces landfill waste
Conserves natural resources
Minimizes the need for new oil and aggregate
👉 It’s a smart choice for homeowners who want a more sustainable project.
⚡ 5. Faster Project Completion
Grinding and reusing asphalt is faster than full removal.
No need to coordinate disposal logistics
Faster site preparation
Quicker turnaround times
👉 That means less disruption to your home and schedule.
🛤️ 6. Versatile Reuse Options
Recycled asphalt can be used for:
New driveway base layers
Gravel-style driveways
Ranch roads and access paths
Parking areas
👉 Many rural and acreage properties around Monument, Franktown, and Elizabeth benefit from this cost-effective solution.
⚠️ When Full Removal May Be Necessary
In some cases, full removal may still be required:
Severe structural damage
Contaminated materials
Improper grading issues
However, even in these situations, much of the asphalt can still be recycled rather than discarded.
For properties in Parker, Castle Rock, and across the Front Range, recycled asphalt offers the perfect balance of:
Durability
Cost savings
Environmental responsibility
👉 It’s a practical solution for both residential driveways and larger rural properties.
🚀 Work with Dirt Dogs Excavating
At Dirt Dogs Excavating, we specialize in efficient, cost-effective site work and driveway solutions throughout Parker, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs, Denver and surrounding Colorado communities.
We’ll evaluate your existing driveway and recommend whether asphalt recycling is the right choice for your project.
👉 Contact Dirt Dogs Excavating today for a FREE estimate and expert advice on your driveway project.
Dirt Dogs Excavating helped a home owner in Castle Rock with foundation and exavation work for a new steel building and concrete apron. Last fall Dirt Dogs excavated the foundation. After months of waiting for the building and electdrical to get completed we came back and did backfull and preparation for a concrete apron that tied into an existing driveway. As usual, we also did the final grading to ensure proper drainage. This building was a 40 x 80 shop that includes 2 garage bays and plenty of room for vehicles, storage and work projects.
When it comes to foundation work and prep, Dirt Dogs Excavating has many years of experience with Barns, Homes, Residential and Commercial Buildings. We understand how important foundation work is to the success of any project and we pride ourselves on doing it perfectly…every time.
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently excavated a barn pad and installed an extra-wide access driveway for a horse lover out in Elizabeth, CO. We built the extra-wide (about 18 ft.) access driveway to allow the home owner to easily navigate his large truck and horse trailers and loops around the back side of his barn – that will be built – and to be able to approach the front of the barn.
The new driveway and access road was about 300 ft. while the barn pad was about 35 ft. by 45 ft.. Its a little hard to see in this photo but we laser leveled the barn pad and graded it to allow the rain and snow melt to gently run off around the edges. And yes…we graded the driveway so the rain and snow melt will also gently roll off the driveway too.
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently regraded a 300 ft. driveway for a home owner in Parker, CO. There was enough existing road base available along the edges to pull material onto the driveway and re-crown the drive surface. We grade, repair and install LOTS of road base driveways in Parker, Elizabeth and Castle Rock, Colorado because there are lots of 35 acre and larger properties in these areas. Remember that saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? That is VERY TRUE when it comes to road base driveways. If you stay on top of maintaining your driveway – like we did with this one – it will actually save you money in the long run.
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently installed a road base, driveway Loop for a house in Elizabeth to make better access for delivery vehicles. UPS, FedEx etc.. This loop will also provide additional parking for visiting guests. The delivery trucks can more easily drive up to the home or garage. (Amazon and UPS love homeowners like this!)
If you need a new driveway, driveway repairs, earth moving, excavating or driveway excavating services and give us a call!
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently installed a beautiful, new, concrete driveway for an old home in the Running Brooke subdivision in Elizabeth, CO. There was an existing gravel driveway which we regraded, performed all the dirt work and preparation, poured the concrete and finished it off with a checkerboard broom finish.
This quality driveway improved the home’s appearance and value immediately! Not to mention it provided a smoother drive in and out of the garage.
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently finished fixing up a driveway for a residential home in Elizabeth, CO. As you can see in the photo the driveway serves both the homeowners garage and their barn. Their old driveway was a muddy mess and a total disaster – to put it nicely. We came in with our road grader and smoothed, reshaped and excavated the parking are and driveway to eliminate all the gigantic washboards and potholes. Then we topped the whole thing off with 4 inches and 400 tons of new, recycled concrete road base. This provided a new smooth surface for both access to the home’s parking area and the barn.
Keep us in mind if you need any earth moving, excavating or driveway excavating services and give us a call!
Dirt Dogs Excavating recently completed installing a new granite road base access driveway to a shop in Kiowa, Colorado. The property owner had an old, beat up road – about 300 ft. – that was rattling his teeth out when he drove on it and decided enough is enough! Dirt Dogs smoothed out the washboards and potholes and created a new crown to allow water and snowmelt to run off to the sides. We topped it off with two truckloads of granite road base which provides excellent traction especially in snow. The whole project only took one day. Another driveway job done perfectly!
