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When to Hire a Pro vs. Sealcoat It Yourself

By the Driveway Done Right team · 6 min read · Updated November 2026

We like DIY. A lot of homeowners can seal their own driveway and do a good job. We also do this for a living, so we know where DIY goes wrong. Here is an honest breakdown to help you decide.

DIY makes sense when

• Your driveway is in decent shape. A few cracks, some fading, nothing crumbling.
• It's a standard size. One- or two-car driveways are very doable in a day.
• You have a free weekend with good weather. Two dry days at 50°F or above.
• You don't mind the mess. Sealer is sticky and stains anything it touches.
• You're keeping up a regular schedule. If you resealed two or three years ago, it's mostly cleaning and recoating.

A typical DIY job costs a few hundred dollars in sealer, crack filler, and tools, and the tools last for years. For a basic setup, a sealer like Jetcoat 8-Year Ultra, a good squeegee, and an edging brush cover most of it:

Hiring a pro makes sense when

• The driveway is large, long, or steep. Ten pails of sealer is a lot to stir, carry, and spread by hand.
• There's real damage. Alligator cracking, potholes, sunken areas, or crumbling edges need cutting and patching, not just sealer.
• There are lots of wide cracks. Professional hot-pour crack sealant, applied from a heated kettle, outlasts every DIY filler.
• You want it done in a few hours. A crew with spray equipment can clean, crack-fill, and seal a typical driveway in a morning.
• You value your weekend. When you add up materials, tools, and two days of your time, the price gap is often smaller than people expect.

What pros do differently

Commercial-grade sealer. Contractors buy sealer in bulk from plants and mix it with sand and additives for the job. It's typically thicker and more durable than what's sold in pails.

Spray or machine application. Spray rigs and squeegee machines lay down an even coat fast and get into the surface texture.

Hot-pour crack sealing. This is the biggest difference. Hot rubberized sealant bonds to the crack and flexes through freeze and thaw for years.

Prep equipment. Power blowers, wire wheels, and edgers clean in minutes what takes a homeowner an hour.

Cost: an honest comparison

Professional sealcoating prices vary by region, driveway size, and how much crack repair is needed, so get a quote. As a rough guide, many homeowners find a professional job costs a few hundred dollars more than doing it themselves. For that difference you get better materials, hot-pour crack sealing, no mess, and your weekend back. For a small driveway in good shape, DIY usually wins on cost. For a large or damaged one, a pro often wins on value.

How to choose a good sealcoater

1. Go local. A company that works in your town has a reputation to keep and will be around next year.
2. Ask what's included. Cleaning, crack filling (hot or cold), oil-spot treatment, and how many coats.
3. Ask about the material. Asphalt emulsion is the standard. If they use coal tar, ask whether it's allowed in your area.
4. Get it in writing. A clear quote with the price, the date, and what happens if it rains.
5. Check reviews and photos of recent jobs near you.
6. Be wary of door-knockers with "leftover material from a job down the street." It's a well-known scam.

A middle path

You don't have to choose all or nothing. Some homeowners hire a pro every few years for the heavy lifting, with hot-pour crack sealing and a commercial-grade coat, and then handle small touch-ups themselves in between. Filling a few new cracks each spring with a good crack filler keeps water out and stretches the life of the professional coat.

Another option: do the prep yourself (pull weeds, clear the driveway, move the cars) and ask your sealcoater whether that lowers the price. Some will, especially for repeat customers.

Questions to ask yourself

• How many wide cracks do I have, and how deep are they?
• Do I have two dry, warm days free in the next month?
• Do I have somewhere to park off the driveway for two days?
• Would I rather save the money, or have it done in a morning?

If most of your answers lean toward time and convenience, that's your answer.

Our bottom line

If your driveway is in good shape and you're handy, DIY is a great way to save money. Start with our step-by-step guide. If it's big, badly cracked, or you'd rather spend your Saturday elsewhere, call a local sealcoater. A good one will do in a morning what takes most of us a whole weekend, and do it with materials you can't buy in a pail.

Related guides: How often should you sealcoat? · Asphalt emulsion vs. coal tar sealer