10 Things To Know About Asphalt Paving

If someone knocks on your door saying that they have a load of asphalt left over from a paving job down the street, and they offer to pave your driveway for a steep discount if you pay cash, shut the door right away! Even if they do have the asphalt, it is probably not the amount that you need, it will be cold and won't lay down correctly... but most of all they will not prepare your driveway the way that is required for a lasting job. This is a scam.

Here are some further tips for choosing a good paving company…

2. Is the paving company insured?

The easiest way for a contractor to give you a lower price is to not carry insurance. This means that YOUR homeowner's policy would be used if they have an accident or a worker gets hurt on your driveway paving job. Then your homeowners insurance can double or even triple in premiums for years to come. Avoid this hidden fee by asking up front for insurance coverage from the paving company.

3. Do they have the right equipment and crew?

Another area where a contractor cuts corners on a job is to have less workers with old trucks and equipment. But this causes many problems since asphalt needs to be laid down at around 300 degrees and it needs to be worked fairly quickly to prevent seams or areas for water to form cracks. Quality equipment lays down a quality blanket of asphalt and the right number of crew can keep pace with the paver assuring a beautiful job. A typical crew is 6-8 guys. Ace Asphalt Paving always has an experienced crew that works as a well-trained team assuring the best possible final driveway.

4. Preparation and thickness.

The most common shortcut is an improperly constructed base. Sadly, the homeowner will not know this shortcut occurred until a year or two after the job is completed. At that point, the asphalt will begin to buckle and water will erode the base, causing cracks and holes. Once a crack forms in asphalt, water gets in, freezes, and thaws, ultimately causing the blacktop to crack and crumble. If the base is not thick and stable, the asphalt simply will not last. Rest assured: Ace Asphalt Paving takes extra care to prepare the base properly. 

The topcoat: The most common way that paving companies try to cut costs is by skimping on their asphalt application. Some pavers will only put down an inch or two of asphalt in order to quote a lower price. Don’t be fooled. This will ultimately cost you more in the long run, as it will not last. Rest assured that Ace Asphalt Paving always puts down a 3" blanket in order to give you a lasting driveway.

5. Material selection.

Believe it or not, all asphalt is not the same. There are many grades of asphalt with different percentages of recycled material in them. Having low-quality asphalt installed can affect the look and longevity of your asphalt pavement. Requesting higher-grade asphalt with less recycled material is always a wiser choice.

6. Attention to detail.

Ace Asphalt takes great pride in the smallest details to ensure a beautiful seamless finish and a quality asphalt surface that will last for many years to come.

7. A proper quote:

Ok, so we talked about the quality of the material but did you know that the homeowner pays for the entire load of asphalt from the plant whether it's laid down or not? The contractor cannot return unused portions. This means you need to have an accurate quote because a lazy estimator will over-specify to be safe but it simply runs up the price. Ace Asphalt has over 20 years of estimating and will always guarantee the right amount.

8. References.

Any good paving company will have happy customers who would be willing to show off the work that their paving company did for them. In fact, ask if they have done any recent work in your area that you can go look at personally. 

9. Down Payment.

You should not be paying a down payment to the contractor for your asphalt paving project. Most reputable asphalt paving companies have lines of credit with most material suppliers. Depositing funds with a contractor may run the risk of misuse of funds by the contractor. It's unfortunate, but we all hear stories about the contractor never returning after getting such a deposit. Ace Asphalt Paving will never take a deposit.

Why is Price NOT The Only Criteria?

Paving is a process that involves a specific set of steps and a specific amount of material. Less reputable paving services often cut corners or remove necessary steps in an effort to shave money off their prices. Many homeowners make the mistake of choosing a paving company based on the lowest quote. The reality is, that money saved by skimping on materials, design, and application will end up costing the homeowner far more in the long run.

Less experienced paving companies often don’t have the knowledge to offer design advice that will affect traffic flow and daily usage. The design of the driveway is as important as the construction. Common issues like: How will someone back up? Which way will they turn? How much room is needed for an SUV? How many vehicles can fit? And of course, water flow can make or break a design. In fact, water runoff, if improperly planned, can even cause problems that impact your foundation. 

Rest assured: Ace Asphalt Paving will help address these important concerns so that your driveway functions as well as it looks.

Our message is clear: Buyer, beware of pricing gimmicks. At Ace Asphalt we will engineer the job properly, giving you the best long-term driveway at the best possible pricing. Ace Asphalt never cuts corners!