Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Top Tips On Hiring Asphalt Paving Contractors

By Myrtle Cash


Driveways with asphalt paving are very popular and very affordable to install compared to other driveway options nowadays. However, hiring good contractors can be quite a challenge sometimes. Fortunately, if the contractors install the driveway properly, you can enjoy it for around 30 years with very minor maintenance.

The best thing about asphalt is that it is strong and flexible. As such, it can withstand much more than regular concrete. For starters, it can withstand colder temperatures, making it perfect for areas with colder weather.

Asphalt basically consists of a stone aggregate that has to be mixed and heated very carefully before being mixed in with liquid cement. This new mixture will then have to be sent to the site. If it isn't, then your new driveway won't cure the way it should overall.

To make sure that you get the best quality out of your driveway, it would be vital for your contractor to get your driveway ready for the process first. The first step to this would involve getting rid of any soil. The second step would involve replacing that soil with crushed stone and gravel.

Normally, these jobs will entail applying two layers of the asphalt onto a sub-base layer. Sometimes, the contractor might suggest full-depth application, too. This kind of application would be best if heavy vehicles will be parked onto the area on a regular basis. With this kind of application, the whole place will basically be made with liquid cement. Then, by binding a sub-base gravel layer onto this cement, a much stronger driveway will be created.

Before making your final decision, it would also be advisable to get a few quotes first. This way, you can compare each contractor's prices and workmanship. If you need advice in the matter, ask your friends and family for help.

Regardless of which contractor you decide to hire, you should make it a point to ensure that they are insured. This way, you can protect yourself from poor performances and liabilities. Since the lead times for these jobs could take weeks, make sure you make appropriate plans beforehand while talking to your potential contractors, as well.

For more accurate quotes, get a sketch ready of what you expect from the project. Get your contractor to visit your house, too. This way, he will be able to see where everything has to go before he starts working.

When talking about the job, make sure you talk about installing proper drainage and slopes, too. If you don't, you could end up with water pools on the finished product. In worse case scenarios, draining could also end up in your home or garage.

Lastly, ask your contractor to get rid of any gates and doors at the driveway and re-install them to fit it better. If you follow all of the aforementioned tips, you shouldn't have any trouble finding the perfect asphalt paving contractor for you.




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1 comment:

  1. I appreciate all of the information that you have shared. Thank you for the hard work!

    - Paving Peabody MA

    ReplyDelete