Trademark Asphalt Paving Services FAQ

Measuring Your Driveway

When choosing to replace your driveway, cost is often times the deciding factor. To help calculate cost, you must first know the measurements of your driveway. Most contractors will give you your driveway measurements, but if you would rather take them yourself, it’s a quite simple and fast process.

Taking your own measurements helps you

Get an idea of how much material will be needed

Helps keep your contractor honest.

Can make your permit process proceed more smoothly should you apply for a permit yourself.

What you need

Tape measure

Calculator

To calculate square footage, you must

Measure the length of your driveway in linear feet.

Measure the width of your driveway in linear feet.

Multiply the length x width to calculate the total square footage of your driveway.

Online measuring tool

If your driveway is too big to measure with an ordinary tape measure or you have an irregular shaped driveway, we have found this link that may help you determine the square footage of your driveway.

Measure at your own risk!

*Though satellite measuring is quite accurate, it should not be considered as exact measurements for your home driveway and we recommend having on-site measurements taken prior to proceeding with any contract.

5 Things To Know When Choosing An Asphalt Paving Contractor in Vancouver WA & Portland OR

There are many factors that can affect the price and outcome of an asphalt paving project. Choosing the lowest bid is not always the best choice when choosing an asphalt paving contractor. The following will help you make an informed decision when choosing a paving contractor.

Insurance Coverage:

Just like auto insurance, many contractors choose the minimum of insurance required by state law. When accidents happen and they are on YOUR property, you want to be protected as much as possible. To be protected, your contractor should have the following insurance:

General liability, Auto Liability, Workers Compensation, and an Umbrella policy.

Minimum $500,000 per policy coverage, $1-$2 million is even better.

Material selection:

Majority of asphalt is recycled over and over again. 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.

Type of Equipment:

What type of asphalt paving equipment does the contractor have? Is it run down? Machines that breakdown frequently can delay the completion of your asphalt paving project. Also, asphalt can cool quickly. Waiting too long to install your asphalt can affect the appearance of you pavement upon completion. Properly maintained equipment is important to any asphalt project.

*Avoid hiring anyone that does asphalt paving by hand. Asphalt paving machines can cost more than $100,000. They cost this much because of the technology and efficiency behind them. Be aware of any contractor that tells you he can pave by hand at the same quality and efficiency of a paving machine.

Sufficient Crew

Does the contractor have an adequate crew? A typical asphalt paving crew consist of 5-8 workers depending on the size of the job. Being understaffed not only affects the overall outcome of your asphalt paving project, but it can delay the project even further.

Insurance note: Is everyone on their crew covered under the contractor’s workers compensation policy?

Down Payment:

Unless your asphalt project is over $10,000. 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. They shouldn’t require any deposits from you. Depositing funds with a contractor may run the risk of misuse of funds by the contractor. It’s unfortunate, but there are contractors out there that use deposits to finish paving other unfinished asphalt projects.

Like the old motto says “you get what you pay for”. It helps to think of asphalt paving as a long term investment. Properly installed, asphalt paving can last over 20 years. Saving a few hundred in the short term may cost you thousands of dollars down the road. Make sure you do your research and ask questions to make an educated and informed decision when choosing your asphalt contractor.

Choosing a Paving Contractor

Selecting a contractor for your asphalt or concrete driveway

Contractors come and go in the concrete and asphalt paving business. These 5 things will help you find the best contractor for your concrete or asphalt paving needs.

Search the web

Reputable asphalt paving companies will have a website. Search their services. Do they provide what you are looking for?

Do they have bad ratings? There are many sites that provide reviews from past customers. Every site may have one or two bad ratings, however if it seems they have many, you may want to look somewhere else.

Are there photos of the asphalt paving work they have done? Is it the type you are looking for?

Scheduling an appointment

Choose to meet the contractor in person. Many contractors will just send you an estimate on their own time, however it’s important to gather as much information and ask questions about your asphalt driveway while they are there.

Most asphalt paving companies will work with you to schedule a time that benefits you both.

Ask questions

Do they specialize in residential asphalt paving or do they do more concrete, brick paving, etc.

Are they properly insured? Most villages require only $100,000 in policy coverage for any asphalt paving company. However, because of liability issues, it’s always wiser to choose a contractor with at least $500,000-$2,000,000 in coverage.

Are they licensed and bonded with the village? The permit will not be issued unless they are.

Find out how long the company has been in business. 5yrs? 10yrs? 6 months?

Have them explain the asphalt paving process from start to finish. A good contractor will take the time and effort to educate and inform you.

Find out how long the asphalt paving process would take and their availability. The contractor should be able to schedule you at a reasonable date. Asphalt paving should be done when temperatures are at least above 50 degrees.

Ask for references

Request a list of completed projects from your contractor.

They should be able to provide you with addresses, names and phone numbers.

The lowest bid isn’t always the best

Review all your proposals. Do they give a clear description of the work to be performed?

Is there a guarantee? Most contractors will give a one year guarantee from the date of completion.

Are all your asphalt proposals comparable in price and quantities? If there is an extremely low estimate, there is probably a good reason why. Think “you get what you pay for”.

Are all the quantities in the proposal? Having as much detailed information on your proposals may help you in the event of complications.

Trust, experience, and accountability should be the deciding factor in choosing a contractor, not price.

Applying For A Permit For Your Driveway

Village requirements for asphalt and concrete paving Permit Application:

Many villages request that you apply for a permit prior to replacing your driveway.

You or your contractor may apply for the permit at the village hall.

Some villages will require a plat of survey from your residence.

Typical permits range from $40-$100, however prices may vary from village to village.

Permits typically take 1-14 days to obtain. Once the permit has been received, you must hang it at a visible location at all times during the construction process.

Pre-pour Inspection:

Pre-pour inspections typically require a 24-48 hour notice to the village.

After your driveway has been removed, an inspector from the village will make sure the base (gravel underneath your driveway) is compacted, graded, and to village requirements.

After the inspection has been completed, the inspector will approve or deny the contractor’s request to finish installing the driveway.

If the inspector does not approve the inspection, you or the contractor will have to schedule a re-inspection with the village or inspector.

Final Inspection

Upon completion of your driveway, you or your contractor should call for a final inspection.

The inspector will then inspect the driveway to see if it complies with village codes. Once he has approved, he will sign off on the permit as completed.

Keep your permit somewhere safe for your records.

What Is The Paving Process?

The paving process consist of three phases: Asphalt/Concrete Removal, Sub-base preparation, and Asphalt/Concrete Installation.

Asphalt / Concrete Removal

Saw-cuts are completed to protect any pavement to remain.

All asphalt/concrete will be removed by machines and laborers.

Old material is then hauled off site.

Sub-Base Preparation

The gravel (or Base) underneath the old pavement may need to be replaced.

The base is then graded and pitched for proper water drainage.

Once graded, the base is compacted prior to asphalt / concrete installation.

Asphalt / Concrete Installation

Asphalt or concrete is then installed over the compacted gravel base.

Asphalt is installed using a paving machine. Concrete is poured onto the pavement.

Asphalt is then rolled and compacted. While concrete is leveled, finished, and allowed to set.

Driveway Maintenance

Spending a little money on driveway maintenance can go a long way. In some cases, properly maintaining your driveway can almost double the life expectancy of your asphalt pavement. Below is a list of items you can do to get the most out of your driveway.

Sealcoat that driveway

When it comes to protecting your asphalt pavement, sealcoating is the best option. Benefits of Sealcoating

Protection against water, oxidation, uv rays, and other elements.

Gives your driveway that new look.

Fill those cracks

Over the years, one of the first things that happen to asphalt pavement is cracking. The causes of cracking include:

Compromised gravel underneath the asphalt

Excessive water exposure

Excessive weight loads on the pavement

Cracks can cause the following problems:

Gravel base deterioration

Cause shrubbery and weeds to grow

Additional cracks to spread

How often should I get it done?

It is always recommended to get your asphalt pavement sealcoated every 2-3 years. New asphalt pavement should be sealcoated after 6 months of installation to allow the new pavement to cure correctly.

Whats the cost?

The cost of sealcoating depends on the following:

The size of the pavement

The application type (Squeege, Brush, Spray)

The application rate of material

Prices can range from 10-20 cents per square foot of your driveway.

Whats the procedure?

The procedure of maintaining your driveway is as follows:

Cleaning of your pavement by broom and/or machine

Removal of all shrubbery and grass from existing cracks.

Crackfilling of all cracks 1/4″ to 1″ thick

All corners and difficult areas to reach should be sealed by hand.

Application of sealcoat to pavement

After the sealcoat has been applied, it is best to stay of the pavement for at least 24 hours.

What if I want to do myself?

For smaller driveways, it’s relatively inexpensive to complete yourself. Most of the supplies needed can be found at your local hardware store.

Items needed to do it yourself:

Push broom to clean your driveway off

Crackfiller – One gallons available

24″ squeegee / 24″ brush

5 gallon buckets of sealer

It’s usually a good idea to caution off your driveway upon completion.