Construction of Asphalted Surfaces - How to Choose A Contractor

Are you planning to hire a contractor who will take charge of the construction of a drive way, parking lot or a tennis court for you? You need to be prepared to spend good money on this project in order to ensure that the surface that is created lasts very long and does not give you any trouble. However, are you certain that the contractor you are planning to hire is a reliable one? The following tips will help you select one who will do the job for you in the best manner possible.

At the very outset, you need to check whether the construction company has the necessary expertise and equipment to get the job done. Asphalting a surface, even one as short as your driveway, is a complicated job involving various processes. If the contractor is not able to handle the job properly then the surface that is created will not last very long.

At the same time, there is a possibility that well established and popular businesses will not be able to give you the level of attention you require. You should only give your business to a company whose representative takes the time out to understand what your specific needs are and also whether your property has any unique problems. This will ensure that you are offered a solution that matches your needs.

Make sure that you deal with a company that is known for sticking to precise timelines. The last thing you need is a construction crew stationed on your property for days on end. The company you give your contract to should be able to inform you in writing regarding the completion date of the project. You will also get a good idea about a company's level of professionalism from its ability to stick to a schedule. It is also a very good idea to enquire whether the contractor has taken the necessary insurances that will protect you in the event of any accident whilst the work is going on in your property.

Feel free to ask the company for any references of clients for whom it has done work in the past. If the construction company is hesitant about sharing this information then you have every reason to be suspicious about the quality of services it offers. If you choose your contractor based upon these tips then you can be sure that you will be satisfied with the results of its work.

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More Than Just Price - Choosing a Paving Contractor to Install Your Driveway

Paving an asphalt driveway may seem like a simple task to some people. Basically you just get a couple of companies out of the phone book to give you an estimate and then pick the cheapest one right? Well, not if you're concerned about the craftsmanship or making sure you get what you pay for. This is the number one mistake people make when choosing a contractor. Before you call any company do some research first. Information is readily available 24 hours a day on the web. Stay away from people that knock on your door. You will never ever get a good job from someone telling you he has an extra load of asphalt from a job up the street. These people are called travelers and never deliver on what they promise. There is plenty of info on the web regarding these types of people.

Try to zero in on companies that specialize in residential asphalt drives. Commercial contractors excel in putting down lots of asphalt really fast, but usually fall short of a homeowner's expectations when it comes to details. Review a company's website, check them against the BBB or other reporting agencies, and compare your notes about your research. When you look at their website, be sure to pay really close attention to the details you find both in the content and in the pictures on the site. You want to see what kind of work they are capable of, and you want to be confident they fully know what they are doing. You'll also be able to make sure they have adequate equipment if they have good pictures. Once you have 1-3 good companies with a clean history and a good reputation now is the time to talk to them and request a bid. Always get a written proposal. This makes sure both parties' expectations are clear and known. It also helps protect you if a legal matter ensues.

When reviewing the bids pay close attention to the entire proposal; including the letterhead that it's composed on. Sloppiness or inadequacies on paper now may be what you'll get on your asphalt driveway too. Be sure that everything you expect from your paving project is included in the scope. Make sure you understand everything that is taking place. Be sure you understand how the job will be scheduled, how thick the driveway will be after the asphalt is compacted, how much rock will be installed prior to paving, and the dimensions or square footage. Signing a contract means you have accepted what is in writing. If something is left out, make sure you get an amended contract.

Before you sign a contract you should take some time and use good judgment to compare the estimates. Price should never be your number one concern. We'll discuss price in a moment. Take an opportunity to ask a contractor for referrals that best match the design of your job. Some companies keep a cheat sheet of their best referrals, but you should insist they provide you with 1-2 jobs nearby that best match your own asphalt driveway. You want this because you should be inclined to physically investigate what kind of work they do. Ask about jobs they might be doing in the area so you can personally witness them while in action.

How do you know what to look for when looking at a referral driveway that a company has already completed? Here are a few great tips that will bring you up to an educated level.

· Check all the transitional areas such as sidewalks, garage floors, and streets. These should all be flush, with no bump, and should have the proper thickness. Without these details you will see water problems, or unraveling of the asphalt. These symptoms only get worse as time goes on.

· Streaking or pock marks are a good indicator of a thin surface. This happens when there is not enough material to encapsulate the larger stones while paving. The larger stones will tumble and cause imperfections in the surface, or "mat".

· Seams and joints should be flush with each other, and barely visible (if at all) to an untrained eye. Seams and joints that are severely visible or are not evenly matched will fail prematurely.

· Exposed edges of the perimeter should be properly constructed. This is where most companies sink or swim. You should pay most of your attention here. Stand back and carefully look at the edges from a distant point of view. You should observe several aspects: The edges should be either in a perfectly straight line, or consistently "flowing" with the turns. The edges should be properly shaped, beveled, or tamped in a consistent looking 60 degree angle. The edges should be compacted properly without looking "squashed" from the top. Without these characteristics you will have problems later and it just doesn't look as good as it should.

· If you look at the job after a rainstorm, be sure there is no considerable ponding, or puddling of water. If you do see water spots you can quickly deduce if they are too deep by measuring them with a coin placed flat in the water. The water should not be deeper than the coin.

· Last but not least, if the driveway was paved recently look for trash or debris left behind. This will indicate the level of cleanliness the crew is at.

You should really focus on the importance of inspecting past jobs by the company before spending your own money on having your asphalt driveway paved. By printing out this guide you can take it with you to create a checklist to write notes and comparisons on. Once you have done this, talk to the home owner and ask how their experience was with the firm. If you are diligent about researching your contractors prior to hiring them, you nearly eliminate the chance of getting a bad asphalt driveway. It's your money, be sure it's well spent.

Certainly ask your contractor about asphalt prices. Since early 2008 prices have gone up and down every month (typically up). Most paving contractors will not absorb a price increase. You and your contractor need to be in agreement with what will happen in the case of rising material costs.

Since we are on the topic of price now, let's explore a few matters. There are a few ways of eliminating contractors before price. Be sure they are completely aware of your expectations. Have they presented you with a solution that gives you the absolute best return on investment? Does their reputation meet what you are looking for? If you have done your homework and still are lucky enough to have several contractors to choose from, price now becomes an important focus. Ask about available discounts. Typically, discounts are usually for cash payment, multiple jobs done at once (i.e. neighbor also needs a driveway), senior citizen, or repeat work. Also inquire about getting free or discounted maintenance packages once they have completed your driveway. Ask about including other options such as crack barrier or curbing at a lesser amount. Before asking a contractor to directly drop his price, be aware of several things. If you have found a very good contractor, chances are they are very passionate about their work and may feel a bit insulted if asked to match another company's price. If you ask them to match a price and they feel as though their competition is as good as they are, a price reduction might be made to try to satisfy you. Be very considerate when asking for a direct reduction. These days it's very expensive and stressful to operate a successful paving operation. The last thing you want to do is cause your contractor stress that may influence how your driveway is constructed.

Creve Coeur Paving: A St. Louis based; family owned paving company focused on delivering the best possible solutions for its clients. Motivated by the company's highly regarded work ethic, it's owners and employees have been striving for perfection in paving for over thirty years. "Our Reputation Rides On Our Service." Contact: Richard Dinkela II, Operations Creve Coeur Paving 314-427-3303 http://www.ccpstl.com

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Sealcoating Extends The Life Of Asphalt

 

Sealcoating provides versatility, rapid usability, and aesthetic value, while correcting minor deficiencies in the pavement surface and preventing further deterioration. Sealcoating has the ability to increase the life of your pavement and save money by preventing minor problems from turning into major ones. It is also more eco-friendly and less expensive than many other systems.

Many existing deficiencies with aged pavements such as cracking, raveling, loss of profile and/or loss of traction due to flushing or polishing of aggregates, can be corrected with a proper application of a sealcoat.

Sealcoat is applied to asphalt to seal the pavement surface and protect it from the degradation caused by sunlight, oxidation, and water, and to act as a shield against drippings such as oil and gasoline. Sealcoat also beautifies the pavement by providing a smooth, black, even surface ideal for painting lines and sweeping. On older pavements, seal coating can replace fine particles lost from the asphalt surface while sealing small cracks before they become larger, protecting the supporting base material from water intrusion.

Sealcoats typically last between 3-5 years.

Handicapped Parking Compliance

Vaca Vet Striping can help you have the handicapped parking areas to be properly marked and in compliance. Give us a call for a free estimate at 707-592-8331

Five Tips For Choosing a Paving Contractor

If you own commercial property, you know that well-maintained parking lots, sidewalks and driveways are critical to maintaining your company's positive image with your customers as well as the general public. Faded striping, crumbling concrete and poorly-laid asphalt are simply not acceptable. Not all paving contractors are created equal, so in these days of shrinking budgets and razor-thin profit margins it's especially important to choose wisely the first time. Here are five tips.

1. Go with a company that is licensed, bonded and insured for your own protection. You only want to deal with professionals who are recognized by the state in which you live and who carry adequate liability insurance for every job.

2. All-inclusive services: You don't want to use one company for sidewalks and another for your driveways or parking lots. For the sake of expediency and simplicity, choose one all-purpose provider whom you can count on for all your paving needs and not just a few.

3. Experience matters: Whether your needs are simple or complicated and involved, you want to partner with a company that is experienced in handling any situation. When choosing between a new company and a seasoned one, go with experience every time. References should always be available upon request.

4. Flexibility: If you run a busy business with constant or near-constant traffic moving in and out of your property during business hours, you simply cannot afford any disruption to your normal workflow. A good paving contractor will be flexible and willing to work during off-hours for your convenience.

5. On-time guarantee: You can't afford to have any paving job drag on for weeks and weeks. Choose a contractor who guarantees not to leave the job until it is done and is committed to doing it in the shortest amount of time possible.

We ( http://ascreteinc.com/ ) have been one of the premier paving Houston Texas maintenance contractors in the Houston area. Our experience in the paving industry has given us an in-depth knowledge and solution for almost all paving problems.

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"Vaca Vet Striping Did A Great Job..." - A Testimonal

"Vaca Vet Striping did a great job on our parking lot here at Kelly Moore Paints in Vacaville."  

- Joseph H.  

Vaca Vet Striping understands the importance of quality asphalt maintenance and the importance of leaving a lasting impression to prospective tenants, home buyers, customers and the general public.

V.V.S. strives to provide quality work and great service at an affordable cost. We provide services in Solano, Napa, Yolo and Sacramento counties. Our services include city, county, and state roads, highways, airports, commercial parking lots, driveways and racetracks.

The Importance of Parking Lot Line Painting and Pavement Marking

In business today it's important to be professional. This includes the upkeep of property maintenance inside and outside of the business. Parking lot line painting is one of the most important aspects of external property maintenance and this article explains three excellent reasons why.

1) Appearance

The parking lot of a business acts as a welcome mat for customers and can often act as a first impression to new clients. If the parking lot pavement markings are worn and barely visible it may give the impression to some clients that the owners are irresponsible or that they don't care about the way their property looks. Parking lots simply look better with a fresh coat of high grade traffic paint on the stall lines, handicap symbols, arrows, speed bumps and any other pavement markings the lot might have. When line painting is done it allows that mat to say "welcome" again.

2) Parking Organization

If there is no visible lines to indicate parking spaces in a parking lot, people will park anywhere and everywhere they can fit their vehicle. This is not good since it increases the chance of people getting boxed in and unable to get out of the lot. When parked vehicles are in disarray it can also increase the chance of dings and scratches to vehicles if navigation around the lot is tight and difficult. Parking stalls and drive lanes have regulated sizes for these reasons and a nicely painted lot keeps the parked traffic organized and moving vehicles can be driven through the area safely and easily.

3) Space Maximization

I can't count the number of times I've seen 20 vehicles in a "full" parking lot that could easily fit 24 or 25 automobiles if it had been given the correct line painting job done. It doesn't seem like much but let's say it's a restaurant that averages $50.00 per bill. That adds up to about $200.00 - $250.00 in revenue. This to me would be the most frustrating parking problem for the business owner since most of the time if people can't park at the establishment, they don't shop there either. Painting proper stall lines allows optimal space maximization that fits as many vehicles as the parking lot can safely manage.

These are three basic problems that can be easily avoided if the correct pavement markings are applied to the lot. As long as parking lot line painting is done by professionals it can be one of the quickest and effective aspects of external property maintenance.

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Is Your Parking Lot ADA Compliant?

Accessible parking spaces to be 9’-0” wide with adjacent 5’-0” wide aisle on passenger side. Perimeter of access aisle to be painted blue. Within border hatched lines at 36” on center. “NO PARKING” to be painted in each access aisle in 12” high letters.

Source: http://ada.ashdownarch.com/?p=78

If your parking lot is not, or if you're not sure, give Vaca Vet Striping a call! 707.592.8331 

We specialize in striping for shopping centers, business complexes, apartments, and private roadways. Whether you have a small job of just two parking stalls or a multi-acre parking facility, V.V.S. will provide professional and timely work.

How its Made - Paving Asphalt

Learn how Paving Asphalt is made.

Show created by Gabriel Hoss.

Preparation for a Driveway Paving Project

Home driveways take extensive abuse, and over time it's common for this pathway to become worn. When it's time to update, you will want to schedule a professional paving project to ensure quality work.

Learn what is involved in this process and how to prepare for it.

Plan for Success

Installing a new driveway is a significant construction project, requiring the assistance of a professional contractor. For optimal results, the contractor will need to plan the route and width of the pathway. Any curves must be gradual to ensure the correct result. Grading is also important to ensure that water moves off the surface correctly. Drainage channels can assist with proper water movement. A guest parking area may also be a desired feature.

Material Options

You have a variety of materials to consider for your project. Asphalt and concrete are the most common materials. However, there are other options to consider. Pavers have a variety of benefits because they offer many color options, and they drain effectively. Pervious concrete provides specific drainage benefits because this material actually absorbs water.

Preparatory Steps

After the planning stage, it's time to prepare for the project. Machinery will remove any existing surface, and the contractor will assess the existing gravel base to determine whether it is usable. It's likely that the crew will add additional gravel to achieve the proper elevation, and a compactor will compact the gravel. The crew will then install stakes and side forms along the perimeter.

The Installation Process

Installation of the material will be the next step. The contractor will pay special attention to match surface heights if necessary. For example, if you have a sidewalk or garage slab that connects to the driveway, the new surface must come to the correct height in relation to these other areas.

Maintenance Tips

After the expense and production of a paving project to install a new driveway, maintenance will be an important task to protect your investment. Get specific instructions from the contractor so you know issues to watch for and tasks that you need to perform. The surface material you select will determine how you maintain the driveway. The timing of installation and your geographic location will also be factors in ongoing maintenance.

Sealant on the surface can be an effective measure for keeping your driveway attractive. Your geographic location will determine how often you need to reapply sealant. In general, most experts recommend resealing a driveway every two years or when you begin to notice wear. If stains occur, remove them as quickly as possible. Spills such as gas or oil can result in permanent stains that discolor the surface. If you live in an area that receives snow and ice, minimize the use of deicing chemicals on your driveway as these products contain chemicals that harm surfaces and contribute to excessive wear.

After completing paving work, take simple steps to keep your investment looking beautiful.

When looking for paving, Dedham, MA residents consult Bannon Paving. To learn more, visit http://www.bannonpaving.com/Services/.

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