Asphalt paved driveways are extremely popular and the most cost
effective to install over most other driveway options. Hiring
the right asphalt paving contractor however can sometimes be a
challenge. If the paving contractor installs the asphalt
driveway correctly the driveway should last 25-30 years with
only minor maintenance.
Unlike concrete, an asphalt paved driveway is both strong and
flexible and is ideal for colder temperature zones where
constant freezing and thawing occur.
Asphalt paving, also known as Hot Mix Asphalt paving, consists
of an aggregate of stone and sand mixed with liquid asphalt
cement. The aggregate is carefully mixed and heated prior to
being mixed with liquid asphalt. The mixture needs to be
delivered to the job site hot else your newly paved driveway
will not cure properly.
In order to ensure a quality paved driveway it is critical that
the paving contractor first properly prepare the driveway for
the Hot Mix Asphalt. Preparation includes removing topsoil or
clay type soil and replacing it with a sub-base layer of crushed
stone and gravel.
A typical asphalt paving job consists of the application of two
layers of Hot Mix Asphalt over the sub-base layer. In some cases
a paving contractor may suggest a full-depth asphalt
application. This type of application is best if very heavy
vehicles will be regularly parked on the driveway. With a
full-depth asphalt application the entire driveway, including
the gravel sub-base layer, is constructed using liquid asphalt
cement. By additionally binding the sub-base gravel layer with
the liquid asphalt cement a much stronger paved driveway is
created.
When hiring any contractor you should plan on getting 3-4 quotes
to get the best comparison of workmanship and price. Talk with
friends and family members, as well as search the yellow pages
or the internet to find local paving contractors in your area.
With any contractor you hire, make sure they are insured and
bonded to protect you from any liability as well as to protect
you from any sub-par performance on the contractor’s behalf.
Lead times for paving a driveway can be up to several weeks, so
plan appropriately when talking with your prospective paving
contractors.
In order to obtain accurate quotes from the asphalt driveway
paving contractors it is best to have a sketch of the home and
the desired driveway footprint. You should also walk the site
with the paving contractor and have him or you stake or paint
lines where the paved driveway is to lay.
When talking to the prospective paving contractors make sure the
subject of installing proper slopes and drainage is discussed.
Otherwise you may wind up with water pooling on the finished
driveway, or even worse, draining into your garage or home.
It is also critical that during the installation of all the
various layers to the driveway that they are each compacted
prior to the installation of the next layer of material. Quoted
depths should be after compaction, not before.
Also, if there are any municipal pipes that need to be raised to
the finished height of the driveway, find out if the paving
contractors’ quotes include performing this task.
In addition, confirm that the contractor will remove and
reinstall any type of gate or door to the new finished level of
the paved driveway.
With these few basic tips you are on your way to hiring the
right paving contractor for your driveway.
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