Your asphalt parking lot and other pavements represent a significant investment, so you naturally want to get the most value for your money. You want to make sure that you have the funds available to have a contractor install a high-quality pavement, but you also know that your pavement will need to be maintained. Unless you have created an asphalt paving budget many times in the past, you may not be certain of how to make sure that the budget you create is right for your needs. Fortunately, there are ways to simplify the process.

Where Do I Start When Creating an Asphalt Paving Budget?

Before you can determine an appropriate budget, you need to know what you currently have and what you want to have. The services of a reputable and highly experienced asphalt contractor can be invaluable to help you evaluate your existing pavement and make recommendations for your future needs. Naturally, you will want to solicit bids from more than one asphalt paving company before you sign a contract.

What Should My Asphalt Contractor Evaluate When Assessing My Existing Pavement?

Typically, contractors ask clients a number of questions related to their current asphalt paving before conducting a physical assessment.

1. When was your asphalt paving installed?
2. Which routine maintenance procedures has the pavement received on a regular basis?
3. How frequently has the pavement needed an asphalt repair to mend a pothole or alligator cracking?
4. How old was the pavement before it needed an asphalt repair other than a crack repair?
5. Has a paving company ever resurfaced your pavement?
6. Have you noticed any pools of water remaining on your pavement after the rest of the pavement has dried?

Your contractor will then perform a visual inspection of your pavement. Cracks, ruts, smooth spots, oil stains, loose gravel, surface depressions, edge cracks, and other defects will be noted. Your contractor may also want to perform a soil test to verify that the subgrade is not shifting or subsiding.

When Making Recommendations for My Asphalt Paving Budget, What Information Does My Contractor Need?

In addition to the answers to the questions in the previous section, your contractor is going to need you to provide the following information.

1. How will you use your pavement? For example, do you need a parking lot that can support a high volume of fully loaded tractor-trailers, or will the lot only be used for employee parking?
2. What volume of traffic do you expect on an average day? If your pavement will support a variety of vehicles, can you provide a rough estimate of how many of each type you expect daily?
3. What type of asphalt mix do you prefer? A paving company can choose from a variety of asphalt mixes. For example, porous asphalt allows water to pass through the pavement and into the ground below, and some mixes contain a higher percentage of recycled asphalt. Be sure to discuss the pros and cons of each type with your contractor. If your contractor recommends a particular type, be sure to ask why this type is considered the best one for your project.

What Other Information Is Needed Before Preparing My Asphalt Paving Budget?

The final phase is to collect information on the paving services that you will need in the future.

1. How often do I need to sealcoat my pavement? Most asphalt paving companies recommend sealcoating no later than 12 months after a pavement is constructed or an overlay is installed. Thereafter, most parking lots need a fresh application approximately every two years.
2. How often should I schedule routine inspections? If feasible, you or one of your employees should conduct an inspection every month or two. Even if you do this, it would be a good idea to schedule professional inspections twice a year. Frequent inspections help you identify and correct tiny issues before they turn into problems.
3. How often should I schedule crack repairs? Many types of damage can trace their source to an unrepaired crack. Cracks let water get under the surface of the pavement, work its way to the foundation, and weaken the base layers. Asphalt crack repairs are relatively inexpensive, especially when the damage is caught early. The best schedule is to repair any new cracks in the fall and again in the spring.
4. How often should I schedule a patching operation to repair damage? It is a bit difficult to predict when you might need to repair a pothole or alligator cracking. In general, the better you maintain an asphalt pavement, the less likely it is to need a patch. Your asphalt contractor will have the pertinent information, including the asphalt thickness and the maintenance the pavement has received, to offer an informed estimate.

Marathon Solutions provides commercial paving services to clients in the greater Houston area as well as selected locations in Oklahoma. Our paving services include asphalt paving, asphalt resurfacing, asphalt milling, asphalt sealcoating, asphalt crack repair, pavement repair, parking lot striping, parking lot restriping, thermoplastic markings, concrete installation, concrete repair, parking lot signage, marking removal, bollard installation, concrete ADA work, concrete sidewalks, concrete ramps, concrete curbs, and concrete parking lots. We are a highly respected company known for exemplary service and exceptional craftsmanship. Contact us today to request a free job quote. You can submit the online form, email Sales@Marathon-Solutions.com, or call 800-879-1147.