Most paving contractors advise their customers to apply asphalt sealcoating before their new pavements are a year old. After the initial application, a new sealant should be applied every two or three years. When you are collecting bids for sealing your pavement, keep in mind that the cheapest bid is not always the best or the most cost-effective.
What Is Sealcoating?
Sealcoat is a combination of oils, minerals, sand, and water. When sealants are applied to asphalt pavements, the oils in the sealant help replenish the oils in the pavement to help prevent premature drying and deterioration. The sealant will fill in small voids and hairline cracks to make the surface appear more even, and it will also restore the color to asphalt that has been faded by the sun. Sealants help prevent damage from chemicals, traffic, and UV rays.
Why Do Bids for Houston Sealcoating Vary?
If you have ever collected bids for any type of construction project, you may have found that one bid was much higher than the rest, one proposal was much lower, and the rest of the proposals were within a few dollars of each other. You may find the same thing when you ask several parking lot maintenance companies to provide quotes for sealing your asphalt pavement. If you receive one bid that is significantly lower than the others, there is rarely a legitimate reason for the lowball quote. Most of the time, a ridiculously low bid is a warning that something is not right.
When Choosing a Contractor to Sealcoat a Pavement, What Might a Lowball Bid Indicate?
There are many reasons why an asphalt contractor might issue an unreasonably low bid. Look for differences in material costs and labor hours, and make sure that you investigate the contractor’s insurance and reputation.
How Much Should the Cost of Sealcoat Materials Vary Between Quotes?
The first thing you should understand is that reputable paving companies pay virtually identical sealcoat mixes, sand, and other materials. Therefore, the line item for materials should be very close. If one contractor is quoting a much lower material cost, he may be using an inferior product or planning to use excessive water in the mix. His quote could also reflect fewer coats or fewer square feet. Ensure that every contractor is quoting identical products, the same number of coats, and the same square footage.
Should Labor Hours Vary Between Quotes From Sealcoat Contractors?
Like material costs, the hours of labor should be in the same neighborhood. Although there is some variation in the wages paid by contractors, the total hours should not vary a great deal. Whether the contractor is charging for 10 employees for 20 hours each or 20 employees for 10 hours each, the total hours would still be 200. If most of your bids show that contractors expect your job will require 50 hours of labor, a contractor quoting 20 hours of labor is either bidding on a different scope or planning to take some unwise shortcuts. Be sure that you are comparing labor hours rather than the total cost for labor.
How Might a Contractor’s Insurance Affect His Quote to Sealcoat a Pavement?
Contractors who carry workers’ comp, general liability, and vehicle liability insurance policies must pay for them. This increases the contractor’s overhead and decreases his profits. If a contractor does not have insurance, he can charge a lower rate for the job. However, if one of his workers sprays sealant on cars parked in your lot, injures himself on your property, or is responsible for damage to your landscaping or building, you could be left to foot the bill.
How Could a Contractor’s Reputation Affect His Quote for a Houston Sealcoating Job?
Not every contractor offering asphalt paving services earns high praise from his or her customers. Some contractors botch jobs, mislead customers, refuse to stand behind their work, or commit other acts that destroy their reputation. With the prevalence of online forums and rating sites, the word can quickly get around that a particular contractor is untrustworthy. Many disreputable contractors simply dissolve one business to reopen under a different name. However, there is often a period in between earning a bad reputation and reorganizing under a new name during which the contractor will struggle to revitalize his reputation. He may be willing to take a loss on a few jobs if he thinks he can get the customers to provide him with great reviews. Unfortunately, you cannot be guaranteed that his work will be any better on your job than on his previous jobs. Furthermore, if he is on the verge of closing down his business, you cannot count on him to remedy the situation if problems with his work become apparent in a month or two.
For Exceptional Asphalt Paving Services, Trust Marathon Solutions Group
Marathon Solutions is a Houston based pavement maintenance contractor, and we offer an extensive range of paving services. Our parking lot maintenance services include sealcoating, thermoplastic markings, traffic signs, pavement marking removal, parking lot striping and pavement marking, and concrete repair. We also offer asphalt milling and resurfacing, structural reconstruction, drainage improvements, and asphalt paving. We are known for the extremely high quality of our work and our dedication to customer satisfaction. For a free quote, complete the online form or call 800-879-1147.
