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How to Hire an Asphalt Driveway Paving Contractor
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 Connecticut paving 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.
For more help on how to hire an Asphalt Driveway
Paving Contractor, see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Asphalt Driveway Paving Bid sheet.
The Asphalt Driveway Paving Bid Sheet will help ensure that your hire the right
contractor so that your driveway is paved correctly and you get the finished
driveway you are looking for. In addition, it will help to ensure that
installation of your driveway will be accomplished on time and on budget.
Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home,
building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com
and
http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com
If you are looking for a professional Connecticut asphalt paving company, please call us today at 203-579-2407 or complete our online submission form.
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