Sound financial management of any commercial property makes all the difference to your year end P and L statement. If your parking lot, access road, ramp, driveway or private road may be approaching the need for major repair, take a few minutes to read up on your options before calling in vendors for consultation or bid. While your asphalt paving repair project may look daunting from the surface, if you have caught it early enough you may be pleased to read on.

 

With the ever-changing seasonal temperature extremes in the GTA, roads, parking surfaces and access ramps often develop swells, sags, depressions, or bumps on their surface. This causes safety concerns for vehicles and their passengers as well as pedestrians. Block cracking or alligator cracking are also symptoms of pavement wear that you’ll want to address before turning to more expensive solutions with limited options. Early education and using time to your advantage will save you thousands in the long run.

 

Uncovering the Problem

Like most things in life, treating the surface problem without understanding the root cause of the problem will only be a 'band-aid' for a short time, and in all likelihood, it will cost you much more in the long run. If you are going out to bid on the project, press your pavement repair vendors to provide a detailed synopsis of the problem and recommend any additional layering, grading, drainage or others preventative measures. If possible, review for any unusual load patterns beyond normal expectations. Ensure that all catch basins are in proper functioning order. If there is premature wear, finding the cause is worth the investment in time and effort. 

Asphalt Milling vs. Total Reconstruction

If the pavement service is littered with linear cracking, alligator cracking, or minor sunken areas are deepening, the job may require only a single layer asphalt repair. By Mill Grinding specific areas of your parking or drive space the cost savings can be substantial. It’s important to remember that any asphalt area can be re-surfaced with new asphalt multiple times over the years, so if function is much higher on your priority list than aesthetic, then insist on quotes for both milling and total pavement reconstruction if the vendor is pushing you toward a reconstruction.

 

Ongoing Maintenance

After you have decided what the repair plan is, ask your chosen vendor to provide a cost-benefit analysis of on-going preventative maintenance and light repairs. If you’ve fixed the root problem, the chances are that light maintenance will be enough to maintain the aesthetic and functional value of the paved property. An effective and current Pavement Management Plan is just as effective at early detection as regular visits to the doctor. And long term thinking will always get you the best result. Find a contractor with a great service guarantee and a list of testimonials.

 

If you have established a long term relationship with a pavement solution provider, insist that they offer you a lengthy guarantee on their work as consideration for your loyalty as a customer. Ask all the right questions up front – especially their scheduling flexibility to suit your customers, visitors or tenants.

 

If they think like a customer, you’ll see it right away, and know you have chosen the right vendor for your pavement management needs.