
Choosing the Best-value Vendor for Your Asphalt Paving Repair Project!
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.
Proactively Spot Asphalt Problems
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.