Road repair projects aren’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you need to fill a few potholes or an entire city block, the asphalt you use can make all the difference.
Hardware stores can offer good pothole patch products, but their inventories change and often run out. Paving contractors can save money and time by producing their asphalt on-site.
Reputation
The reputation of your asphalt supplier will directly impact your paving project. You should always choose a reputable company with a strong standing in the community and a history of satisfied clients. Additionally, you should select a company committed to using high-quality materials, such as EZ street asphalt, as this will ensure the longevity of your asphalt pavement.
Purchasing an asphalt plant can help businesses increase profitability by controlling their supply. Contractors who own their asphalt plants avoid paying for transportation, reducing the time spent waiting for deliveries and operating trucks. This also helps contractors lay more asphalt in a shorter period.
High-Quality Materials
Asphalt repair jobs aren’t one-size-fits-all, so you must carefully consider what type of asphalt you use for each job. Choosing the wrong material can lead to temporary pothole fixes and wasted budgets. Whether you buy bagged or bulk asphalt, it’s important to work with high-quality materials that will last the project and provide a solid surface.
Asphalt isn’t just one thing; it combines many ingredients like aggregates, fillers, and binders. The best asphalt suppliers will ensure that all these ingredients are of the highest quality. Aggregates are the skeleton of asphalt, and their quality is critical for the strength and durability of the finished product. They should be hard, durable, clean, and free of absorbed chemicals or coatings that could affect their adhesion with the asphalt binder.
Experience
The supplier’s experience with similar projects will determine their ability to understand and meet your expectations. If the supplier has little or no experience, it may be difficult for them to manage your project effectively and complete the work on time.
An experienced contractor should be able to provide references and show you examples of their work. They should also have a contractor license and workers’ compensation insurance. If they are hesitant to provide these, you are likely dealing with an inexperienced asphalt company.
As an asphalt paving contractor, your top priorities are providing high-quality service and customer satisfaction. However, it is often easy to neglect reputation management when juggling the demands of your clients and your team. Neglecting to collect online reviews proactively is one of the most costly mistakes a paving contractor can make.
Warranty
The warranty offered by your asphalt supplier can be a big deal. It is important to know what it covers and does not cover. This will help you decide if this type of warranty is the right fit for your needs.
Most paving contractors offer a 1-year warranty on their work. This is for material and workmanship. The warranties do not cover damage caused by sharp-turning tires, gas or oil spills, and the natural oxidation of the asphalt surface. They also do not cover the formation of low spots or divots in the new pavement from the heavy weight of campers, boats, and trailers. Underground wires, pipes, utilities, culverts, weeds, and inadequate sub-base installation are not covered by warranties. Long-term performance warranties are becoming more prevalent in the highway paving industry. These warranties shift responsibility from the agency to the contractor and have been documented to reduce life cycle costs significantly.
