When you hire the right paving company, your new asphalt pavement will be smooth, attractive, and long-lasting. If you hire the wrong contractor, however, your new pavement could have a lumpy, unattractive finish, and it could begin to show signs of distress within just a few months. To find the right asphalt paving company, you should solicit quotes from several reputable companies. As you interview your leading candidates, ask the following questions to help you make sure that you select the best contractor.
What Type of Asphalt Paving Jobs Do You Typically Handle?
Austin asphalt paving companies can specialize in certain jobs. For example, one asphalt company may only accept jobs for installing an asphalt overlay, while another asphalt contractor may specialize in the construction of suburban driveways. You want to select a paving contractor with substantial experience in jobs that are similar in size, complexity, and technique.
Are Your Workers Employees or Day Laborers?
You want to be an asphalt contractor whose workers are company employees. Whether the company focuses on asphalt sealcoating, new construction, or asphalt repairs, it is highly likely that its employees will have more experience, have the proper safety gear, and have the training that they need than typical day laborers. Furthermore, contractors must cover employees under their workers’ compensation insurance, and this helps protect you if someone is injured on your property.
Does Your Asphalt Paving Company Own Its Equipment?
Paving equipment is expensive, with some pieces costing more than $100,000. Therefore, Austin asphalt paving contractors tend to maintain their equipment properly to reduce the likelihood that a critical piece could break down in the middle of a job. If a company rents its equipment, the needed piece might not be available when the contractor is ready for it, or it could be so poorly maintained that it is incapable of delivering quality results.
Do You Have Proof of Insurance Coverage?
In addition to a workers’ comp policy that covers every employee who will visit or work on your property, your paving contractor should have vehicle liability insurance as well as a general liability policy. Look for an asphalt company that has a general liability policy with a limit of at least $500,000. Some companies also carry umbrella policies that will kick in if the customer’s losses exceed the limits on the other types of insurance.
Can You Furnish References?
Ask for a list of customers for whom the contractor has completed a project similar to yours. The list should include the name and phone number of the person to contact, and you should definitely call each reference. The list should also include the address where the work was performed; if possible, drive by the sites to see the contractor’s work with your own eyes.
Do You Provide Detailed Quotes?
All quotes need to be in writing, but that doesn’t mean that you should accept a quote that consists of a total price scrawled on a piece of scrap paper. You need an itemized quote that details the type and quantity of material to be used, the depth of the asphalt, the square footage of the area to be paved, the cost of labor, and a tentative start and end date. The quote form should be signed and dated by the estimator or contractor, and all contact information for the company should be included with the quote. Unless you can compare every line item, you will have trouble discerning which quote is offering the best value. Comparing the details can help you tell whether every contractor is quoting the same job. For example, an extremely high bid could indicate that the contractor misunderstood the scope of the job, while an extremely low bid could indicate that the contractor plans to cut some corners, deliver a thinner pavement, or forgot to include all costs.
Trust RDC Paving for Superior Results at Competitive Prices
If you are responsible for a pavement in Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, San Marcos, Georgetown, Leander, or Pflugerville, you can count on our professional team to provide you with exceptional work at reasonable prices. We offer asphalt and concrete paving, asphalt overlay installation, driveway paving, concrete and asphalt repairs, parking lot striping, asphalt milling, parking lot maintenance, asphalt crack repairs, concrete wheel stops, and asphalt sealcoating. You can request a free quote by completing the online form, or you can reach our Hutto office by calling 512-920-9155.
