It is not uncommon for asphalt contractors to receive phone calls from prospective customers who expect that the contractor can provide them with an accurate quote without knowing more than the approximate square footage of the proposed pavement. A well-experienced paving contractor may be able to give some ballpark figures, but until he or his representative can collect additional information, he can only offer a very rough estimate. There are several factors that the contractor must consider if he is to provide a valid quote, and these factors can vary widely between two projects having identical surface areas. Whether you need residential or commercial paving, if you have a basic understanding of the factors that can affect your costs, you will be in a better position to interpret the bid you receive from a contractor.
What Are the Overall Costs of Asphalt Paving?
How Thick Should the Asphalt Layer Be?
When an asphalt paving company calculates the cost of the asphalt for a job, it will base the cost on the cubic volume required before converting to tons. The contractor must know the length and width of the proposed pavement, but he must also know the depth. The correct thickness will depend on the weight of the traffic that the pavement will support, the number of vehicles using the pavement on an average day and other factors that are specific to the site.
Does the Terrain Present Challenges for Installing the Asphalt Pavement?
One factor that asphalt contractors will evaluate is the stability of the soil that will be under the pavement. If the soil has a high content of either sand or clay, the construction of the base and subbase may require additional work and expense. If runoff from surrounding properties could be an issue, the contractor may need to install additional drains, curbs or other features to ensure adequate drainage. If the contractor is to provide paving services for the construction of pavement on previously undeveloped land, he must also evaluate the cost of clearing or leveling the site.
How Complex Is the Design of the Pavement?
It is almost always easier and cheaper to install pavement on flat, open ground. However, whether due to aesthetics, environmental considerations or engineering practicalities, it is sometimes necessary to build pavements that have steep slopes or numerous twists and turns. As a general rule, pavements that rise and fall, have sharp curves or follow a meandering path will cost more than a similar pavement that is flat or straight.
What Are Some Additional Factors to Consider?
Your paving contractor will probably want to discuss several aspects of your project that could affect your costs. He will also need to conduct a little research on his own. Some common additional factors include the following.
• How far is the asphalt production plant from your site? Transportation costs include wages for the drivers and fuel for the trucks.
• How far is your site from the contractor’s yard? He will need to consider mobilization costs, which include moving his equipment to your site, transporting his crew and travel time.
• What type of asphalt do you want? Asphalt is available in various forms, including traditional hot mix and porous. Also, the percentage of recycled material can vary. Different types carry different prices.
• Is your site fully accessible? The contractor must be able to get his equipment and materials to the site safely. Access roads and bridges must be wide enough and strong enough to support heavy loads.
If you have any questions about installing, repairing or maintaining your pavement, feel free to contact us. Alpha Paving is an Austin based, full-service asphalt and concrete contractor offering a wide range of paving services, including asphalt pavement construction, asphalt overlay, concrete installation, asphalt repairs, asphalt sealcoating, concrete repairs, parking lot striping, asphalt road construction, asphalt crack repair, street maintenance, asphalt milling, and speed bump installation. We frequently provide our services to subdivisions, municipalities, HOAs, counties, shopping centers, hotels, restaurants, industrial facilities, airports, religious institutions, health care facilities, office complexes, retailers and apartment complexes. We are committed to providing exceptional workmanship at competitive rates, have an impeccable reputation and strive to exceed every customer’s expectations on every job. You can request a free consultation or quote by submitting the online form or calling 512-677-9001.
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