New Construction

We can overlay existing pavement or we can perform new construction from the ground up.
Asphalt Paving  |  Concrete Paving

Asphalt Paving

Asphalt Paving is traditionally 60-80% less per SF than Concrete Paving which is an obvious up-front benefit. The maintenance on asphalt surfaces in low traffic areas (Driveways/Parking Lots) occur every 3-5 years and usually cost about 10% or less of new construction. It is recommended that a newly paved asphalt job receive its first sealcoat within the first 12-18 months.

The real strength and long-term performance of any Asphalt project comes from a good subgrade and base stone layer. The simple proverb rings true, “The foolish man built his house upon the SAND and the wise man built his house upon the ROCK!” In the Southeast Regions of the United States it is recommended that a good base layer of 6” of stone be used to overcome “Frost Penetration”, commonly referred to as the “Freeze-Thaw Cycle”.

Another visual aid for base stone stability would be to take a sheet of glass, place it on a mattress and jump on it. Most likely it would crack or break. Place the same sheet of glass on your kitchen floor and jump on it. Most likely it wouldn’t break. What’s under the surface is usually more important than what is on the surface.

All finish pavements, no matter what they are made of should be designed and constructed based on traffic count and utilization.

Concrete Paving

Concrete is an amazing building material. It has so many uses, and a driveway or parking lot is definitely one of them! One of the major benefits to concrete is less maintenance cost over the life of the pavement. Instead of sealcoating, one would pressure wash every year or two and maybe even clear coat every 5-7 years.
Since the upfront SF price of concrete is much higher than Asphalt the sad tendency is to spend less money on the subgrade and base layers. This is a huge mistake, but one customer normally decide based on budget. Slapping 4” of concrete on bare dirt is not a good idea.

Another hurdle to overcome when choosing a concrete contractor is monitoring the quality. The quality is much more complex than Asphalt. To verify you paid for 2” of Asphalt and Received 2” of Asphalt can be done easily based on certified weigh master tickets (truck tickets). Assuming you have a good subgrade and base that’s really all you have to verify with asphalt, that the thickness was laid. With concrete you should verify you are receiving the 4-6” thick slab, but you also have to make sure they are not watering the concrete down to make it easier to place. A concrete truck carries approx. 9 Cubic Yards of Concrete and for every 9 gallons of water added to the truck the concrete loses 200 pounds per square inch (PSI). The average residential/commercial mix for concrete is 3,000 – 4,000 PSI. It’s very easy for a contractor to add 50 gallons of water.