Paving

[Blitz]

Anyone here in the paving business? I am in the process of getting quotes for my driveway. What should I know about it? What questions should I ask? How thick should it be?

Any help would be appreciated... Thanks.

 

[chuckdman]

Well, I'm Sicilian so I should know everything about Paving Honestly, I'm in the computer business but know of MANY people in the paving business. Even worked there for 1.5 months many years back when I was thinking about quitting school. Good thing I didn't!!

Few things I would look at
1] Warranty - they should be able to give you some type of warranty, 1 year is pretty standard
2] How 'reputable' is the company? How many years in business? Any other work? Any references? Paving is the type of job people do for 1-3 years then claim bankruptcy and open under a new name. Paving is 75% a cash money business
3] Ask if you can pay cash and avoid the taxes (should be easy for a paver)
4] Asphalt quality is important but hard to measure. Staying with a reputable company is a start. Obviously needs to be applied hot. You should not see many rocks in it and when they finish it with the rollers it should be smooth!
5] Thickness of asphalt if not THAT important. it should be about 2-3 inches but 2 inches would be more than fine. The MOST important thing to worry about is preparation. They need to use crush stone as the base and need big heavy equipment like rollers and compact machines. If they don't have a roller, it wont come out very good. I would much rather have more base (crush stone) than Asphalt. More Asphalt will not make it stronger, it depends totally on the preparation.
6] Don't make them do a re-surface. Re-surface is basically putting more asphalt on your existing and then compacting it. This is the cheap way out and will result in you needing to do the driveway again very soon.
7] I would prefer to prepare the driveway one day and a 1-3 days later have them come back and lay the asphalt. This will give the driveway some time to settle.

Hope this helps.

 

[SixFive]

What I've found locally is you can get good deals if you tell the contractor to add you in when they are doing another job in the neighborhood (for a discount).

Also, sad to say, but the smaller companies locally are ripoffs, and the 2 big ones have much better pricing.

 

[Captain Crunch]

My brother in law owns a huge asphalt company, and we have done several jobs with him. I have never done it, but have seen it done numerous times. As CDM alluded to in item 5, asphalt is only is good as whats underneath it. If you have a crappy base, the asphalt won't last very long. If you are doing an overlay, make sure all loose material is removed pryor to them laying the asphalt and make sure it is surface coarse, not base coarse. The surface coarse uses smaller rock and and seels up tighter, leaving a better appearance. I would also reccomend going with a reputable contractor who has been around a while. Might cost a little more, but you get what you pay for.

Good Luck

 

[The Judge]

Stay away from asphalt. A 5" concrete driveway will suit you better and last much longer. I believe that Raymond is in the concrete business and should be able to give you a good square foot cost.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Stay away from asphalt. A 5" concrete driveway will suit you better and last much longer. I believe that Raymond is in the concrete business and should be able to give you a good square foot cost.

:iagree: I'm in the concrete biz also, so if you have any questions about that, fire away.

 

[RAYMOND]

concrete driveway

4 inches of stones
concrete wire should be installed
6 inches thick concrete 4000psi to 5000 psi
expansion joints should be every 10 feet apart
control joints where needed
have your concrete seal with a sealer

prices 9 dollars a square foot

10 x 30 driverway = 300 sg ft x 9 =$2700

 

[RAYMOND]

more sguare footage the cheaper the contractor should do the job
for

 

[Captain Crunch]

Raymond, is that the standard practice in Philly of 6 inch driveway with mesh and 4000-5000 psi concrete????? That seems like overkill to me, but maybe your soil and weather conditions are that much different than here in KC. I use 4000 psi concrete, 4 inches thick, and 1/2" rebar on 24"-30" centers and get $5-$6 a sq. ft. I only use expansion joints at the city right of way and next to the curb and either saw cut or groove control joints. I can see why you get $9 bucks a square your way though.

 

[RAYMOND]

i did a 160 sf patio today and got $2500 for it
remove and replace and was done by 11 o'clock lol

 

[RAYMOND]

Raymond, is that the standard practice in Philly of 6 inch driveway with mesh and 4000-5000 psi concrete????? That seems like overkill to me, but maybe your soil and weather conditions are that much different than here in KC. I use 4000 psi concrete, 4 inches thick, and 1/2" rebar on 24"-30" centers and get $5-$6 a sq. ft. I only use expansion joints at the city right of way and next to the curb and either saw cut or groove control joints. I can see why you get $9 bucks a square your way though.

each job is differance , some times i will use no stones, going rate around here is 7 bucks a sguare foot 4 " slabs remove and replace

the price of concrete is going up and up anymore


75 bucks a yard for 3500 psi

someplace are getting 90 bucks a yard

 

[THE KOD]

someplace are getting 90 bucks a yard

...................................................................

RAYMOND

does that include the front yard and the back yard ?

 

[RAYMOND]

the saying around here if its get hard get hard with it!

hard work the concrete is! its a man job , lol getting tired of it to be honest ,

 

[THE KOD]

our saying in ornamental iron business is if it don't rust we don't fawk with it.

I know what you mean about getting tired though. Even a medium size job for us requires a forklift to take the steel off the truck when they deliver it. Unbelievable how cost of steel has gone up in past two years. People are pissed as we pass it on to customers.

One time about two months ago I was supervising my guys that were unloading a large band of 20 foot lenghs of 1/2" square. It weighed in at over a thousand lbs.

It ended up falling off the fork lift, fell to the ground, bounced up and hit me in the leg as it whipped up and down.
It really could have cut my leg off.
Sent me to the hospital for 18 stichs.

Missed striking my dick directly by about a foot.

For that the old lady is thankfull.

noise of cutting, grinding, welding, and then priming two coats of red oxide and painting.

damn sometimes makes me crazy. Money is good though.

 

[RAYMOND]

...................................................................

RAYMOND

does that include the front yard and the back yard ?

that is what the ready mix company our getting

to buy the concrete and have a delivery

 

[THE KOD]

RAYMOND

it was a joke.

only shineboy beantownjim has his front and back yard concreted.

 

[Another Steve]

Gentlemen,

What about getting a deck tore out and re-done. A deck by a pool, roughly 25x20, not a full square. Is this a different type of cement?

 

[THE KOD]

steve

Yeh pool cement is much more expensive than driveway cement.

those that can afford a pool pay more.

I think its a tradition.

 

[Captain Crunch]

getting tired of it to be honest ,

I hear ya. I have been doing it ever since I was in high school back in the late 70's. Only job I have ever had. I do like the fact that I am outside though. Would have a tough time being indoors 40 hours a week.

Steve, it just depends on how big of a pain in the ass the job is what will determine the cost. If you can get a machine back there to break it up and remove, it will be considerably cheaper than if you have to get a jack hammer and haul it all out with a wheelbarrow. As long as they don't have to do anything to the coping, the concrete should be the same as what is used on a driveway, unless you put some dye in it or have it stamped.

 

[dawgball]

Is the price the same for a rounded drive as well?

I am looking to add a circle drive to the front of our house. If I can get how many square feet it is, I should be ablet to roughly figure the cost then?

Thanks