By Kristina Brahney | February 21, 2019

NJ Asphalt Paving

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The installation of a new parking lot or repaving an existing parking lot is a large investment in time and money.

There are many factors to take into consideration: What is my parking lot down time? Am I getting the most for my budget dollars? Did I choose the right contractor? Did the contractor provide the proper scope of work? Does the contractor have the proper experience to handle my type of project (shopping center, office building, hospitality, multi family)?

All of these can feel overwhelming, we at FIXASPHALT.COM have been serving "who's who" of the largest fortune 500 companies and property management firms in New Jersey for over 25 years. We understand the plight of the property owner and manager. As a third party management company we understand your job to your client portfolio. We understand how this can be a stressful process. We also understand how to fix that for you!

We are a technology-based company. From start to finish, you will see the Fixasphalt.com difference. OUR PAVEMENT EVALUATIONS ARE SECOND TO NONE!

We provide a transparent non-biased 12-18 page report of the current condition of your asphalt parking lot with supporting pictures, budgetary numbers and a current condition report. We also provide a report that outlines potential uncharges for "unseen conditions" (A way that most contractors low ball a job on the front end and make the profit not the back end where they can give you an inflated change order.)

We tell you on the "front end" of any potential trap doors we see and what the estimate cost will be if we uncover them. Of course any additional work is supported with both pictures and video documentation to corroborate to your client if you are a third party management company.

In addition, we also provide an asphalt / concrete coring service to inspect the sub grade prior to submitting a quote to minimize the chance of change orders.

All quotes are emailed, not faxed or snail-mailed. All employees have iPhones and iPads to communicate directly with the home office. All trucks are equipped with live tracking, so we know exactly when they arrive at your property. You will receive text and email notification when our trucks are en route to and from your jobs. You will receive progress pictures and videos throughout the entire process of your project with our custom built app that communicates between the crew, field, operations, sales, estimating and client.

We use NJDOT approved asphalt. Did you know some contractors can purchase a cheaper "driveway mix" for your commercial parking lot paving project? There are no shortcuts on the way to perfection. We are not always the cheapest proposal, but we guarantee you will get the most for your money when comparing quotes; apples to apples. When you look at the "value" of what we provide dollar for dollar it will actually in most cases be the lowest price when all factors are considered! Our job is to take the stress out of choosing the right asphalt pavement contractor for your projects and give you the absolute best asphalt installation in the industry.

There are many steps to the asphalt paving process. Every step in the process relies on the previous steps to insure the longevity of your asphalt parking lot.

Asphalt Paving Steps

Step 1: Preparation/Permits/Mark-out

Congratulations! You've chosen the right pavement maintenance contractor for your project. Any reputable contractor will take all the initial steps to guarantee no hold-ups from the beginning. Between signing the contract and work commencing, your contractor should call for any permits (to keep your town happy) and contact NJ One Call (Call Before You Dig) so that they may get a full utility mark-out on the property. We also like to see your existing parking lot after a rain storm so we can see any standing surface water so we can fix the sub base.

Step 2: Milling of Existing Surface (If needed)

Paving on top of existing damaged asphalt, or a soft surface is never a good idea. The asphalt will most certainly fail, and fail pretty quick! In some cases only months after installation. Cracks reflect back up through an asphalt overlay at a rate of 1" per year. If a contractor does not prep properly,within 2 years all the cracks the overlay just covered will pop back up. This is locally termed "reflective cracking"

In order to create a solid base for a new asphalt installation in areas of compromise (Alligator cracks, areas with vertical movement under the weight of vehicle traffic or potholes), it is necessary to remove any existing asphalt down to the sub grade. Once the asphalt is removed the sub grade is inspected for area of compromise.

If it is determined the sub grade needs to be removed and replaced with recycled aggregate, it is documented through video and/or photos. You would be notified before any additional work is commenced for authorization.

Your contractor will use heavy machinery, such as a small bobcat or milling machine, to carefully remove and haul away the old asphalt. This material is hauled away in dump trucks. It is taken to a state approval Class-B recycling center, sorted and in most cases recycled back into reusable asphalt at a later date.

recycle logo Green Process

 Step 3: Grading and Base Materials

The sub base is the single most important part of your new asphalt installation. If your sub base is unstable, your parking lot will be unstable. It's very simple. Base materials are the support or foundation to your new parking lot. It need to be installed right the first time. There are no second chances.

**Is the equivalent of building a beautiful custom built home for $225.00 square foot and putting it on a foundation poured incorrectly by the lowest bid. Now you have a beautiful home sitting on a foundation ready to crumble.**

We will evaluate your base and use the correctly calculated amount of sub grade material as the foundation. We can use quarry crushed stone, but prefer to use recycled aggregate as a green process, this is to help preserve the reserves in our quarries.

Recycled aggregate is typically crushed and processed concrete, asphalt, stone or a combination of the three. Its just as strong as virgin quarry aggregate (it was virgin quarry aggregate at one time in the life cycle) and helps keep the material from being dumped the landfill.

We will also constantly evaluate this base material during installation to make sure it is properly compacted. If at any time we feel there is an area of compromise in the base you will be contacted with options to ensure the structural integrity of your project is maintained.

A laser level is then used, so that we can guarantee the pitch is correct. We do this to make sure there will be proper water runoff when the paving is complete.

Depending on the individual project specs, your project may also call for a binder layer. A binder layer is middle layer between sub base material and the surfacing material. Binder is also used in any cut out repairs that are made prior to the surface mix being installed.

We "wet test" every parking lot before paving. This involves visiting the parking lot 24 hours after a significant rain event to see any areas of standing water. Grades are shot with a laser and we come up with a plan to then correct the drainage. In some instances drainage cannot be corrected with simple profile milling, and smaller 12" or 18" catch basin or a trench drain may need to installed to promote positive drainage prior to paving.

Step 4: Installation of New Asphalt

The surface layer of asphalt is ready to be applied. New Jersey has many type of surface mixes specified and designed by the NJDOT. They include NJDOT I-5 and NJDOT I-4. NJDOT I-5 is the most common for commercial asphalt parking lot paving in New Jersey. NJDOT I-4 is a heavier duty asphalt used mainly on roadways. NJDOT I-4 is the preferred mix for high traffic and heavy traffic areas such as loading docks behind shopping centers and industrial parks. Hot-mix asphalt is brought in from your local asphalt plant. The asphalt mix is brought in by dump truck and put into an asphalt paving machine.

It is installed in passes that range from 8-20 feet wide. We use a laser guided paver with electronics to install a consistent layer of asphalt surface and maintain a cross slope for water drainage.

Step 5: Compaction of Asphalt

The pavement surface is then compacted using a combination of asphalt vibratory rollers that range in size from 3 - 10 tons. Compacting the asphalt is the last and final step in the asphalt paving process.

Step 6: Pavement Marking

Pavement marking is the final step in your asphalt paving project. The line painting in your parking lot, and area between your parking spaces is the first things customers notice. Especially in the era of SUV's. A clean and striped parking lot truly makes a first impression.

We offer a full-service line striping & traffic sign crew to handle any size project you may require to be completed

NOTE: AVOIDING A DISHONEST PAVING CONTRACTOR:

Again, our goal is to be as honest and transparent on the front end of the job. This allows us to point out any potential "trap doors" to either avoid or minimize any cost overruns. We are a minority in this approach compared to other paving companies who use these opportunities to create profitable change orders on the back end of the job.

Some contractors are actually better at causing problems than finding them. They can walk into a project and see a potential trap door and instead of telling the client on the front end. They low ball the job and then make all their money and then some on the back end with a frivolous and inflated change order.

Could you imagine reviewing three paving proposals: one for $200,000.00, one for $208,000.00 and one for $175,000.00. Your client says, "Go with the one for $175!" The contractor gets onsite and after milling up 1/2 of the lot and your MAIN ENTRANCE he says, "Just found 15,000 sq ft of asphalt with soft sub grade underneath. Thats going to be $75,000.00 to repair..." He is now waving a $75,000.00 change order in front of you while the one entrance to the shopping center is CLOSED! Your $175,000.00 job now just climbed to $250,000.00!!!

**CHECK OUT OUR PROCESS**

 

 If you are in the marking for a new asphalt parking lot and would like a Free Consultation Click Here Today! http://www.fixasphalt.com/nj-free-consultation-offer

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