A Good Paving Estimate Looks Like This…

It’s an unfortunate fact of life: there are plenty of less-than-honest businessmen in the world, ready to take advantage of any of us and do a poor quality job for the least amount of money possible. That holds true in any industry, including the paving business. So it’s important to make sure that you’re dealing with a reputable paving contractor; one who’ll provide high quality services at a fair and reasonable price. To help make sure that you’re choosing the right contractor for your paving project, we’ve compiled this list of what to look for in a reputable paving contractor and what should be included in a good paving estimate.

• The contractor should visit the site of the project in person. Nobody can give you an adequate estimate without actually seeing the site beforehand. A good paving contractor will need to look at the site in order to identify and anticipate any issues that may pose a problem, such as adequate drainage, for example.
• The contractor should spend time talking with you to better understand your needs and what you expect regarding the finished project. During this discussion, the paving professional should make sure that you understand every step involved in the process, how long it usually takes, and answer any questions you might have.
• A reputable contractor will describe what materials he or she recommends for your project. There are different varieties of asphalt and concrete available, and your contractor should make a recommendation of which would be best after speaking to you and looking at the project site.
• Your contractor should provide you with referrals of other satisfied customers they have worked with recently. Many paving contractors actually provide this type of list on their websites, but it’s always best for the contractor to provide these referrals directly to each customer.
• A detailed description of the project, along with the anticipated cost and estimated time of completion, should be provided by the contractor in a written form. While in-person and over-the-phone contact is important, never agree to anything that isn’t put in writing.
• The contractor should be easy to reach. If you have a hard time getting in touch with your contractor before the project even begins, it will probably be the same after the project is started. You should be able to call your paving specialist, and if they’re not available immediately, they should return your call promptly.

Although there are some unscrupulous, dishonest people in every industry – including the paving business – the good news is that there are plenty of reputable contractors as well. Just make sure that you follow these guidelines to find the one right for you and your paving project.