Black top driveways

[caper150]

A guy is in the neighbor hood doing some driveways and just stopped in and gave me an estimate of $3150 to do my drive way that is 2350 sq ft,yeah it's a big loop drive. Thats about a 1.30 a sq ft. Said he bought all his ashphalt last year at a reduced price and this would save about 2 grand above his normal price. Sounds like a good deal just want to check. I do know this guy is well known, he was in town orginally doing some streets and decided to pass some savings on to the people in town.What do you all think about this??Sound good?

 

[38 Special]

Get a second bid. How wide how deep. Mine was 1,756 feet long, 12 feet wide, 3" deep minimum. $30,000 in Alabama. So that works to $1.42 for 3'" thick.

 

[cre73]

Pretty common scam around these parts. Be sure to ask for references,licenses and pay attention to the material. No check needs to be wrote unless you are happy.

 

[Buxfan]

I would ask to see a couple driveways around the area that he has done.

 

[caper150]

about 7-8 ft wide 3" thick, he'll come in grade it flat and even, then compact and roll the ashphalt, I know he's a legit contractor cause he does work for the city.

 

[66HertzClone]

about 7-8 ft wide 3" thick, he'll come in grade it flat and even, then compact and roll the ashphalt, I know he's a legit contractor cause he does work for the city.

That sounds like one of those oxymoron things, I know he is honest because he works for the government, and we all know the all government workers are honest.

 

[akdiesel]

about 7-8 ft wide 3" thick, he'll come in grade it flat and even, then compact and roll the ashphalt, I know he's a legit contractor cause he does work for the city.

Hmmm, I feel any contractor that does work for a city or state can't be too legit. They submit a very low bid to get the work and then ends up doubling or trippling the cost later on. At least that is how it seems to be in my part of the area.

 

[csp]

Does his bid include the necessary gradework?

 

[caper150]

Does his bid include the necessary gradework?

yes it does

 

[RonM3]

Be very careful here! I agree with cre73 that is a common scam around here also. I wouldn't give up a dime until the work is complete.

 

[kmacht]

I have a simple rule. If you call me on the phone or stop by my house to sell me something the answer is no. No matter how good your deal may be the answer is always no If I wanted to buy a product or have a service done then I would call you, not the other way around. Leave me a card, sure. Sign a contract, no way.

Keith

 

[GTO]

I didn't know you could pre-buy asphalt.That doesn't sound right to me.??

 

[slicktoptt]

I just received a quote for mine. Approximately 570ft long, 13ft wide, 1 1/4". Called for 823sq yds (7,407 sq ft). Price was $6,789. That was the cheapest.

I have a base down already which is why I'm guessing the difference in your 3" and my 1 1/4".

 

[e-tek]

I just had two driveways done. 2000sf total was $7K. Included some removal, fill and grade to slope. Only thing I didn't like was where they laid it ip against my new vinyl fence and melted the bottom rail a bit!

Also, they get it from the plant here, which is not open in winter, so also not sure about him pre-buying it - prolly meant he paid "last-years" prices.

 

[Falcon67]

From what I've seen, base is the key to a good asphalt lay. Bad base = very short life. And I don't know about "pre-buying" - as far as I know unless he has his own asphalt plant, he has to buy it when his supplier is running it. That's what held up certain repairs at out local drag strip - the plant across the highway wanted more $ than the plant 100 miles away that was local to the contractor. Either way, if they weren't running the plant that week, you got nothing. Scheduling was a big issue. I don't remember specific prices, but last years price is not going to be much better than this years. Right now crude is the same price as it was last year more or less and it was mucho higher at the end of last year. Oil goes up, asphalt goes up.

Check references big time on this IMHO.

 

[gatchel]

I agree. Sounds fishy.

Maybe the local government is doing a big asphalt project near by and he knows somebody.

 

[ebstein]

Get a second bid. How wide how deep. Mine was 1,756 feet long, 12 feet wide, 3" deep minimum. $30,000 in Alabama. So that works to $1.42 for 3'" thick.

holy ****!!!
mine was 2100 sq. 16'wide, 3" deep.....1900$$$

 

[bent valves]

I did a lot of research before putting in my driveway about 5 years ago. What I found was the material and prep work is important if you want a long lasting driveway. Most of my bookmarks are no longer working but here is one that goes into a lot of detail and is a good guide.

http://www.mdasphalt.org/brochures/designman/designguide1.html

A search may find more info about current practices. I found when contacting different contractors, they had their own ideas and were not interested in what the customer thought. It took me a while to find one that was willing to put down a 3" base and 1-1/2" top layer of asphalt over 3" of stone. Most wanted to only use 1-1/2" base and 1-1/2" top layer over compacted soil and were unwilling to do otherwise. A driveway like that will probably last 5 or 10 years but I was looking for 20 or more.

I would get another quote.

 

[hilld]

holy ****!!!
mine was 2100 sq. 16'wide, 3" deep.....1900$$$

But his was 21072 sq ft @ 3" thick.

 

[heffneil]

I just did 35 x 35 pad and it cost me $2500. It was supposed to be $2700 but turned out being $2500 cash . I don't remember how thick but I think it was only 1 1/2" with 4 inch limerock. These guys were doing my tennis court at the same time. I didn't want to mess around and the job seems nice. Asphalt down here in Florida is pretty lousy in this heat. I need it to get real cold and finally cure because people turn their tires and it leaves marks and tears it up!

 

[crewchief888]

sounds like BS to me.

after having delt with blacktop driveways , i personally wouldnt have one if i planned on keeping the house for more than 5 years.

having to reseal them is a PITA
have an oil leaker around ? kiss the driveway g'bye
i cant park my service truck on asphalt, it sinks dont ask how i know

 

[TurboNuke]

IMO this is a scam. Pretty standard scam in most places.

 

[thunderthud]

Big outfits usually have a set price contracted throughout either the calendar year or fiscal year. It's sort of like Southwest Airlines fuel hedging: you commit to buying X tons of material at $X price in throughout the year in exchange you have a fixed price for the material.

Now, I don't know of any companies who have extra material from the job 'left over' because if I were estimating the job, that would be accounted down to the truck. You have the cost of getting the spreader to the driveway, the cost of trucking at least one roller, plus the support truck with the plate compactor, hand tools and emulsion buckets.

You're not just pulling a highway spreader, which is at least 10 feet wide, off a highway job and running it down to someones house to do a driveway with an extra truck. Frankly even with a heated dump body, you wouldn't want the old asphalt that was hardening in the truck for two hours reheated in the spreader. The size of equipment for highway work dwarfs the size of the equipment required to do most residential driveways. Of course, I'm from an area where a 10x600 foot driveway would be really long, not unheard of, just really long.

Hire someone local who is in the business and does driveways for a living with a local phone number and address.

 

[Kevin54]

Sounds like a good deal. And if you know the guy and the work he does then it is a bonus for you. I had my drive done probably 6 or 7 years ago and the price was $1400 for around 2000 Sq.ft. or a little less. I have recommended the guy that did mine to numerous people over the years and all has been satisfied with his work

 

[Moose-LandTran]

He stopped in and gave you a quote. Do you actually want an asphalt driveway? If you were actively seeking one, maybe. It sounds like you're only considering it because the price sounds good.

 

[rikmeister]

ihad one done last year was 3000 100 feet long. that was less than half what every one else qoted me. so one year later it is fine. just do not seal it until it is grey. other wise you are wasting sealer and get oil based not water based sealer. water will wash the water one away faster.

 

[dkroth]

...this would save about 2 grand above his normal price.

...decided to pass some savings on to the people in town.

I don't know if he's scamming, but he's certainly giving you the sales pitch!

So, he made a great investment by locking in a contract to by asphalt at a certain price and he's just going to give away his earnings? Who does that? What business does that? The point of the business is to make money. Why would he reduce his profits and share them with a complete stranger?

 

[nate379]

Sounds like a great deal. I did mine last year and it was $2.65/sq ft. Found out this spring I could have done concrete for $3.00-$3.25 a sq ft though...

There isn't normally"left over" asphalt here. Whatever is not used just goes back to the plant and is mixed in with the fresh stuff.

 

[donnie]

I have been told that there are different grades of asphalt also.
Many of the cheaper jobs I see the asphalt is really course.
Can anyone explain different grades of ashphalt?

 

[Tom2]

While on the asphalt topic:

Is it common to do black top driveways in 2 separate layers?

My inlaws are getting theres done this summer. The guy said he will do one layer this summer, and has to wait until next summer before the next layer. He will get paid for each layer. Not sure how much the cost was..but seemed a little high to me. Hes throwing in the walkway for free..but it's pretty short.

I raised my eyebrows to him needing to do it in 2 layers at 2 different times..Never heard that before.


Reminds me..I need to seal mine this year..

 

[38 Special]

While on the asphalt topic:

Is it common to do black top driveways in 2 separate layers?

My inlaws are getting theres done this summer. The guy said he will do one layer this summer, and has to wait until next summer before the next layer. He will get paid for each layer. Not sure how much the cost was..but seemed a little high to me. Hes throwing in the walkway for free..but it's pretty short.

I raised my eyebrows to him needing to do it in 2 layers at 2 different times..Never heard that before.


Reminds me..I need to seal mine this year..

I have not heard that, but my guy is coming back in August to seal coat it. He said to call him as soon as it started turning gray. This was included in the original contract.

 

[thunderthud]

While on the asphalt topic:

Is it common to do black top driveways in 2 separate layers?

My inlaws are getting theres done this summer. The guy said he will do one layer this summer, and has to wait until next summer before the next layer. He will get paid for each layer. Not sure how much the cost was..but seemed a little high to me. Hes throwing in the walkway for free..but it's pretty short.

I raised my eyebrows to him needing to do it in 2 layers at 2 different times..Never heard that before.


Reminds me..I need to seal mine this year..

Asphalt is really regional. In MA, we usually do a binder then a finish. When I was in NY and bought a new house I went six rounds with the builder to do the binder and finish. He wanted to lay 6 inches of finish and compact it.

The only time I have heard of doing a second coat (speaking for the northeast anyway) a year apart is for trench work. When sewer/water/gas etc is installed and backfilled, you usually put a patch in the trench, then about a year later come back and do the curb to curb final coat. The reason is to allow the backfilling to settle and compact.

You should allow time for the first binder layer to cure before you do the second finish layer. I've usually waited 2-4 weeks to get to a respectable hardness.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Is it common to do black top driveways in 2 separate layers?

I don't recall seeing it done for driveways, but in Minnesota it's not uncommon for them to do two layers when paving streets. They'll put down the initial layer in the fall, then wait until the next spring or summer to put down the final layer.

 

[Unearthed]

You should allow time for the first binder layer to cure before you do the second finish layer. I've usually waited 2-4 weeks to get to a respectable hardness.

Asphalt does not cure, It cools. Asphalt is 280-320 degrees when it is placed, and we turn traffic on it when it cools to 160. On a hot sunny day asphalt can be 120+ from the sun itself. Two lifts of asphalt is the way to make a driveway last and not rut. 25mm, 19mm, and 12mm are the base, binder, and wearing coarse for highways. Two lifts would be the only way I would pave a driveway to make it last. One lift ( at least one lift of wearing coarse) will crack and rut before its time.

 

[t100]

is black top(Asphalt) a lot hotter than concrete in summer? since you are in MN, I'd bet you have to plow in the winter, would concrete be lasting longer than Asphalt?

all the houses in my subdivision are 11 years old with concrete drive way and walk way, no problem of any kind at all.

 

[e-tek]

is black top(Asphalt) a lot hotter than concrete in summer? since you are in MN, I'd bet you have to plow in the winter, would concrete be lasting longer than Asphalt?

all the houses in my subdivision are 11 years old with concrete drive way and walk way, no problem of any kind at all.

Damn straight asphalt is hotter in summer!! It's BLACK!

In my experience - and seeing what's up in my neighbourhood and city - asphalt is generally longer lasting and easier to shovel snow off as it;s smoother and doesn't "sink". Of course concrete is more expensive (sometimes MUCH more) and can crack and spall.

I went with asphalt due to the original home builder using it on one side and the other, concrete drive, being totally spalled. I would have had to rip it all out to do concrete again and the spalled 'crete makes a great base!

 

[Falcon67]

is black top(Asphalt) a lot hotter than concrete in summer?

Depends. The asphalt parking lot at the drag strip hits 140F regularly in 100F weather. The track is all concrete but it black from the rubber and VHT applications. It runs 140~160F in full summer sun. I think the most we've scored on that is 165F at the starting line.