4 Signs of a Reputable Paving Contractor

Buyer beware: if you need to repave your driveway, you should take extreme caution when choosing an asphalt contractor. Unfortunately, scammers and con artists run rampant in the paving industry, you need to protect yourself. For every reputable contractor who will do a good job, there is a shady businessman trying to take your money.

If you are having trouble determining if a paving contractor is legitimate or deceitful, look for these four signs.

They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

The Better Business Bureau should be the first resource you turn to when you are trying to find out whether a business is credible. For over 100 years, the BBB has helped consumers find reputable companies in their area – trust them to steer you in the right direction.

The are fully licensed & insured.

A paving contractor should be fully licensed to work in their respective state and should carry general liability insurance. Ask prospective contractors to show you proof of these two things, if they make an excuse or are unable to provide you with documentation, quickly move on and look for another company.

They provide a written contract.

When it comes to a big investment such as asphalt paving, you will want all information to be provided in the form of a written contract. This includes the start date, end date, work to be done, price, and materials used. If a contractor simply writes a price on the back of a business card or won't make anything other than a verbal commitment, consider this a red flag.

References & past projects.

Any paving contractor who has been in business for a while would be more than happy to provide you with a list of references or show you a portfolio of their work. Better yet, they should be able to take you around town and show you some of their past projects in person.

If you are looking for a reputable paving contractor in Fairfield County, CT or Westchester County, NY look no further than Roccie's Asphalt! We are A+ accredited by the Better Business Bureau and fully licensed and insured in both Connecticut and New York. We have served thousands of happy customers over the past 60 years, check out some of our work in our online showcase! Click here to visit our website or call us for a free quote at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Fall Maintenance Tips for Your Asphalt Driveway

The weather is cooling down, football season has kicked off, and the coffee shop around the corner is now serving its seasonal pumpkin lattes. While autumn doesn't officially start for another week or so, it will be here before you know it.

Be prepared this fall and use these tips to keep your asphalt driveway strong and robust for another cold season.

If you haven't sealcoated in 2+ years, do it now.

Winter is the most damaging season for asphalt driveways. If you live in a cold climate, melted snow and ice can penetrate your driveways surface and get into the base. When this water re-freezes, it expands, causing structural damage to the foundation of your driveway. Taking the time to sealcoat during the fall will help prevent winter damage.

Keep your driveway clear of leaves and other debris.

It is important to keep your driveway clear of dirt, grass clippings, and other lawn debris year-round, but during the fall, the leaves present an added challenge. Use a push broom or a leaf blower to keep fallen leaves off of your driveway, they will cause uneven fading from the sun.

Take care of your drainage.

Hurricane season runs through November 30 on the Atlantic Coast, so there is a very real possibility that you will experience heavy rain and thunderstorms within the upcoming months. As mentioned in this blog, water is one of asphalts three biggest enemies, so you will want to make sure to have a proper driveway drainage system in place to keep water flowing away from your driveway.

Do you need an extra hand preparing your driveway for fall and winter? If you live in Fairfield County, CT or Westchester County, NY look no further than Roccie's Paving! We offer a full suite of services for your asphalt driveway such as sealcoating, repaving, and drainage system installation. Visit our website for more information or give us a call for a free quote at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Common Asphalt Driveway Drainage Solutions

If you are experiencing pooling water on your asphalt driveway or parking lot, it is more than just an inconvenience. Standing water can not only freeze during the winter and create a safety hazard, it can also breakdown the asphalt surface and cause it to prematurely deteriorate.

There are many reasons that you could be experiencing drainage problems. It could be due to an uneven slope in your driveway, cracks and potholes collecting water, or simply the lack of an existing drainage system.

Luckily, no matter what the reason for your drainage problems, a solution exists to fix it! There are many drainage solutions for your asphalt driveway or parking lot, but in this article we will be taking a look at three of the most popular options, which are:

• Porous asphalt. Even though asphalt is one of the greenest materials on the planet, one thing it was criticized for was not taking water run-off into account. That is why porous asphalt was developed. Porous asphalt is just what it sounds like; it has small openings which allow water to naturally run through it and drain into the ground.

• Trench Drains. Trench drains are essentially gutters installed into your driveway or parking lot. You have probably seen them before: they are long, narrow drains with metal grating that run the width of your driveway. Usually, they are placed in front of the garage to prevent flooding, but they are also common along the edge of your foundation if you frequently suffer from basement floods.

• Relocation or Resurfacing. Sometimes, poor landscape design makes driveway drainage problems inevitable. If your driveway sits on a low-lying piece of land, it is doomed to collect water. In this case, it may be worth your while to consider relocating your driveway to the other side of your yard, or resurfacing it to alter the slope and create a runoff into the street.

If you are experiencing drainage problems with your Connecticut or New York driveway, these are just a few solutions you can take to correct the issue. If you live in Fairfield County, CT or Westchester County, NY, call the drainage experts at Roccie's Asphalt to discuss your options. Consultation is free, and we will even give you an up-front estimate! Call us today at 1-888-88-ROCCIES.