Asphalt Contractor
Santa Monica, CA

We'll be honest: it's pretty hard for us to not totally geek out about this question. But we'll spare you [most of] the unnecessary details and try to just get you the meat and potatoes of this answer. 

...mmmm potatoes...

1. Aggregates--Processed mineral materials such as crushed rock, sand, gravel, and various recycled materials

2. Binder--Most commonly bitumen, it is used to unite the aggregates together to form a cohesive mixture

3. Filler--Mineral particles that are added to or naturally present in the aggregate

Now it would be great if you could just slap any aggregate, binder and filler together and come out with some quality asphalt, but that's just not the case. Each of these components need to be quality materials, which will impact how long the asphalt will hold up against the elements. This would be a good time to let you know that something the separates good asphalt paving contractors from amazing asphalt pavinc contract is the amount of time that they spend keeping up with the latest developments in the field, and the latest tech. This is what helps us keep the highest standard of control measures.  And  that kind of has a domino effect because as a result, the level of safety, efficiency and value that is passed on to the customer regularly improves.

• There's such a wide variety of services that we provide and needs that our customers approach us with, it's virtually impossible for us to give numbers like this. We're proud to offer a very individualized approach to our customers. 

But we can tell you this: we've noticed a trend in the industry that we dont like. Asphalt contractors with less integrity and no moral compass will quote a potential customer one price online, but then get to the job site and quote something much higher. We'll be completely honest with you: there are times when there are legitimate reasons for having to do that. But in these cases, these reasons are illegitimate. We never want our customers to feel like they have a reason not to trust us. So we conduct a thorough inspection of the property before giving any sort of quote, making every effort to quote you the most accurate price possible the first time. Sometimes rare cases do arise with unforeseen issues once the project is underway,  but we will thoroughly explain the reasons for any additions to the scope of work and subsequent price adjustment that is necessary. Please trust us when we say that if you reach out to us and we will do everything possible to give you a hassle-free, no-obligation estimate for your project in a timely manner. 

You can definitely get a lot of good mileage out of asphalt if it was properly installed and well-maintained over the years. We're talking 30 years or more. But over time, the top layer of the asphalt will wear away due to constant tire friction. This is what causes asphalt to start to look dull and begin to crack. Inevitably, wate rand chemicals that leak from vehicles will settle into those cracks, breaking it down from within, which makes the asphalt less safe and less aesthetically-pleasing. 

Have you been noticing some visible problems? Or maybe you know that the asphalt in your driveway was installed decades ago and it's probably time for a refresh. If that's the case, reach out to us and we'll schedule an inspection to let you know if we can patch or repair your existing asphalt.

After the installation of new asphalt, it is important to sealcoat in order protect your investment. Asphalt needs about 90 days to fully cure and harden before any additional steps can be taken. Until you hit sometime after the three month mark, the asphalt will still be flexible, and somewhat bouncy due to the lightweight hydrocarbon oils that are still inside the asphalt. So until this point, tires, bike kick stands and heavy sports equipment may still leave marks or impressions in your new asphalt. It's best to wait at least six months to a year for those hydrocarbon oils to work their way out. If you seal before that, those oils will get locked in and the asphalt underneath may crack or get otherwise damaged.