Tempting as it might be to cut costs on surfacing construction by undertaking it yourself, asphalting isn’t really something you should DIY. Although there are a plethora of DIY asphalting tutorials available on the internet insisting you can get professional results in half a Saturday with equipment from Bunnings, large scale asphalt projects really require a degree of skill and experience to execute. In this article, Asphalt Contractors run through four solid reasons why you should leave asphalting to the professionals.
Equipment
First and foremost, any asphalting project that extends beyond filling in a pothole is going to require quite an extensive outlay on equipment. To install an asphalt driveway for example, you’ll need to buy or hire a dump truck, plate compactor, roller, asphalt hand tools, wheelbarrows and a skid steer loader at a minimum. You’ll also need to know how to operate all of this machinery competently to get the job done, which will require a fair amount of research and practice.
Labour
Asphalting is hard physical labour and really not a one-man job, so you’ll need to be physically fit and have a few buddies willing to give up their precious weekend to help you. Your old driveway surface has to be cleared, the surface has to be graded, form boards have to be installed, the surface needs to be compacted and a base aggregate needs to be spread out even before you begin the asphalting process. Asphalting is heavy, tiring work, and you put yourself at risk of strain or injury if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Time
The time it will take you to complete an asphalt project is also important to consider. Even if you’ve done all your research, are physically fit and have all the equipment readily at hand, it’s still going to take you substantially longer to complete an asphalting project than it would a professional.
Quality
Not all asphalt surfaces are created equal and there is a precise science that does into installing asphalt that is both fully functional and aesthetically appealing. Factors such as your soil type, the necessary thickness of the aggregate base layer, the direction of water drainage, and the right size of the aggregate that goes on top all need to be properly identified and catered for if the surface is so have any sort of longevity. Poorly laid asphalt surfaces are vulnerable to a whole range of problems including potholes, cracking and water pooling.
If you have a big asphalt project planned, it really is best to leave it to the professionals. Custom Asphalt offer quality asphalt paving services in Melbourne that are both efficient and cost effective. Call us today on 0418 137 943.