Investing in the right supplies for paving contractors can help you work more efficiently and, more importantly, more safely. Having the right contractor paving equipment can also help you to be fully prepared for any obstacle you may come across in your business.

Whether you are building a road or a parking lot or are repairing a driveway, you can find all the supplies you need in a variety of places. Doing your research about the proper paving equipment will keep your employees safe and your business thriving. When researching paving contractor supplies, remember the following:

1. Stay up to date on the latest tools in pavement installation so you can offer the best service to your clients.

2. Don't be afraid to invest in used equipment to save money upfront.

3. There are certain safety regulations that you must adhere to when you're in the pavement repair business.

Action Steps
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Be prepared to invest in some large pieces of equipment for driveway paving

Pavers, rollers and trailers are likely the three key pieces of machinery that you will need to invest in to get your paving business off the ground. Consider purchasing a few of the main pieces of equipment you will need and choosing the additional items later based on what services you end up offering. For example, maybe hold off on buying equipment to do demolition or to clear forestation until you are sure you will need it.

I recommend: Places like Asphalt Paving Equipment offer both new and reconditioned pavers, rollers, graders and seal coaters. Construction Equipment Guide can keep you connected to industry news as well as help you search for used heavy machinery.

Consider both new and used supplies for concrete paving contractors

Due to the fact that many of the supplies needed for paving contractors are fairly pricey, think about looking into purchasing refurbished or used equipment. Many times there is nothing wrong with used equipment other than the fact it may be outdated or the company using it went out of business. Be sure to do your homework to make sure you are buying the used supplies from a reputable source that will honor a designated warranty if anything should go wrong.

I recommend: Louisiana Chemical Equipment discusses why buying used equipment of any kind can help your business save money. BuyerZone.com offers some tips when looking to buy used equipment.

Purchase asphalt paving contractors' apparel

Proper paving supplies also include safety apparel. Be sure to equip yourself and your employees with hard hats, reflective jackets and gloves that will make the job easier, safer and more comfortable.

I recommend: ConstructionGear.com offers advice for choosing all of the proper attire. You should also make sure to check the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration requirements for hard hat usage.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider joining a professional association or subscribing to a publication for pavers to stay informed on the latest and greatest tools in the industry.

Pavement installation is back-breaking, labor-intensive work that is best left to the professionals, especially if your paving project encompasses an entire parking lot. Many an ambitious do-it-yourselfer has hit the proverbial wall asphalting his own 20 foot driveway, never mind a parking lot for 200 cars.

Pavers can not only perform a massive job but can also add a bit of style, class and creativity to smaller projects. Walkways, patios and small driveways can be laid with colors and designs to add real personality to your place of business. When looking for a contractor, keep in mind the following:

1. Steer clear of pavers who do not offer free estimates.

2. Find paving contractor companies big enough to handle the size of your job.

3. Consider a simple pavement repair instead of full-fledged lot paving.

Action Steps
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Secure a free estimate from paving contractors

The first step in completing your pavement installation project is determining how much the work is going to cost. Suffice it to say, you'll be spending enough on the project itself; there's no need for grading and paving contractors to charge you for an estimate. The first criteria you should use to judge paving contractors is whether or not they charge for an estimate. They shouldn't. You should never have to pay to find out what you have to pay.

I recommend: For free estimates on driving paving and other similar projects, try Better Driveway Paving with their offer of 4 paving bids in less than 24 hours. Renovation Experts offer thousands of contractor bids broken down by all 50 states.

Pave parking lots with the help of asphalt and concrete paving contractors

Maintaining a level, consistent surface for your business parking lot is important for a number of reasons. First, it's important to have the exterior of your building looking as good as possible to help make a good first impression. Secondly, the last thing you need is to have a client or employee damage their car, or themselves, in a gaping pothole. Pavement repair services can also be used if you can't afford to repave the entire lot.

I recommend: Modesto's Thurmont Paving offers a complete array of pavement installation and driveway repair. Mace Paving serving New England uses only virgin, unrecycled paving material for the highest quality product.

Color your property with asphalt paving contractors

If your needs extend beyond simple driveway paving, then you need a paving contractor with a bit of creativity. You can really brighten up the walkways and patios of your property with colored asphalt. When combining professional landscaping services with the work of innovative pavers and their colored pavement designs, you can establish a charming look outside your office or business.

I recommend: Paving contractor Richards Paving specializes in colored asphalt for driveways, walkways and patios. Tucson Asphalt also offers a wide variety of paving services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Concrete paving contractors that offer a price that's too good to be true should probably be avoided. Shop for a fair price, by all means, but when it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Staying up to date with all of the latest concrete paving contractors' techniques is a must in this service driven industry. Customers expect pavers to get jobs completed quickly and without much disruption to normal activities in the area.

Training for concrete pavers is a continuous process. Offering your employees all the tools necessary to keep up with new methods and equipment not only makes do the job easier and more efficient, it makes it safer. Consider the following ideas to provide these tools:

1. Have your paving contractors take part in a hands-on training session.

2. Provide your employees with printed materials available for reference at any time.

3. Keep their skills sharp by offering online training courses.

Action Steps
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Get in person pavement installation and repair education

For some paving contractors, the easiest way to learn how to operate the machinery and follow proper procedure is through hands on training. Some trade organizations and equipment manufacturers will provide hands on training. It is important to verify that the training professional is familiar with your company's policies and procedures to ensure employees learn the proper methods.

I recommend: You can find information on seminars that cover all paving topics, including pavement repair and pavement installation at Association of Equipment Manufacturers. These seminars give an overview of changes and upgrades to common paving equipment and procedures. Pave Tools International offers onsite training for paving companies.

Keep publications on hand to guide paving contractors

Even the most experienced paving contractor may need help when an unusual situation comes up during a job. Having paving publications on hand gives your employees a solid resource full of tried and true methods for dealing with many situations.

I recommend: The National Concrete Pavement Technology Center website offers numerous publications about paving. These are for asphalt paving contractors who work on roads, but there is information that applies to concrete paving contractors. Integrated Publishing offers owner’s manuals, technical manuals and other publications for a varied selection of equipment used by concrete paving contractors.

Offer online training for your paving contractors

Online training courses can serve as refresher courses for all paving contractors. For new employees, these courses teach them specialized skills, such as how to pave a round brick sidewalk around an obstacle. For seasoned pavers, these online courses can give them new ideas on how to complete certain jobs more efficiently without sacrificing quality.

I recommend: The Brick Industry offers a course in clay paving. This course can help brick pavers, as well as other paving contractors. Astec Industries offers an online training course to all Roadtec owners. Grading and paving contractors that don't own a Roadtec can contact a representative to learn how to access the training program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In some states, including California, every paving contractor must hold a state issued license, which you must renew periodically. Use the paving contractors' education and training courses to prepare your employees for the recertification exam.

A business might call up a paving contractor to install a new walkway, lot or patio of any size, or to refurbish an old and suffering asphalt area. The wide range of commercial paving projects means that contractors will likely be familiar with a lot of different materials and terms for projects. When talking estimates or practical installation, reading up on some common terms for paving can help buyers talk to contractors about what to put into a business space.

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Sand set or mortar set paving

Pavers or pavestones are one way to pave an area. They can be either sand-set, where the design relies on weight for stability, or mortar-set, which is more of a stable setup.

I recommend: See more on sand-set or mortar-set paving for clay, brick or other pavers at Mutual Materials.

Concrete paving

Concrete paving is one popular and relatively simple option for paving an area. Concrete paving eliminates the need for a variety of materials in getting areas paved.

I recommend: See more on concrete paving at Concrete is Better: the official website of the Concrete Paver's Association of Minnesota.

Colored asphalt

For a splash of color, today's pavers can install asphalt in a variety of eye-catching hues. Businesses looking for an attractive paving option should check into what asphalt colors are available.

I recommend: See more on colored asphalt at Paver Search.

Custom pavestone

Another way a business can get a great, eye-catching paved space is with customized pavestones. Pavers can get these custom designed pieces and install them for unique entries, pathways or other signature designs for a commercial space.

I recommend: Get details on paver methodologies for installing custom pavestone options from documents like this one at DocStoc.

Pavement repair

Another option for businesses that can't afford a complete overhaul of an area is pavement repair. Pavement repair is the process of identifying which specific points of a paved surface are below acceptable standards and re-paving them to conform to the general surface.

I recommend: See more on pavement repair at PavePatch.

Escalator clause

No matter what kind of paving is being done, a business should read the fine print for an escalator clause. An escalator clause is a part of an agreement that allows the contractor to raise the price if the price of certain materials goes up. This can apply to many kinds of paving projects.

I recommend: See more on the escalator clause at InvestorWords.