As a property manager, you are likely already thinking about next year's budget and what projects you didn’t complete this year. If you are considering a new asphalt surface, be it an asphalt driveway or asphalt parking lot, there are certain key things you can look for to help you plan your project and budget outline.
What Is Your Current Asphalt Surface Telling You?
The best way to determine what your future budget should go towards is to take a long, hard look at your current surface. It might be helpful to follow along with our free maintenance checklist to help determine what your asphalt is telling you. Here are just a few examples:
- Do you see cracks, larger than 1/4 inch? If so, those should be cleaned, repaired and filled, to limit the amount of water that can penetrate the asphalt surface and compromise the structure and integrity of the sub base.
- Do you see faded asphalt? You might need to consider sealcoating.
- Do you see cracked sections that are starting to spread? Spreading cracked areas could mean a larger scale repair or resurfacing project down the road, if it is not fixed in a timely manner.
- Do you see asphalt stains from oil, leaves or debris? Surface stain removal may be an easy do-it-yourself project
- Do you see potholes or other large surface damage? Try to fill potholes before the cold winter weather hits. Potholes are not only a nuisance to cars they can be dangerous to pedestrians if they fill with water and freeze.
How Do I Maintain My Asphalt So It Does Not Need As Much Maintenance?
Planning Your Asphalt Repair Budget
If your asphalt is telling you it needs serious TLC, allocating funds for driveway and parking lot maintenance is more important for your long-term budget planning than you may think. You might be surprised to learn that the life expectancy of a properly designed, installed and maintained asphalt parking lot or driveway ranges from 15 – 20 years.
What You Can Do With A Limited Asphalt Repair Budget
If your asphalt is telling you that it doesn’t require serious repair and budget allocation this year, make sure you keep up with preventative maintenance to keep your surface looking great and performing well. Making timely repairs on small surface problems will ultimately extend the life of your asphalt.
For example, regular sealcoating is very important to extend the life of your asphalt surface. There are many benefits of sealcoating, including; restoring the look of your asphalt surface; making your parking lot easier to clean and protecting the asphalt from harsh weather and regular wear and tear. Wolf Paving recommends a sealcoat every two years.
If you are noticing singular cracks between ¼ inch and 1 inch and size, you should consider crack-filling. Taking the time to fill cracks will ensure that water is not able to penetrate and deteriorate the sub-base of your asphalt pavement. Regular crack maintenance will help extend the life of your asphalt.
General Asphalt Preventative Maintenance Tips
Understanding the time frame of asphalt repairs and the life expectancy of your asphalt surface can help you create a realistic budget to meet your needs. Here are a few key things to remember:
- Every 10 years you should budget for a major restoration of well-travelled areas.
- If your asphalt parking lot is large, you might consider phasing repairs over a 1-2 year window. This will ensure that your repairs will not interrupt your tenants or customers.
- Always plan for preventative maintenance to keep your asphalt pavement looking its best.
Work With An Experienced Asphalt Contractor To Set A Realistic Asphalt Repair Budget
Working with an experienced contractor can help you plan appropriately for your next paving project. Most reputable, highly rated, experienced commercial and municipal contractors will come out to your job site, evaluate your current repair needs and provide you with a free quote. An experienced asphalt contractor will talk through your immediate and long term needs and tell you their best-recommended course of action based on your individual budget and timeframe.
Do you have any additional questions to help you plan your paving budget? Contact us and let us know how we can help!
If you would like to read about more specific budgeting information and tips, read through some of our other blogs:
- How To Budget For Asphalt Repaving For A Parking Lot Or Playground
- A Cost-Effective Guide To Help Property Managers Budget For Asphalt Repairs
- 9 Important Asphalt Paving Budget Tips For Property Managers
- How To Budget And Plan For Fall Asphalt Maintenance To Save Money
- Planning For An Asphalt Pavement Project
For more information on Wolf Paving products and services for property managers or to request a detailed quote for your next paving project contact one of our two offices. If you live or work in the Milwaukee, WI or Oconomowoc, WI area, call us at 262-965-2121. For the Madison, WI and Sun Prairie WI, area, call us at 608-249-7931.
