There are numerous risk and cost factors involved in aptly repairing and maintaining a professional parking lot. In fact, calculating the cost to seal a concrete pathway is not as simple as providing an estimate based upon square footage. There is a lot more to it than that. With that in mind, sealing your pathway and parking lot every two to three years will substantially increase its longevity, and it will even end up saving you a great deal of money in the long run. Even though you could do the job yourself, it is always advisable to hire a professional asphalt and pathway sealing company near you to get the job done right and in a timely fashion.
Cost of Sealing a Concrete or Asphalt Pathway
When it comes to asking a contractor to provide an estimate of the pathway sealing cost per square foot, always be mindful of their answer because it is very telling. An honest contractor will tell you from the beginning that while they can provide the cost per square footage, there are a number of other factors that come into play when calculating the total cost of the project itself. They should offer to visit the property in question in order to assess the different necessities of the job itself.
8 Factors Involved in Pathway Sealing Costs
The following eight factors can help to determine the cost of sealing a concrete pathway.
Time of Year
Concrete pathway and parking lot sealing is seasonal work because of the simple fact that inclement weather can make it extremely difficult for asphalt pathway sealing contractors to complete their work without incident. Heavy precipitation like snow, rain, and even sleet can make their jobs a lot harder than necessary, which is why the best time to have any types of repairs or maintenance work done on your pavement is in the summer or fall. Before you seal your pavement, you should assess it for any damages such as cracks or potholes, and you should make sure that all debris is thoroughly removed.
Pre-Existing Damages
It is pertinent to fill all cracks and potholes prior to sealing the pavement. Not only does this add an aesthetic appeal, but it will also ensure the longevity and durability of the sealant. After all, the whole point of sealing your pavement is to create a barrier between the damaging effects of harsh elements and your concrete or asphalt. Sealing it before repairing pre-existing damages is useless because all you are doing is sealing in the cracks and potholes that were already there without addressing the issues firsthand. It may add to your costs, but it will be worth it in the long run. Crack fillings and pothole repairs are pretty simple, and you can easily do them yourself; however, you should always hire a professional asphalt pathway sealing company to apply the sealant because they have access to all the proper equipment and they are trained for the job.
Surface Preparation Costs
Surface preparation is also a vital contributing factor to the overall cost of properly maintaining and sealing your pavement. Parking lot and pathway sealing is useless if there is still a great deal of debris and overgrowth beneath the surface. Over time, opting against removing this waste will only incur more maintenance costs for you because of the gradual damages that your pavement will have to endure. Even the smallest weeds can eventually break through the surface and if this happens, it means there is most definitely structural damage below the surface as well. It might even force you to remove the concrete altogether and repave the entire property, the cost of which will surely be astronomical. The best thing to do is to take the minor hit in the beginning and hire a crew of contractors to assess the work that needs to be done and have them remove the debris prior to sealing.
Area
The fact of the matter is that the real estate value in certain areas is much higher than others. If your property or business happens to be in an upscale area, than you will need to pay upscale prices to maintain it.
Traffic Flow
Traffic flow is also another major cost increasing factor, because the higher the volume of vehicles on your property the more time it will take for the crew to complete its work. The last thing you want is for the contractors to rush through the job just to get it done. If you want high-quality work, then you need to take certain working conditions into consideration.
Mobilization of the Crew and Materials
The cost of mobilizing crew members, materials, and relevant equipment can be a large expense for many contracting companies and this is something they must factor into how much they charge. It all depends on how far they are located in relation to the jobsite, how much gas they have to spend to get there, whether they are carpooling with their crew members to cut costs, etc. Oftentimes, they might even need to travel to different locations to pick up necessary materials and equipment.
Cost of Materials
Certain tools, materials, and large-scale pieces of equipment are more expensive than others. Even certain brand names are of a higher caliber than their cheaply constructed counterparts. In a perfect world, you will hire a contractor who uses low-cost, high-quality materials to seal your parking lot. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and if the materials used are costly, then this will be reflected in your invoice. Make it a point to ask your contractor what materials they will be using for the job and how much they cost.
Layout and Size of the Pathway
Believe it or not, the square footage of your pathway or parking lot does not always make as much a difference in the cost as the layout. You would think that a larger land mass would automatically equate to a higher cost, but this is not always the case. The layout makes a huge difference as well. For instance, if you have a small property with a complicated layout that involves a lot of twists, turns, and curves, this can make it very difficult for the crew to manoeuver around, which will inevitably increase the cost of the project. Keep in mind, some companies charge on an hourly basis and not necessarily based on square footage.
Find a Pathway and Parking Lot Sealing Company Near You
Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. has over 20 years of experience in asphalt paving and repairs. We offer an industry-leading, seven-year structural warranty, and we stand behind the quality and durability of our services, ensuring that they will last. For a free consultation, please call our number 416-410-3705 or if you’re in Toronto, call 416-410-3705.