Choosing a Paving Contractor
Paving is a big decision — and the difference between a 20-year driveway and a 2-year headache is decided before the first truck arrives.
Why the Choice Matters
Driveways and parking lots are major parts of your property, and their quality directly affects how your home or business is perceived — and how safe it is. A poor paving job comes with real defects: depression spots or "birdbaths" that puddle after every rain, or a pitch graded toward your building that sends runoff — and water damage — exactly where you don't want it.
What a Quality Contractor Does Differently
- Tests the ground and builds the base. A stable, compacted base is what makes pavement resist sagging, ruts, erosion, cracks, and flaking edges.
- Grades for drainage. The correct pitch moves water away from structures, not toward them.
- Uses state-approved materials. VDOT-spec mixes are produced to measurable quality standards — ask what mix your quote specifies.
- Puts the scope in writing. Removal, base work, thickness, and drainage should all be itemized. "Pave driveway" on one line is a red flag.
- Finishes the details. Straight seams, even striping, speed bumps, signage, and edging attended to with care.
Questions to Ask Any Paving Contractor
- Are you licensed, bonded, and insured? (A-Pak is all three, and BBB-accredited since 2015.)
- What's the compacted thickness of the finished asphalt — and is that number in the written quote?
- What happens if you find soft spots in the base?
- Where will water go after paving?
- Can I see recent local work? (Ours is in the gallery — and probably on your street.)
Compare complete scopes, not just totals. The cheapest quote usually leaves out the step you'll pay for twice. When you're ready, get a free, itemized A-Pak estimate to measure the others against.