When you’re not made of money, asphalt paving and maintenance can be costly.

As a property manager, you’re inevitably going to run into a variety of asphalt paving needs over the journey.

Maybe potholes are beginning to form in your asphalt. Perhaps small cracks are quickly expanding into much larger cracks. It’s possible that your parking lot has faded to the point where you need brand new line striping.

When you’re working on a tight budget, every dollar counts. Fortunately, there are various opportunities to save money on paving, maintenance, and repairs.

Here are six important budget-saving tips to keep in mind!

1. Consider the lifespan of asphalt

On paper, a brand-new asphalt surface or addition might look like a daunting expense. With other important projects looming, you may be tempted to put it off or seek a cheap alternative.

However, when installed and regularly maintained by a professional asphalt paving contractor, new asphalt can be expected to last for a minimum of 10 – 15 years—and up to 20 years. So, while you may be paying a large sum of money upfront to install new asphalt, it’s an expense that you only need to worry about once every decade or two.

2. Invest in preventative maintenance

It’s easy to look at your recently paved asphalt surface and assume that it won’t need to be touched for the next few years. However, the best way to extend the life of your asphalt and avoid unnecessary repair costs is to perform preventative maintenance.

Practices such as sealcoating and crack filling will protect your asphalt against the elements and make sure your asphalt is strong enough to withstand inclement weather, as well as the natural wear and tear from traffic.

3. Invest in routine maintenance

Just as doctors advise you to prioritize your health today because ailments compound when neglected, professional asphalt contractors will advise that you perform routine maintenance on your asphalt surface.

Waiting for large repairs to surface before taking action is an expensive way to manage your asphalt. Addressing the vulnerabilities in your asphalt on a regular basis will save you money in the long run.

4. Get the work completed quickly

The longer it takes to pave, maintain, or repair asphalt, the more money you’re generally going to lose. Not to mention, indecision and downtime can result in unhappy tenants or financial losses for businesses.

So, when it comes time to work on your asphalt, be decisive and make sure you have a contractor who will work quickly and efficiently. If your contractor can also work outside normal business hours, this may result in less downtime for your business tenants.

5. Keep track of all maintenance and repairs

Whenever your asphalt paving contractor performs maintenance and repairs, be sure to note the date and the scope of work that was performed.

Knowing exactly when your asphalt was last serviced and keeping an eye on potential maintenance needs down the road will help you better anticipate those costs and budget for them.

6. Your time is costly, too—don’t waste it

You can spend all day researching a host of different asphalt paving contractors or fretting over various maintenance and repair needs.

This sort of attention to detail can be healthy to an extent; but be sure not to waste too much time. Hiring a contractor you can trust will allow you to spend less time worrying about your asphalt and allow you to leave your asphalt issues in more capable hands.

Struggling to take care of your asphalt surface at a rate you can afford? The team here at Danny’s Asphalt Paving can help. Get in touch with us today to find out how you can make asphalt maintenance and repairs work within your budget!