A driveway makes for an excellent addition to any home. If you don’t have one, or yours is damaged from overuse, you may want to consider hiring a contractor to resolve that issue.
Before you agree to anything, though, you want to ensure that the person you pick is someone who’s qualified for the job. That way, you’re not left with a disappointing driveway when they make off with your money.
Asking these three questions should help you decide whether they’re right for you or not.
Does Their Past Work Stack Up?
It’s unlikely that you’re hiring a driveway contractor who’s never done this job before. To do so would be a significant risk, one that you probably don’t want to take when your money’s involved.
So, it stands to reason that the contractor will have previous examples of their work in the form of references. It’s vital that you do the necessary checks when hiring someone to work on your driveway, as failing to do so could come back to bite you. That’s why you should contact those references and ascertain whether or not the work the contractor did was acceptable. You’ll want to enquire about whether they met the brief and if the client was satisfied, as well as what they paid for the work.
If possible, you should also pay a visit to these references to see for yourself that everything stacks up. Should everything look good, then you know that the contractor is potentially someone you can trust.
What Equipment Do They Use?
You may not know that much about paving driveways and the equipment involved, but it’s worth doing your research. Just because you’re hiring someone to do the job, that doesn’t mean this information is irrelevant. In fact, it can make the difference between whether or not you choose a particular contractor.
If they use asphalt paving equipment like the ones available through Roadtec, then you can trust that they’ve got the right gear for the job. Such machinery is cutting-edge and designed to be durable, so there’s little risk of it breaking down while paving your driveway. You want the equipment to be just as reliable as the contractor themselves.
How Will They Tackle The Job?
This is another instance where it pays to do some research. Laying a driveway isn’t merely a case of a contractor coming and dumping a bunch of asphalt on your front yard. There will be digging involved, with the possibility that they may encounter pipes during the process.
You’ll want to ask about how they plan to tackle the job, focusing on things like how far down they’ll go and what they’ll do if they encounter gas or water mains. It’s also worth enquiring about drainage and how they’ll ensure your concrete driveway doesn’t display the telltale signs of damage.
Many people overlook these details when hiring a contractor and then are left facing the consequences later. You don’t want to end up in that situation, which is why it’s worth ironing out such details before agreeing to anything.
Hopefully, these questions will help you separate the good contractors from the bad ones. That way, you can get the driveway of your dreams without being ripped off.
