Is your company in need of concrete or asphalt paving work? If so, you may wonder how you should go about selecting a reputable company to get the job done. Encore Pavement, a full-service concrete and asphalt paving company headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, has put together some tips for selecting the best company for your current and future projects.
Professional Equipment
It is important to select a Wichita concrete and asphalt paving that has professional, well-maintained equipment. To be installed properly, there should be no delays in the concrete or asphalt paving process, which can occur if machinery is unreliable or a company is attempting to pave large areas by hand.
For asphalt, the hot-mix material begins to cool down as soon as the dump truck leaves the asphalt plant. An experienced crew will understand the critical importance of quickly getting the material out of the truck and placed on the ground to efficiently prepare for the compaction process, which must take place within a certain temperature window for best results and optimum compaction density. Not only is ordering the correct asphalt mix design a critical element to your success, but having a planned process, the right equipment, and the correct blend of skilled operators and laborers will all determine the overall project longevity and return on your investment.
Concrete also has a short life span after it leaves the concrete plant. The crew must understand how the clock is ticking to maintain a premium quality level and must know how to react during ever-changing Midwest weather conditions while still maintaining a consistent top-notch finish. Temperature, wind, humidity, precipitation, sub-base moisture, base material, sunlight/shade, time of day, anticipated overnight conditions, and water content in the mix all require different immediate actions and reactions. Hiring a concrete company with a skilled, experienced foreman and project manager will make all the difference between the initial aesthetics of your project as well as the overall performance over the next 10-20 years.
“Encore Pavement has high-quality, professional equipment that is built for high-production and consistency,” said Andy Waller, partner and CEO of Encore Pavement. “We are a regional company that serves a very diverse customer base, including the largest big-box retailers and property owners in the country.”
Quality Materials
Not all concrete and asphalt materials are equal. Concrete has many different quality grades, PSI strength ratings, and applications based on an engineered ratio of cement, sand, aggregates, and other additives. Additionally, there are many grades of asphalt with different percentages of recycled material in them. Oil type within the mix, aggregate size and type, sand ratio, base or surface mix, and temperature will all play a massive role in the overall quality and longevity of the project.
The easiest way for a contractor to save money on your project is to order an inferior concrete or asphalt mix design. In most instances, the every day customer would not be able to tell the difference initially for at least one to two years. Your return on investment is directly related to how long your new pavement installation can withstand traffic and weather elements.
The priority of Encore Pavement is to provide the utmost quality and highest value to our customers. Because we think like owners and treat every project as if it were our own property, our team is always happy to discuss all your concrete or asphalt options with you! We are fully committed to utilizing the best quality products on the market, even if that means we make less on each project. That’s fine with us, as we are more interested in mutually beneficial long-term working relationships, and not making a quick profit on your project. Trust is earned over a long period of time, from multiple instances of consistent, high-level performance, and from doing the things right the first time, every time, no exceptions. That process is ingrained in our culture at Encore Pavement.
Sufficient Insurance Coverage
Most contractors make every effort to keep their employees safe, although some more than others. Unfortunately, accidents can happen no matter how many safety precautions you take. If an accident happened on your property during a concrete or asphalt paving job, you should be protected as much as possible. That means it is important, from the outset, to select a concrete and asphalt paving company that is adequately insured.
While some Wichita concrete and asphalt paving companies choose the minimum insurance required by state law, that is not the case with Encore Pavement. Our general liability insurance and work comp protection levels are more than double the required minimum, which ensures that our customers are fully protected if any unfortunate event would occur.
Customer Service Commitment
A company’s level of commitment to customer service is often apparent early on and throughout the course of a project. When looking for a concrete and asphalt paving company in Wichita, you should find one that has an adequate crew (usually five to eight skilled workers depending on the size of the job) with an experienced support staff to properly plan, coordinate, and manage your project from start to finish while maintaining an exceptional level of communication.
“Encore Pavement is dedicated to maintaining exceptional customer relationships by completing all work in a timely, professional manner, and by leaving the job site cleaner than when we began the project,” said Waller.
