This post gives a general overview of the process of getting your concrete or asphalt work done with O'Brien Paving Inc.
Initial Contact
The first step is to give us a call or click over to our Contact Us form and leave your info including your name, address, and phone number, as well as some details about what you are looking for and when you might be available to meet.
If you emailed us or had to leave a message (sorry) we will get back to you as soon as we can to arrange a time for your estimate and possibly get any details we may need.
You will get entered in to the schedule with one of our very knowledgeable estimators, all of which have had decades of experience in the industry. (while we generally prefer to meet with our potential client on-site so we can explain all the details and ensure they are getting exactly what they would like, in some cases we can provide an online quote, or a quote on-site without the need for the client to be there)
Quotation
Generally our estimate times are approximate, we really do try our best to get to each estimate at the start of the time slot, but due to the nature of the job we can't always get there on the dot. We ask for an hour window in order to give us some leeway. In some cases we may even get their early, things can get pretty unpredictable on the road, please understand, if we are a little later as well.
During the estimate we will discuss with you all aspects of your project and explain what you should know about getting your project completed with the best quality and value you can get. We will try to thoroughly explain the process and give any recommendations we may have. We are there to answer your questions, not just hand you a price and run. Use this time like a consultation, we will be honest and upfront about everything that will or may occur. This is the best time to get your questions answered, the person you are talking to is an expert in the field.
We will do what we can to give you a quotation while you wait, most of the time this is possible, though in some situations, a job may be too involved to give a comprehensive quote right away. If this is the case we will work on it back at the office and email you with the quotation. Please be patient but feel free to email us if we've taken a while.
Once you've decided you want the best, give us a call or send us an email with your acceptance of the quotation. Sign the bottom of the quotation to accept the contract and hire O'Brien Paving to complete your work. Please send us a photo or scan of the signed document. Now you will be entered in to the queue for work to be done.
Preparation
All of our 'to do' jobs have been entered in the queue and grouped with jobs in the neighbourhood which signed up around the same time. Once the group has made it's way near the top of the queue we enter it in to the schedule a few weeks out. You haven't yet received a call from us because construction timing can be very unpredictable, there are a lot of factors which affect the exact start date, including weather.
Once we are approximately a week out we do our best to contact everyone in the group again to ensure the date works. This can be a very involved task because we need all of the days jobs to agree. If a customer needs to wait then we find the next job in the queue which is also in the area. Please be as flexible as possible when it comes to scheduling the crew. It isn't any where near as simple as a dentist or doctors office because we come to you and need to manage crew and equipment availability.
Your day arrives, if you were first on the schedule we will likely see you around 7:30 to begin work. In many cases you do not need to be there for the work to be completed, one of the reasons we try to make our quotes as comprehensive as possible is so that the crews will know what needs to be done. Still it is always best that you are reachable by phone in case the need arises. In construction a schedule is never set in stone. We use all the information we have and decades of experience entered in to our scheduling software to estimate completion times. Inevitably things will be a little harder or sometimes easier than we expected, so the start time for every job after the first is not perfectly predictable.
Our crew will be bringing a lot of equipment and multiple trucks, we take up a lot of space, if possible we like to have the road to either side of your driveway and across the street clear of parked cars, so our dump trucks can be close to the work for loading and unloading. Over the next few hours we will remove any asphalt and concrete needed, dig and install any bases required, set the grade for the gravel base, and compact everything ready for paving or concrete work.
Now that your driveway is prepared you can park in it again, until we are ready to come back in to pave. Your job will be marked for concrete or paving and you will be scheduled for the next stage of work. In some cases this can be a few days, a week, or even a month, it really depends on the type of work that is being completed, your requests and our schedule.
Your point of contact is again the office through E-Mail or Phone.
Concrete
The crew will arrive on a scheduled date. We will set all of the forms and perform any additional preparation required for the concrete pour. (sometimes these dates do not have a lot of warning, but most often it isn't necessary for the owner to be there.)
Concrete will be scheduled (this can be same day or a few days later) Any needed modifications will be completed and any reinforcements installed.
The concrete will be poured and finished. Depending on the type of concrete the crew may leave the site for a few hours to allow time dependant processes to complete before fully finishing the uncured concrete work.
At some point in the next few days a small crew will come in to strip all of the forms and put in any stress relief cuts needed. If your concrete work is stamped or exposed the crew may wash or seal the concrete at this time or come back to seal the concrete at a later date (depending on circumstances)
Your concrete work is now complete, it will take 24 hours before anyone should walk on the concrete and 7 days before the concrete should be put under heavier stress like vehicles. If you had concrete curbs installed do not drive over or hit them until after the paving is also complete.
For all residential work (and most commercial work) there is a minimum 10 day gap between pouring concrete and laying asphalt to allow the concrete to harden enough to take the weight of paving equipment.
Asphalt Paving
The crew will arrive on a scheduled date, again a lot of space is required for our equipment, dump trucks must be very close to the job we are completing (generally right beside the driveway along the road).
We will regrade any portions of the base which require attention, and recompact the base.
The asphalt will be laid using best practices to ensure a job that will last for a very long time.
We will then compress the asphalt and tamp sides. Asphalt when fully compressed asphalt is approximately 80% it's loose laid thickness. (2.5" becomes 2")
We will clean the jobsite and the road where we worked, and block off your driveway.
Generally once we are leaving your driveway can be walked on, but any sharp points of pressure will easily push through the fresh asphalt. It is best to wait 5-7 days before parking in your new driveway. Please read the do's and don'ts printed on the back of your contract!
Payment
In some circumstances a deposit is required before work begins.
Once preparation is complete we generally request a payment of 50%.
When all work is complete, the final bill is due.
Most often we collect a cheque, (or cash for smaller amounts) as soon as the job is complete, otherwise payment can be arranged through E-Mail Money Transfer with the office. While we have the ability to accept credit cards a processing fee of 3% will be added on the invoice.
Please take a few minutes and rate us on google, because our work lasts for decades we really depend on recommendations for continued success!
