How To Select an Asphalt Contractor

5 Tips for Selecting an Asphalt Contractor for Your Municipal Project

Making sure the roads in your town are good to go during any season of the year is a matter of public safety, public trust and responsibility. If your municipality needs road repair or replacement, or even to build entirely new roads, it’s important to know how to select an asphalt contractor that is well qualified to handle these major municipal paving jobs while staying on budget, on schedule, and, most of all, laying down strong, high quality pavement for your citizens. Here’s where to start:

1. Request Bids from Multiple Contractors

Bids can vary almost wildly from one company to the other, so this isn’t just about gathering bids from three or four contractors and picking the cheapest bidder. It’s about digging into the specifics of each bid to compare the services and prices listed. Make sure you understand all of the services listed, materials and methods used and how they will affect the end product. The lowest bidder may be providing a cheaper quality product, while the highest may be overcharging. You won’t know until you really compare each bid and the contractors’ history. Speaking of which…

2. Get References and Examine Qualifications

Each contractor should be able to refer to examples of previous work done for other municipalities. Not just any asphalt paving contractor has the experience, qualifications and equipment necessary to such a major municipal paving job. Espina Paving has 3 decades of experience paving for towns, airports, industrial projects and businesses throughout Northern Virginia, for example, so it would be easy to check into the history and qualifications of our asphalt paving services for municipalities.

3. Are They Licensed, Bonded and Insured?

When checking into asphalt paving contractors, make sure that your short list includes only those that are licensed, bonded and insured. What does this mean? The company will be able to provide certification that they possess all of the appropriate business and contractor licenses, and that these licenses are up-to-date with the appropriate authorities. These licenses should have surety bonds as well. The contractor should also be able to verify that they carry general liability insurance, workers compensation insurance and an umbrella policy. Furthermore, they will be able to show that all of their equipment and vehicles are also correctly insured. A contractor without these qualifications should not be paving your municipality. Espina Paving is fully licensed, bonded and insured!

4. Materials and Equipment Ready?

Another question to ask during the selection process for an asphalt paving contractor is whether or not the contractor owns their own equipment and materials, or if they have to rent/purchase these things. If the contractor does not have ownership of these items, they may be at the whim of suppliers whose prices can fluctuate, which means that your end price for the municipal paving project might also fluctuate. If the asphalt paving company already has ownership and control of these things, they can control and manage those costs more predictably, which will make your costs stable as well. Espina Paving owns and maintains all of its own paving equipment and all of the hot and cold asphalt mixes, sealers and other materials.

5. Memberships & Certifications

Another good indicator to look for when selecting an asphalt paving contractor for municipal jobs is their industry certifications, memberships and affiliations. Contractors that maintain these certifications and memberships within the paving industry are more easily able to certify that they are a business in good standing throughout the community and that they adhere to industry standards in all areas of business in the community. Espina Paving has several industry certifications and memberships including:

  • Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA)
  • Building Owners Management Association (BOMA)
  • Community Associations Institute
  • Property Management Association
  • The Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned Business (SWaM) certification
  • MOSB - Minority Owned Small Business
  • LDBE - Local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

So if you are wondering how to select an asphalt contractor for your municipal paving project, these 5 tips are a good place to start. And give Espina Paving a call at 703-491-9100 to ask any questions or to include us in your bidding process! With 30 years of great municipal paving experience, you can count on us to pave the way—on time, on budget and with the highest quality professionalism, service and workmanship in the asphalt paving business! We look forward to hearing from you!

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Commercial and Municipal Paving Contractor Serving VA, MD, DC Since 1976

Jose Roubin

About the author

With Espina Paving being a family business, I have been exposed to the construction industry my whole life. I graduated college on a Friday, and was building roads on Monday. Having served many functions within the company, I am currently overseeing our day to day operations.

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