With nearly 60,000 miles of roadway in the United States and 45,000 in China, concrete and asphalt paving is one of the most active industries in the world. As such, this industry is witness to a proliferation of companies looking to make a profit off the consumer; so much so, price gouging has become a major concern.

Price gouging occurs when business owners overcharge customers for products sold or services rendered. It is with this in mind that consumers often take measure into their own hand by electing to do-it-themselves. Do it yourself (DIY) projects are becoming more and more popular, especially in this down economy. The paving and asphalt industry is no different.

Though certain jobs require the use of heavy equipment, most paving projects do not. As such, DIY enthusiasts are taking to their next paving project with enthusiasm. This article will focus on several considerations that must be taken into account before starting any DIY project, especially one involving paving and asphalt.

1) Labor & Time = Cost – This is the only category where both labor and time are at the sole discretion of the person doing the work and spending the time: you. Many considerations must be taken into account when allotting the appropriate amount of time necessary to complete paving contractors near me this project. First consider the size and scope of the project – how big is the paving job? How heavy are the materials? How much work is involved? Second, take into consideration the amount of laboring that must be done – can I do this entirely on my own? Should I hire a friend? Do I need to outsource certain aspects of this project to a contractor? After these considerations are made, you will understand more accurately the time and labor involved and therefore a large part of your cost.

2) Equipment & Contracting – Given the amount of time and labor involved, you should therefore be able to accurately judge the type of equipment and machinery necessary to complete the job. Some equipment that will be of obvious consideration is a heavy cement mixer, a cement layer’s axe, cement spreader, an asphalt press, and gravel spreading machine. These are just some of the tools that may be necessary and should be considered for in any DIY paving.

3) Materials & Provisions – There are four main components to paving – asphalt, concrete, cement and gravel. All these materials – or combination of – are necessary to complete most paving projects. This is all dependent upon the size of the job and the type of paving you wish to lay. Again, refereeing to the total cost (and initial objective) of your project, you should have a very good consideration of what materials are required.

4) Safety Precautions – Without belaboring the point: SAFETY FIRST! Consider wearing a hard-hat and safety goggles, especially if dealing with heavy machinery and hot cement. If the DIY-er carefully observes the above listed considerations, then not only will he save time and money, but also probably his life. Thanks for reading and good luck!