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It’s a sad but true fact; fraud and deception are on the rise. Lack of moral standards and integrity is a virus that affects not only homeowner’s but also business owners as well.  From small business operations to the commercial industry, “contractors” are out there to leave you empty handed.

It can’t be stressed enough, Do Your Homework.

A Professional Contractor is qualified, insured, carries workers compensation, and should have a list of references. You as a consumer whether you’re a homeowner, a business owner, or a manager for a business, it is within your rights to request copies of these documents before signing on the dotted line.

A Professional Contractor pays taxes and insures their workers.

Professional Contractors follow established guidelines within their individual industries, a “code of conduct” per say.  You should be provided with a written quote on company letterhead, listing the company name, address, and phone. 

Buyer Beware of the contractor who gives you a price you can’t pass up and can schedule your job within 24 hours.  These contractors are called professional scammers or gypsies. Many times they come disguised as a subcontractor, but what they’re actually doing is work on the side or under the table, stealing leads, under bidding the job, using equipment and products from the company they’re working for, which is illegal. 

And on the flip-side, yes it’s a sad truth that consumers (both residentially and commercially) are taken advantage of by the unethical practices of these subcontractors, but these practices also affect the livelihood of the Professional Contractor. 

As you can imagine, a Professional Contractor has spent not only years perfecting their craft, but money on education and on building their business, from buying or leasing office space to purchasing equipment and materials.  When a job is awarded to anyone other than a Professional Contractor, by low-balling, it’s really taking money out of the pocket of the professional.

So when you’re seeking bids for a new driveway, a patio, new roof, replacement windows, or whatever your improvement may be, remember to Do Your Homework and select only a Professional Contractor.

To learn more about what to look for when selecting a paving contractor, visit www.rogerspavement.com

Potholes occur when moisture filters its way through cracks in the pavement and settles below the sub-base. As temperatures drop the moisture freezes and expands beneath the surface. As temperatures rise, the moisture thaws (contracts) leaving a void and weakening the pavement, which eventually caves-in causing a pothole.There are various methods in repairing potholes, but to make a long-lasting pothole repair the best method utilizes several stages of repair. Mark perimeter of damaged area and sawcut or jackhammer approximately 1 foot around the pothole.

• After the area is sawcut, breakout and remove the damaged asphalt material and all subgrade material until you reach a firm base.
• Backfill and compact this area using a crushed aggregate, then apply a tack coat to the inside perimeter of the sawcut.
• Install hotmix into the damaged area making sure to compact and rake to level, each incremental lift until you reach an area slightly higher than the surrounding pavement.
• Compact finished area using vibration plates or rollers working from the outside edges in making sure to compact in all directions of the patch.
• Apply hot sealant to seal seams.

Your finished product will be structurally sound and water tight.

Filling asphalt cracks in your driveway or pavement surface will be a very important part of extending the life of your asphalt surface.

The most important reason to maintain the cracks is because you don’t want moisture to penetrate under the asphalt surface. If water penetrates the crack and seeps under the asphalt surface, this almost always creates a soft spot whcih creates a pot hole. And if you live where the temperatures create ground freezing, then this moisture under the asphalt surface will freeze and push the pavement up. All of these conditions can be prevented by practicing good maintenance and keeping cracks filled as they occur.

“Singular” cracks occur naturally as the ground moves and as the asphalt ages. “Alligatored” cracks are signs of asphalt deterioration typically from lack of maintenance.

Cleaning the cracks prior to crackfilling is a crucial part of the crackfilling process. If the cracks are not cleaned, the filler won’t stay in place. A professional will never use a pressure washer to clean cracks as all this does is “push” water deep under the asphalt surface which can potentially soften the area and cause deterioration to your pavement.

Contact Rogers Pavement Maintenance in Cincinnati (513-791-9001) to obtain a bid to have your pavement surface professionally crackfilled.