Asphalt paving
Asphalt laid over a properly built sub-base — for streets, yards, car parks and industrial hardstandings.
An asphalt surface lasts for decades when the sub-base beneath it has been built properly. That is why we work from the bottom up on every site: excavate to the design level, lay and compact a crushed-stone sub-base, and only then move on to the asphalt. A surface laid over uncleared or uncompacted ground will crack during the first winter, however good the asphalt mix.
We work both on public contracts for streets and roads and on private projects — house yards, car parks in front of shops and offices, hardstandings for production facilities and warehouses. Layer thickness and mix type are chosen according to the expected loading: a yard with light car traffic and a hardstanding crossed by heavy goods vehicles call for very different solutions.
Alongside new paving we also repair existing surfaces — patching potholes, milling and laying a new wearing course, sealing cracks. Timely repair costs a fraction of replacing the whole surface, because water entering through a crack destroys the sub-base underneath.
What the service covers
- Asphalt paving for streets and roads
- Asphalt paving for yards and car parks
- Asphalt hardstandings
- Repair and reinstatement of asphalt surfaces
- Preparation and laying of sub-bases
How we carry it out
- 0+500
Site visit and measurement
We come out, measure the area and assess the condition of the ground and the existing drainage. We establish what loading the surface will carry.
- 0+550
Quotation with quantities
You receive a written quotation broken down by activity, with quantities and unit prices — excavation, sub-base, asphalt, kerbs.
- 0+600
Excavation and sub-base
We excavate to the design level, cart away the spoil and lay a crushed-stone sub-base in compacted layers.
- 0+650
Laying the asphalt
We apply the bitumen tack coat and lay the asphalt courses with a paver, then compact with a roller to the design density.
- 0+700
Finishing works
We form the edges, kerbs and junctions with the surrounding ground. The surface can be used once it has cooled.
Photographs from the work
Shots from sites — more from the excavation and the base than from the finished surface. What is underneath decides whether it lasts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does asphalt paving cost per square metre?
The price depends mainly on the condition of the ground and the thickness of the surface, rather than on the asphalt itself. A yard with a sound existing base costs considerably less than ground that has to be excavated, carted away and rebuilt. That is why we quote after a site visit — the figure is then accurate and does not change as the work goes on.
When can vehicles drive on the new asphalt?
Cars can normally use it after 24 hours, once the surface has cooled completely. For heavy goods traffic we recommend 48 to 72 hours. On hot summer days cooling takes longer.
What time of year is asphalt laid?
Asphalt laying needs dry weather and temperatures above 5°C, which in practice means April to the end of October. Excavation and sub-base preparation can be done outside that window, so the site is ready to pave as soon as the weather allows.
Can asphalt be laid over an existing surface?
Yes, provided the old surface is sound and the sub-base is not broken up. In that case the top layer is milled off and a new wearing course laid. If the base is compromised, covering it with new asphalt only postpones the problem by a year or two.
Need asphalt paving?
Call and describe the site. The visit and the quotation are free of charge.