As 2021 comes to a close, many business owners find themselves wrapping up the year with final invoicing, closing out accounts, analyzing year-end numbers, and reviewing projections for the upcoming year. It’s also a time when businesses with brick and mortar locations or rental properties review their maintenance and repair needs. If you are in the throes of budgeting for 2022, now is the time to plan for your commercial paving projects. Join our paving experts as we review three tips for affecting pavement budgeting. 

TIP 1 | Consider the Condition, History, and Age of Your Pavement

It’s best to collect all your facts before your start budgeting for next year’s paving needs. Start by gathering any project quotes and invoices you have from repair, maintenance, and repaving work. Look for any red flags that suggest you need to take a more aggressive approach to repair. Are your repair costs getting higher year after year? Are you noticing more and more damage? Now would be a good time to plan a repave rather than allocating resources to a patch that won’t last. If you’re unsure, check out our article Repair, Reseal, or Replace? Signs Your Asphalt Needs Some Attention to help guide your review. Remember, it’s always better to plan for more and spend less!  

TIP 2 | Gauge the Impact of Your Pavement

Next, consider what role your pavement plays for your business. Are you a retail space that relies on a clean, safe, and well-maintained parking lot to protect your customers and employees? Are you a property management company that maintains living areas for tenants and their families? Does your business have a drive-through to serve your customers? If employees, customers, or tenants use your pavement regularly, you’ll want to keep preventative maintenance and repair in mind as you budget. Consider reprioritizing your goals for 2022 if your paved areas can make or break a customer experience with your business. For more information on best practices for maintenance, explore our article New Parking Lot Care & Maintenance. Putting in a little extra work early can prevent bigger issues down the road.  

TIP 3 | Get a Thorough Walk-Through and Know Your Options

The most reliable way to plan for next year’s budget is to work with a professional. Find contractors in your area who will do a walk through of your property with you and talk through your needs. They should be thorough and ask you a lot of questions about your property, customer and employee habits, liability requirements, budget, and expectations. Once they’ve gathered their info, they should provide a clear quote with a few options for you to choose from. Really great contractors will work with you on a long-term plan to help you make the most out of your budget each year. This will give you concrete numbers you can include in your budgeting plan. To get a better understanding of our quote process, take a look at From Quote to Complete in Five Easy Steps.

Budgeting isn’t always fun, but when you have the right people in your corner, it can be a lot easier. If you having questions about asphalt repair and maintenance, options for repaving, or would like to get a quote for services, contact us today!