Parking lots have their fair share of zoning codes and requirements to maintain the safety and aesthetics of the communities in which they are located. Commercial development projects like  new retail stores, businesses, or entertainment spaces, often involve city planners, architects, and zoning committees to create plans for approval by the city. Part of those plans include a strategy for parking and maintaining appropriate traffic and pedestrian flow. This planning is important to the viability of the development and proper execution of those plans is key to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Join our paving experts as we walk through 4 tips to ensure the most effective and safe parking lot development as possible.

01. Seek Out Experienced Commercial Asphalt Contractors

While it seems like common sense, making sure you’re working with an experienced team is paramount to the success of your project. Look for contractors who have completed similar work to your proposed parking lot and ask for details. Any contractor bidding for your work should be able to speak, in detail, about similar projects they have executed and can attest to the requirements of the job.

Your paving contractor should be able to confidently speak on:

  • Proper grading and drainage
  • Storm water management
  • Runoff control to preserve adjacent structures and roadways
  • Vehicle storage and safety
  • Clear and accurate striping
  • ADA compliance
  • Effective concrete finishing

If a contractor can’t provide this information, it’s best to keep looking for the right fit.

02. Verify Work Site Safety

Verifying the safety of your employees, members of the public, and adjacent property during paving work is an important factor in limiting the overall liability of your business. You will want to walk through the safety and compliance practices of your paving contractor to ensure your work site remains safe and free from hazards.

Your contractor should walk you through their safety protocol, have verification of their trainings and certifications, and have proof of well-maintained equipment. They should also include details on their site clean up processes and preventative measures to limit future hazard. Remember to ask your paving contractor if they have documentation for proper care and maintenance and what their response plans are if the completed work is not up to standard.

Remember, limiting future liability starts with a strong foundation. Your paving contractor should have data on the longevity of the pavement and all corresponding concrete work.

03. Check Bonding, Licensure, and Insurance

Bonding protects customers from business practices or construction work that may lead to them suffering financial losses. Any good paving contractor will stand by their work and readily enter into a bond with a city or property owner. If a contractor is not bonded, you may want to reconsider your selection.

Licensure ensures that a contractor has met all state requirements to perform paving services in Wisconsin. It’s crucial to verify licensure, no matter how small the parking lot project may be. Your paving contractor should have valid business license before proceeding with work.

Insurance helps to limit your liability as their paving customer. Reliable paving contractors will have workers compensation insurance and general liability insurance. They should also have proof of insurance for all commercial equipment and vehicles.

04. Establish Capacity and Capabilities

Finally, you want to make sure that your parking lot paving contractor has the wherewithal to manage your project effectively and efficiently from bid through to completion. You should have direct access to a project manager and expect daily communication regarding progress. A good team will have crew members with years of experience. We proudly employee experts who have been in the paving industry upwards of 25 years because there’s no shortcut to real-world experience.

Your new contractor should have a fleet of well-maintained vehicles and equipment. At Johnson and Sons Paving, we have an on-staff mechanic who manages all our fleet equipment and a team of 10 that put all our vehicles and equipment through rigorous inspection during the off-season to make sure we hit peak paving time with top-notch tools. Broken down equipment can lead to costly downtime, so it’s best to start with a company that puts time and effort into their equipment and vehicles.

Developing a safe, compliant parking lot is a big investment and finding a contractor who will work diligently and with detail is important to meet your budget and timeline.

Johnson and Sons Paving is a fully insured commercial and residential paving contractor headquartered in Menomonee Falls, WI. Our paving crews proudly serve businesses and homeowners, providing a full range of asphalt and concrete construction services for customers in the following counties: Sheboygan, Fond Du Lac, Washington, Ozaukee, Jefferson, Dane, Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, Walworth, and their surrounding areas.