Money-Saving Tips When Working With Concrete

Squeezing Water from a Stone

In the realm of Utah landscaping, too often people choose to let their dreams die on the vine because of the potentially prohibitive prices that stand between them and their completed projects. They sit around the table with their bank apps open, looking over the past months’ expenditures, trying to figure out what is an appropriate budget to finally get the driveway fixed, or the porch repaved.

Then comes the consultations with the professionals, who quote them a fair but ultimately unobtainable price, and the home improvement project is shelved for yet another year. 

At Asphalt Materials, we don’t want to see your dreams get left out in the cold. Thanks to the breadth of products and services we provide, you have a greater freedom to choose how best to tackle your project while still staying firmly within your budget. Let’s take a look at a few important tips to keep in mind when you decide to finally head out on that landscaping adventure.

More Money, Fewer Problems

As any project manager will tell you, “more money, more problems” is not something that necessarily exists in the construction industry. If anything, construction jobs have a funny habit of springing unforeseen expenses on the team before they’re completed. By following these tips, you can keep your wallet sufficiently padded for when those “extra improvement opportunities” might arise.

Measure Twice, Pour Once

No matter if you’re dealing with a table saw or cold mix asphalt, the principle is the same: be extra, extra sure of your project dimensions before you order your materials and before you pour anything down. While some areas are fairly straightforward, like needing to pour sidewalk squares or a small entryway, few things in nature work in straight lines and 90-degree angles.

• Be sure to use some of those geometry skills.
• Consult a professional who can check your numbers.
• Remember to factor in the depth of the mixture as well as the surface area, in order to avoid cracking.

Consult with your City Reps

It’s true that you don’t need permission from the planning and zoning department to purchase or scatter ice melt, but you might very well need a permit if you are going to do any DIY asphalt and concrete work. 

• Permit fees are cheaper than paying for a citation, so make sure that you dot all your I’s and cross all your T’s.
• A permit may not be needed if the job is fairly small or you are bringing prefabricated items in from off-site. If a concrete truck is involved, however, best check with the city.

Get the Right Materials

In landscaping, there is rarely a “one size fits all” approach. When building a retaining wall, for instance, you can choose to do that out of boulders, concrete, or even wood. The same can be said for asphalt, which comes in hot and cold mixes. Knowing what materials you have at your disposal will help you settle on the right ones for your project, and more importantly, your budget.

• Let the team at Asphalt Materials know from the outset what you are planning to do and they can point you in the right direction in terms of the proper materials.
• Choosing the right materials at the outset will save you from having to pay for repairs later on down the road. If you’re going to spend money on this project, you won’t want to cut corners here.