Potential Issues That Could Delay Concrete Paving in Vancouver

Factors that may cause delays in concrete paving

Sometimes, project delays are unavoidable. But that doesn’t make them any easier to bear.

Here are some common factors that delay concrete and asphalt projects, along with things that you can do to prepare and maneuver around those concerns.

1. Weather

Both concrete and asphalt are best installed in warmer temperatures (between 10 and 32 degrees Celsius). Any colder, and you run the risk of a failed pour. In addition, continuous rainfall can compromise your driveway and mar its finished appearance.

Obviously, weather conditions are outside of your contractor’s control. That said, professional contractors are upfront with you about weather concerns. Delivering a quality product is their top priority: they don’t want to risk a poor installation simply to move on to their next job.

Permits

There’s a good chance your project will require a permit. As anyone with construction experience will tell you, it takes time – maybe weeks or months – to acquire municipal permits and clearances.

Professional contractors are well-versed in permit requirements. If you’re unfamiliar, they can educate you on what’s needed. They’ll also warn you against making too many changes: every time you modify your plans, you will need either a new or modified permit to proceed.

Lack of Resources

For the past two years, contractors have faced significant supply challenges. Readily available products were suddenly scarce. And when they were available, their cost increased significantly.

Industry forecasters warn that this problem isn’t going away any time soon. If you’re preparing for a concrete or asphalt project, your contractor may have recommendations to minimize any impact on your project.

Improper Excavation or Site Preparation

Your new driveway will only be as good as the preparation underneath it. Without sound preparation, you run the risk of future flooding and premature deterioration, among other things. Worse, if your contractor shows up and deems the preparation insufficient, you’ll be stuck waiting for your concrete or asphalt to be installed.

Every site is different, so ask your contractor to explain what kind of excavation and preparation is required for your driveway. They should be able to provide you with a detailed scope of work and explain the potential problems to be avoided.

Lack of Manpower

You’ve heard and seen story after story about the ongoing labour shortage. Contractors have smaller crews to service projects, which means they can take longer to complete. Moreover, it can also lead to inexperienced workmanship if new workers don’t have experienced oversight.

Before you hire a contractor, ask them about their staffing capability and how they’re handling the labour shortage. Professionals will have no issue being transparent as they explain how they deliver the high-quality product you’re expecting.

The Burnaby Blacktop Difference

The team at Burnaby Blacktop won’t pretend that we can magically make problems disappear. However, because we’re an experienced paving company, we know the factors that lead to project delays in Greater Vancouver.

What makes us different is that we build our schedules and time estimates with these factors in mind. We’ll be upfront with you from the very start so that you can plan around concerns and have confidence that we’re doing everything we can to complete your project on time.