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BASIC CONSTRUCTION BLOG

Determining Asphalt Paving Cost with an Asphalt Calculator

Posted by Derek Patterson   9/18/14 9:00 AM

How Accurate and Reliable is an Online Asphalt Calculator?

In the earliest stages of considering a project – especially a large project like an asphalt installation or refinishing - many people want to get a “gut check” as to what the budget will need to be to get the job done. There are many basic asphalt calculators available online. Are these are good place to start? Well, maybe.

How to Use an Asphalt Calculator

asphalt calculatorBasic Construction provides an online asphalt calculator to help customers get an initial grasp on their paving project. Our calculator takes into account the area and depth of the paving project, and calculates the necessary asphalt tonnage based on an industry standard of 148 pounds per cubic foot.

Unless your paving project is a single, perfect square or rectangle, it can be challenging to produce a reasonable estimate of the area. Dividing the pavement area into simple geometric shapes and adding and subtracting these areas to the area to be paved can be a useful method for assessing area. The National Asphalt Pavement Association offers a useful resource for calculating the area of different geometric shapes on their website with a resource titled, “How to Determine Quantities.”

 

Asphalt-Geometry 

 

Yet the most you will get from the Basic Construction asphalt calculator (or any other) is an estimate of needed tonnage. They do not provide an estimated cost.

Why not? Well, there is much more to any asphalt project than any simple online calculator can assess.

Determining Asphalt Paving Cost

Once an asphalt calculator has helped you determine the approximate tonnage that will be needed for your paving project, how do you use that number to estimate the potential cost?

The final cost of a project will depend on the square footage that needs to be paved, whether or not permits are required, and whether any obstructions like trees need to be removed before the project can begin. The best way to calculate the estimated cost of an asphalt project is to contact a reputable asphalt contractor for a consultation.

As the contractor assembles a cost estimate for your asphalt paving job, following are the most significant considerations:

  • Mobilization: This is the cost just to get the asphalt equipment and crew to a job site. The combination of hourly wages for transporting and unloading the equipment, as well as the fuel costs to get to the site, is a big factor that can make smaller jobs more cost per square foot than larger jobs.
  • Preparation: Sometimes preparing a site for proper drainage, big or little, can be quite a task. What kind of preparation will be needed can only be determined by walking the site.
  • Materials: What kind of asphalt will be used for the project? Choices can range from traditional hot mix, to warm mix or RAP (recycled asphalt pavement). Costs will vary by material.
  • Trucking: Too many trucks and the contractor will be paying truck drivers to sit around waiting for the others to unload; not enough trucks and the crew will be paid to wait for the next load to arrive.
  • Installation or “Laydown”: Estimating the cost for the installation relies on several factors:
-How much handwork is involved
-How much time it will take to install the asphalt with the equipment
-Usage or replacement costs for the use of the equipment
-Wages and insurance for 5 to 10 crew members
-Liability insurance
-Equipment costs

An asphalt calculator can offer an early first step in assessing your pavement project – regardless of how large or small the site. But any online asphalt calculator should not be relied upon to provide any more than a simple tonnage calculation. To get a grasp on the potential cost of your paving project, a skilled asphalt consultant will need to ask questions about the site and the project goals, and typically should visit the site to assess the existing conditions.

Basic Construction’s asphalt calculator can be found on our website. For a cost estimate for projects in the Eastern Virginia area, please contact us or call (757) 249-3789 to schedule a consultation.

Not sure what materials you should be using on your project? Download our handy checklist Choosing the Best Material for Your Commercial Asphalt Job and ensure that the materials you choose will be right for the job!

 

Topics: Asphalt