As a business owner, you may be in a position where you need to pave your parking lot. Maybe you are a brand new construction with zero parking yet, or perhaps your gravel parking lot is no longer working for you. You would be amazed at how much a new parking lot can improve your business. Today, we are going to talk about the top factors you need to consider when paving a parking lot.

Size

The first aspect you need to consider when paving a parking lot is the size you will need. Sizing includes the number of parking spaces (including ADA spaces), crosswalks, foot traffic flow, car traffic flow, and anything out of the ordinary for a standard square lot such as a drive-through, garden zones, water features, etc. Once you have this information available, you can determine the cost.

Cost

When it comes to paving a parking lot, it is very much the idea of “you get what you pay for.” If you purchase cheap materials and cheap labor, you will get a less than satisfactory product that will likely disintegrate quickly. You want to ensure that you invest in quality materials and an experienced company to get the most bang for your buck.

Timing

Before you call up your local paving company, you should consider everything else that goes into building a parking lot. Do you have the permits, design plans, and everything else required by your local government ready to go? If not, take those on before signing on for anything else.

Drainage

Water is the enemy, plain and simple. When paving a parking lot, you want to ensure that you have proper water drainage built into your plans. Consulting with your paving company will be very helpful in determining what steps are needed to do this.

Disturbance

How is paving your parking lot going to affect your business? Are you going to be blocking access to your, or others’, storefront? Do customers and employees have alternative methods of parking while your parking area is under construction? Going a single day with no customers can be a heavy price, but parking lots can take two to four weeks to complete depending on their size.

You need to ensure that you have devised a plan with your paving company to minimize disturbance to yourself and other businesses.

Environmental Effect

An important factor that often gets ignored when paving a parking lot is the environmental effect. By paving a parking lot, you are removing the natural space that was once there. It is vital that you adhere to the ecological codes of your area as well as do your part to minimize the negative impact. If you can include green spaces such as trees or garden zones into your parking lot, you will help your environment and improve the aesthetic of your parking lot and storefront.

Signature Paving

Are you ready to get started on paving your parking lot? Give us a call today for a consultation. We will work with you to ensure that you meet every requirement and design a beautiful parking lot to enhance your business.