Most home and business owners prefer asphalt paving for its various benefits. No wonder, 94% of the 2.2 million miles of roads in the US are surfaced with asphalt. It’s a pavement of choice for roads, highways, parking facilities, and streets virtually everywhere.
Asphalt is a versatile paving material. It’s cost-effective, aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, and long-lasting while offering a safe and comfortable ride for paving projects. A paving business is a wonderful idea if you’re considering starting a business.
This article has everything you want to know about how to start a paving company.
Write The Business Plan
Writing a business plan is the first step when learning how to start an asphalt paving business. Achieving success requires planning for it. Every business owner must learn all aspects of their business to keep it running.
The business plan organizes all elements of your business strategy and offers a clear road map to follow throughout its lifespan.
The business plan is essential when starting a paving business and must include:
- Executive summary
- Mission statement
- Products and services
- Market analysis and strategy
- Information about the management
- Financial projections
How To Write A Business Plan
A well-written business plan must include an overview and details about your paving business. It must also highlight how your services and products differ from those already in the market.
You don’t have to follow a strict outline when writing your business plan. The rule of thumb is to include only those sections that make sense to your asphalt paving business and its needs. Ensure to include any funding request and the main body of about 15 to 25 pages.
Calculate The Necessary Costs
You must determine how much it cost to start an asphalt business. Business formation fees are necessary to cover costs including setting up an LLC, patents, and copyright. You must also budget for job management software to run your business efficiently.
The software saves time by automating various aspects of your business including invoicing, communication, and scheduling. The right software will grow your business and save you from hefty operating costs.
The business needs a physical location where customers can book your services or see your products in a showroom. You also need to budget for a website to build an online presence for your business.
Other costs to include in your budget include:
- Advertising and marketing
- Overheads such as safety supplies, payroll, working clothes, and electricity
- Purchasing equipment such as a trailer, truck, and tools
- Insurance and bonding
.The paving requires the use of specialized tools such as asphalt sealers, shovels, wheelbarrows, tamping machines, brooms, and rakes. You need safety gear including gloves, hard hats, reflective jackets, and steel-toe boots.
Your staff needs the appropriate clothing and equipment to stay safe while on the job. Check online for the best deals when buying equipment and supplies. Alternatively, build friendships with local stores specializing in quality paving supplies.
Company Registration
Registering is an essential step to starting an asphalt paving business. You must register it with the appropriate government agencies. It ensures that your business operates legally and complies with relevant regulations.
Every business must register its name and choose a company structure such as a sole proprietor Limited Liability Company (LLC) or corporation. You need to register your assumed business name with an option to register an LLC or a Doing Business As (DBA).
Obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is mandatory when having employees and a business tax registration. You can operate your driveway paving business under a fictitious name. It requires registering an assumed business name certificate.
Using your first and last legal name doesn’t require filing a DBA. All paving businesses need a federal tax ID number, apart from sole proprietors who don’t have employees and aren’t contractors. Consider forming an LLC when your market projection is to form a company.
Get The Necessary Permits And Licenses
After registering your asphalt paving business, the next step is to get the necessary permits and licenses. The government issues business licenses to allow paving companies to operate in different areas. Sometimes, the state government issues the licenses.
Alternatively, you can get a business license from your local county or municipality. Business name registrations vary by state. Some states don’t require a license. States that require a license for paving businesses include Delaware, Nevada, Washington, Alaska, and Illinois.
A general excise tax license is mandatory in Hawaii. Nevertheless, you must inquire from your county or municipality about the appropriate license to start a paving business. You need an occupational license in states like Mississippi.
In California, you must obtain a C-32 parking and highway improvement contractor license. Failure to acquire the necessary permits and licenses in your state makes your operations illegal. Operating without a license makes you liable for fines and lawsuits.
The costs of the licenses and permits determine how much it cost to start a paving company. However, it varies by state.
Open A Business Bank Account
A business bank account allows managing your business professionally. It separates personal finances from business funds. The account limits your personal liability by separating business and personal funds.
It offers purchase protection for customers and protects their personal information. This enhances customer satisfaction and boosts brand loyalty. Allowing customers to use checks in your business name gives a professional impression.
The account allows getting a line of credit in time of an emergency and a business credit card to build your credit history.
The types of bank accounts to consider for your driveway paving business include:
- Checking accounts for managing daily financial tasks that keep your business going.
- Savings account to hold your earnings.
- Merchant account to accept debit and credit card payments.
- Credit card account to build and improve your credit score.
When choosing a bank account for your business, consider the requirements, account features, fees, and sign-up bonus. Opening a business bank account requires presenting documents to verify your identity and the business’s legitimacy. These include::
- Business licenses and permits
- Doing Business As (DBA) certificate
- Articles of incorporation
- Identification documents
- Employer’s identification number (EIN)
Ensure to get a business bank account before receiving your first payment. It’s usually opened during the incorporation process. You can’t open a bank account for your business before obtaining the necessary licenses and permits.
An EIN is mandatory when having employees or a social security number when a sole proprietor.
Hire Professionals For Your Paving Company
Success after learning how to start an asphalt company begins with your team. It starts with the hiring process to ensure you hire the right professionals. Establishing ties with local vocational education programs and trade schools allows getting new hires easily.
Testimonials from your current employees are effective at making your business appealing to potential new ones. The testimonials can be videos or on social media. Your website can also be a great tool for attracting potential hires.
Internship programs also make getting new hires easier. A good idea is to offer permanent employment after the internship. Investing in technology also attracts top talent in the industry. Manual field logs and timecards are a huge turn-off for potential employees.
Using industry-related software such as Field Complete streams various tasks. This benefits your company and employees. It automates various tasks including reporting, scheduling, communication, and dispatching.
Other strategies to get professionals for your asphalt seal business include:
- Making an effort to recruit and retain veterans and women
- Recruiting and retaining African Americans
- Increasing base pay and employee benefits for craft workers
- Offering bonuses and incentives to attract professionals
- Providing more in-house training
- Increasing the use of subcontractors
The best way to bring new professionals to your company is to make them feel attracted to the paving industry. You can do this by participating in career days and job fairs at local schools, colleges, and county workforce development board events.
Another wonderful idea is to volunteer as an advisor or mentor at a local high school or vocational institute. You can also bolster your reputation in society by participating in community outreach events.
Additionally, promote more than a “job” when marketing career opportunities in your business.
Find Suppliers And Contractors
One of the best ways to grow your driveway paving business is to find quality suppliers and contractors. It allows giving your customers quality products and services at a competitive cost without interruption. Unreliable suppliers may make your business stall at some time.
The right suppliers and subcontractors reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions. A good relationship with alternative suppliers mitigates such risks. The skills you need to find suppliers and contractors include:
Research
You must research before selecting suppliers and contractors to work with. A good idea is to search industry databases and association websites. Alternatively, you can get recommendations from contacts, family, and friends.
When researching potential suppliers and contractors, consider their location, quality, price, how they align with your business values and their impact on the environment.
Negotiation
After choosing suppliers and contractors for your paving business, you must negotiate contracts. Supplier contracts highlight the terms of trade between your business and the suppliers. Negotiating contracts depends on ongoing relationships with the other parties.
Building Relationships
With contracts in place, you must build positive relationships with suppliers. Good relationships minimize business risks and guarantee easy access to materials you need to keep your business running.
Maintaining and building positive relationships requires open and honest communication. You must always make ethical and reasonable demands from your suppliers and contractors. Ensure to track all payment milestones, dates, and conditions to make timely payments.
Managing Disputes
Finally, you must be prepared to manage any disputes with your suppliers. Disputes are inevitable and knowing how to resolve them is very important. Ideas include contacting the head office, lodging a written complaint, and seeking a professional lawyer for legal advice.
Create The Website
When someone searches for a paving company online, you wish your business to be among the top search results. Getting here requires having a website designed with search engine optimization in mind.
The website must have a landing page that resonates with the customers. It should make them trust your business to solve their problems. Your website must give users a wonderful experience for them to book your services.
A great website for a paving business must be mobile-friendly. This is because most people use their mobile devices when searching for service providers. The website must load fast regardless of the device.
Potential customers are more likely to go to your competitors when your website takes a long to load. Your site must also have Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to keep customers’ personal details safe.
The benefits of having a website for your business include:
- Customers can find you 24/7
- Quick and easy way to share information with potential customers
- Makes your paving business look credible
- Easier and more convenient for a customer to get help
People these days don’t have much time when looking for a service provider. They prefer searching for paving service providers anytime they feel like whether they are on their smart devices or office computer.
Your website must have online forms to avoid losing potential leads. People can fill out the forms with personal information to move along the sales funnel. The website also needs appropriate keywords to find your site easily and to keep readers engaged.
Market Your Paving Business
Growing your asphalt repair business requires investing time, effort, and resources. Strategic marketing for your business involves a mix of digital marketing, local marketing, and traditional marketing.
Marketing ideas when learning how to start a paving business include:
Lead Generation
Closing sales consistently requires a reliable source of leads. You can get leads through referrals and your website or social media channels. After generating leads, turning them into sales requires researching the local competition and responding to new leads within 24 hours.
Lead generation allows setting your budget and scale. You save time because leads are qualified and highly targeted. Automating the process frees up your time to focus on job fulfillment and searching for new customers.
Online Listings
About 90% of paving customers search online for service providers. So, ensure to build an online presence to market your business. Control and update your website, online listings, and social media channels.
Strive to get more positive reviews to give potential customers a good impression.
Build Professional Partnerships
You have various marketing partnerships in the construction industry, including with home renovators, commercial builders, landscapers, and real estate developers. A referral partnership is also a wonderful idea.
Best practices for building professional partnerships include identifying appropriate partners and studying their marketing strategies. Meet potential partners and be clear about your goals. Professional partnerships allow for generating leads cheaply and encourage loyal customers.
Broadcast Advertising
You can also attract audiences to your brand through broadcast advertising. Best practices include evaluating what your target audience listens to or watches.
It allows tailoring your media purchases to particular media outlets. Local radio and TV are good channels if you match your brand message to the station’s audience.
Other inexpensive ideas to market your paving business include:
- Brand all your equipment
- Place door hangers at neighboring houses for residential projects
- Put yard signs around your project
- Sponsor and participate in local events
- Have a refer-a-friend program
FAQs
What Equipment Is Needed To Start A Paving Company?
When considering starting a paving company, the equipment you need includes chip spreaders, asphalt compactors, backhoes, water tanks, road reclaimers, maintainers, and motor graders. There’s an option to buy used equipment to lower your start-up budget.
What Is The Best Time To Lay Asphalt?
Summer is the best time to lay asphalt. The dry weather with long hours of sunshine backed by the high temperature at night is ideal for new asphalt to cure properly.
What Does A Paving Consultant Do?
A paving consultant is a go-to professional for all asphalt paving needs. The consultant does structure evaluation and completes the accurate analysis of paving projects.
Use Our Paving Software For Your Business
Now that you know the ins and outs of how to start an asphalt paving business, simplify tasks using our paving software. You get a single app to manage all your technicians or subcontractors while boosting efficiency and saving time. The software has everything to run your asphalt paving business at your fingertips.
