Parking Lot: Three Initial Reasons to Consider Concrete Over Asphalt

The choice between a concrete versus and asphalt parking lot might seem like an easy decision based on initial cost. A simple side-by-side comparison of the installation expense and the decision is made. Yet the smart business owner will examine the long-term cost implications of their parking and pavement choice, and which proves to be the better investment in the long run. Mack Concrete can provide precise estimates for any job suitable for its Ready Mix Concrete. All concrete batch plants are computerized for accuracy and efficiency.

Your Parking Lot’s Total Cost of Ownership

One of the first questions any business owner asks is the cost of the project. Concrete is more comparable to asphalt than ever before. As oil prices fluctuate but then continue a steady, upward climb, the cost of asphalt also rises. Today the price for an asphalt paving can be similar to a quotation for a concrete lot. However, suppose the price quoted for asphalt is less than for concrete. Other factors to consider that impact the long-term cost to a business, apartment or municipal building can include:

Lifespan:

The longevity of your parking surface is just one factor to take into consideration when comparing concrete to asphalt. An asphalt parking lot’s approximate lifespan is 15 years, depending on the type and amount of traffic. Concrete has an anticipated lifespan of 20 years.

Maintenance:

Two years—that’s about the length of time building owners have before they need to reseal an asphalt parking lot. Once resealed, if the lot serves a commercial retail venue, the lot must be restriped, adding additional costs and time to the job. Business revenue is lost or seriously declines during the resealing and restriping process. Concrete requires far less maintenance than asphalt. Pour it, stripe it, and move on to more urgent business concerns.

Usage:

Determine what sort of traffic most often frequent the lot. Will there be more trucks than cars? Most businesses have regular visits from heavier vehicles making deliveries or collecting goods. Even routine garbage disposal pick-up causes wear and tear. Asphalt doesn’t hold up as well as concrete when truck traffic is turning, loading or unloading materials. Heavy truck traffic, even those regular garbage pickups, will degrade the asphalt more quickly than it does a concrete installation.

Durability under heavy traffic and lifetime value are among the more obvious reasons to choose concrete over asphalt. However new information about ancillary benefits of concrete parking lots can add to practical savings for the business owner. What does a concrete parking lot have to do with the cost of cooling the building it serves? How can it improve the safety of employees, business patrons or apartment residents? Watch for our next blog post to continue this series. Call Mack Concrete for a quotation for your next concrete project in Medina, Lorain, Summit, Cuyahoga and Portage counties: 800-482-3111.