Asphalt repair for a parking lot is simple enough. There is more than enough parking lot surrounding a store where customers can park. However, it is a very different story when you need to repair the asphalt on your driveway. Here are a few things you should know, and do, before you hire a contractor for asphalt repair services for your residential driveway.

You Will Need a Construction Permit

Anytime you do some construction work on your home or property, you need a construction permit from the city. This is because the construction vehicles tend to take up space on the road and/or your lawn, making it difficult for your neighbors to get off the street and get back to their homes. Some asphalt contractors put the cost of the permit in their work order estimates, but others do not. If you choose to hire a contractor that does not get the permit for you, you will need to go down to city hall, file the correct application and pay the fees for the permit before the repair work can begin.

You Will Also Need a Permit to Park Your Vehicle on the Street

Since you will not be able to drive on or park on your driveway for some time after the asphalt project is complete, and you certainly cannot park on the driveway during the job, you will need another type of permit. While you are at city hall acquiring a construction permit (if applicable), you will also need a street parking permit. These are permits that allow you to park your car on the street in front of your house for the duration of the project and the time needed for the asphalt to cure. If you live on a very narrow street or a one-way street, you will need a permit to park your vehicle on an adjoining side street. Otherwise you will be ticketed every night that your car is parked elsewhere without permission.

Notice of Intent

Some cities require that you print a "notice of intent" in the local paper. This is meant to alert your neighbors that you will be doing some construction work on your property and that it may interfere with their daily routines. This is especially true if you share a driveway with a neighbor, or there is a very narrow strip of land between your driveway and the neighbor's driveway. If your city requires it, you have to print the notice in the paper at least one week prior to the start of the asphalt repairs, in case a neighbor wishes to contest your decision to make these repairs (which is highly unusual and rarely happens).

Removing Lawn Ornaments and Preparing the Area

In order for the contractor to get all of the equipment needed onto the property and give the work crew room to work, you need to examine the area around your driveway. Any and all lawn ornaments and decorative items need to be removed within six feet or more of the asphalt. You would not want the work crew to accidentally damage these items as they try to pull asphalt chunks up and dispose of them or lay down fresh concrete and pour asphalt over the top. Even if you are just getting some potholes and/or cracks in your driveway repaired, the surrounding area should be free and clear for the crew to work.

The easiest way to think of this is to think how a teenager learning to drive would hit items alongside the driveway. If you can imagine a teenager driving over or hitting something, remove it. That is not to say that the crew and contractor will drive over or hit stuff like a teen driver; it is just a way of understanding that accidents happen, but you can manage them through careful preparation. 

For more information about asphalt repair services, contact a company like J R Paving Co.