If you have arranged for a local asphalt company to construct an asphalt driveway on your property, here is some advice that you should follow to ensure that the building process goes smoothly.

Prep your outdoor space

You will need to prepare your outdoor space before the asphalt company's construction crew arrives. The reason for this is as follows; the fumes that asphalt emits when it is first applied to the ground are very strong and may affect the smell of items that are in close proximity to where this paving material is placed. As such, it is important to take in things in your outdoor area that could end up being tainted with this odour if they were left outside during the building process.

Some examples of the items that you may need to bring indoors include any garments that you previously hung out to dry on your washing line, as well as any barbecue equipment you keep in your garden (as the fumes may leave a residue on the barbecue grill bars that could affect the flavour of the food that is later cooked on it).

Additionally, make sure that you bring in any water bowls you keep outside for your pets, as well as any bird feeders you hang in your garden, as if the fumes come into contact with the water and birdfeed, they could contaminate them. If the birds or your pets consume these contaminated fluids or foods, they potentially become ill.

Ask the construction crew to inform you before they begin the compaction process

After the employees from the asphalt company have created the base layer of the driveway and applied the asphalt, they will then need to roll a compaction machine over the asphalt. This will compress and flatten the paving materials and thus ensure that the finished driveway is level and stable.

It is important to request that they tell you before they begin to carry out the compaction work. The reason for this is as follows; this compaction equipment is very heavy and applies a huge amount of force to any surface that it rolls over.

Because of this, it is a highly dangerous piece of equipment that could inflict serious injuries on those who get too close to it whilst it is in use. As such, it is crucial to check that your children, as well as any nearby pets (including both yours and those owned by your next-door neighbours), are nowhere near this machinery before it is switched on.

This simple step will ensure that everyone on your property remains safe whilst the compaction process is being carried out.

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