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What to Expect When You Hire White Rock, LLC: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough of Your Paving Project
- Oliver Owens
- Oct 24
- 6 min read
If you’ve never hired a paving contractor before, the process can feel…mysterious. How long will it take? What happens to traffic? Do you need permits? When can people drive on it again? At White Rock, LLC, our goal is simple: make the experience predictable, professional, and painless—from the first call to the final stripe.
Below is the exact, Mississippi-tested process we use for driveways, church lots, HOAs, retail centers, medical offices, and industrial lanes. Use it as your roadmap, even if you’re just price-shopping right now.
Phase 1: Discovery Call (10–15 minutes)
What we’ll ask:
Where is the project, and what’s the surface used for (driveway, staff lot, delivery lane, etc.)?
What’s going wrong today (cracking, potholes, ponding, faded striping, trip hazards)?
Any deadlines (grand opening, services, school start, HOA meeting)?
Access windows (nights, weekends, phased areas)?
Your ideal outcome and budget range.
What you’ll get:
A quick sense of whether you’re looking at maintenance (crack seal + Seal Coating), resurfacing (overlay), or reconstruction (base repairs with Asphalt Paving & Repair or targeted Concrete Paving).
A site visit scheduled—usually within a few days.
Phase 2: On-Site Walkthrough & Assessment
We meet you on site (owner, facility manager, board member—whoever makes decisions). We walk the surface together and talk through how it’s used during a normal week.
What we look for:
Drainage: Where water sits after rain; condition of curb inlets; slope issues.
Cracking patterns: Hairlines vs. alligator cracking (surface vs. structural).
Edge support: Tires dropping off unsupported edges, raveling shoulders.
High-stress zones: Dumpster pads, loading docks, drive-thrus, bus loops.
Subgrade clues: Soft spots, base pumping (mud/fines after storms), rutting.
ADA & safety: Stall counts, access aisles, crosswalks, signage.
Optional tests (commercial/large lots):
Cores or proof-rolls to confirm asphalt/base thickness and condition.
Laser elevation checks in ponding areas to set a milling/leveling plan.
Outcome: Clear notes, photos, and a preliminary plan with options.
Phase 3: Written Proposal (Good/Better/Best)
Within a short window, we send a plain-English proposal with drawings/markups that shows:
Scope of work: e.g., crack seal + two-coat seal coat, or mill 1" + 1.5" overlay, or full-depth patching + concrete dumpster pad + overlay.
Phasing plan & traffic control: How we’ll keep tenants, parishioners, or customers moving.
Schedule: Working hours, cure times, and reopening sequence.
Pricing & alternates: Line-item clarity; value options where it makes sense (e.g., seal coat now, overlay next fiscal year).
Exclusions/assumptions: What’s not included (e.g., unforeseen subgrade failures), so there are no surprises.
Warranty: What we stand behind and for how long.
We’ll hop on a call to walk you through every line so your board or boss can say “yes” with confidence.
Phase 4: Pre-Construction Checklist (So Day One Runs Smooth)
Once you green-light us, we lock in a date, then coordinate details:
Your side:
Confirm points of contact (decision-maker + on-site contact).
Approvals: HOA, property manager, city if needed.
Access plan: Gate codes, after-hours contacts, tenant notices (we can provide templated flyers/emails).
Utilities & Site: Water access for cleaning (if needed), power if gates, keep sprinklers off 24–48 hours around work.
Remove vehicles or schedule tow notices for specific phases.
Our side:
Order materials and book crews/equipment.
Finalize traffic control: cones, barricades, signage, detours.
Prepare striping plan (ADA, fire lanes, directional arrows) for Parking Lot Striping.
Weather watch. If Mississippi weather turns, we’ll call it—quality beats speed.
Phase 5: Day-Of Operations (What You’ll See)
A) Mobilization & Safety Briefing
Crew arrival, safety huddle, equipment check, and traffic control in place before we touch the surface. You’ll see cones, barricades, and “Lot Closed / Wet Coating / Fresh Asphalt” signs.
B) Surface Prep
Cleaning: Power blowing/scrubbing; power-wash oil spots; remove debris and vegetation at edges.
Crack Sealing: Hot-applied rubberized sealant in active cracks to stop water infiltration.
Patching: Saw-cut failed areas; remove deteriorated asphalt; compact base; install hot mix, compact to grade.
Milling (if overlay): Light milling for keys at tie-ins and to correct ponding.
Proof-roll (if reconstruction): Check for soft base; stabilize if needed.
C) Paving or Seal Coating
Seal Coat: Two thin coats (spray/squeegee), correct sand load for traction, clean edges. Cure between coats; protect concrete/pavers.
Overlay: Lay hot mix asphalt in controlled lifts; match joints; open-graded leveling where needed; compact with the right roller sequence for density and smoothness.
Reconstruction (where specified): Remove to base, fix drainage and base thickness/quality, pave new structural section.
Concrete work (as needed): Dumpster pads, aprons, valley gutters, ADA ramps via Concrete Paving.
D) Quality Control
Surface evenness and joints checked continuously.
Roller patterns verified for compaction.
Tie-ins flush at sidewalks/gutters/drive lanes.
Foreman does a micro-punch during cleanup.
E) Striping & Markings
After cure (or asphalt cool-down), we install Parking Lot Striping: ADA stalls/aisles, numbers, directional arrows, crosswalks, stop bars, fire lanes, and any custom logos you’ve approved.
F) Reopening
We’ll give you exact reopen times:
Seal coat: typically 24–48 hours, weather-dependent.
Asphalt overlay/new pavement: often same day for foot traffic, vehicle traffic after cool-down (varies by thickness/temperature).We remove the barricades in phases so you can operate safely.
Phase 6: Walkthrough, Punch List & Closeout
We walk the project with you and mark anything that needs touch-up. Then we deliver a clean closeout packet:
Scope vs. actuals summary
Product data sheets & mix tickets (as applicable)
Striping/ADA layout for your records
Warranty documentation
Photos (before/after) for boards or insurance
Maintenance plan (simple, seasonal checklist)
If something bugs you after we leave, call—we’ll make it right. That’s how we earn repeat work.
How Long Will It Take?
Residential driveways: 1–2 days for seal coat; 1–3 days for new asphalt depending on size and cure.
Small commercial lots: Often phased across 2–4 days so you stay open.
Large/complex sites: We’ll schedule by zones (e.g., front lot, rear lot, drive-thru lanes) to keep traffic flowing and tenants happy.
What About Weather?
Mississippi heat, humidity, and pop-up storms are real. We don’t guess—we plan. If the forecast threatens quality (temperature, humidity, rain/wind), we’ll reschedule. Quality first means your surface lasts longer and looks better.
Common “What Ifs” (and Straight Answers)
What if we find a soft base during work?
We’ll show you, price a targeted fix, and get approval before proceeding (no surprise invoices).
Will my lot be totally closed?
Usually not. We phase work so you keep operating. Expect a few short closures while coatings cure or asphalt cools.
Can you work at night or weekends?
Yes—especially for retail/medical sites. We’ll include any off-hours premium in the proposal so you can compare options.
Do I need permits?
Most private-property maintenance doesn’t. New entrances, ADA ramps, or public ROW tie-ins may—if so, we’ll flag it early.
Will seal coating make it slippery?
We add sand for traction and spec the right load based on your traffic.
How soon can trash trucks/deliveries return?
We’ll give lane-by-lane timing. High-load zones may have an extra idle window to protect the surface.
Residential vs. Commercial: What Changes?
Residential:
Tight access and landscaping care are huge. We protect edges, aprons, and decorative concrete.
Communication is simple: you, us, and cones—done.
Typical scope: crack seal + two-coat Seal Coating every 2–3 years, or a new compacted asphalt section when the surface is beyond maintenance.
Commercial/HOA/Institutional:
Phasing and communication plans for tenants, parishioners, patients, and deliveries.
ADA compliance, fire lanes, and wayfinding in the striping plan.
High-stress areas (dumpster pads, loading docks) often get targeted Concrete Paving or thicker asphalt sections.
Budget-phasing options: patch now, overlay next budget cycle, seal coat on a cadence.
How We Price (Transparency Beats Guesswork)
Our proposals break out:
Mobilization and traffic control
Prep (cleaning, crack seal, patching, milling)
Asphalt tonnage/lifts or seal-coat system/coats
Concrete items (if any)
Striping quantities and ADA scope
Optional alternates and value engineering
You’ll see exactly where the money goes—and where you can save without hurting longevity.
Aftercare: Keeping Your Surface Looking New
We include a simple plan with every job:
First 7 days: Avoid tight-turning heavy loads on fresh asphalt; keep sprinklers off sealed surfaces; gentle sweeping only.
Every 6–12 months: Walk the site after rain; photo any ponding; note new cracks or edge raveling.
Every 2–4 years: Crack seal active cracks and seal coat (commercial cadence varies with traffic/sun).
Anytime: Call us if something changes—early fixes are cheap fixes.
Pairing routine Seal Coating with timely striping is the easiest way to extend life and keep curb appeal high.
Why Clients Choose White Rock, LLC
Clear communication: One point of contact, fast updates, honest weather calls.
Right-sized solutions: We’ll recommend an overlay or reconstruction only when it’s truly the best value.
Safety & cleanliness: Professional traffic control, tidy edges, thorough cleanup.
Local experience: Mississippi soils, storms, and sun are unique—we build for them.
Ready for a straightforward paving experience?
Let’s walk your site, map the phases, and build a plan that fits your schedule and budget. You’ll know exactly what’s happening, when, and why—no surprises.
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