Tarmac - Costs and Advice

bouli73

Would be grateful for any advice

I am in the prcoess of getting quotes to lay tarmac - Area is circa 550sqm. I have got the names of a few reputable contractors in the Limerick area and price is coming in around €6,800 based on the two who have called so far .

How does this price sound? Seems to be roughly €12 per sqm

Also, can someone explain the difference between machine laid and laid by hand and if this is something i should be concerned about? The guy who called told me it would be laid by hand as the area was not "straight forward enough". Suprised at this to be honest.

Finally, would be grateful for any advice as to depths i should look for etc. Links to other threads on the topics would be fine.

Thanks very much in advance

Gingernuts31

Id make sure you stay at home and keep all your curtains closed while its been done if its being done by a certain group. I won't get tarmac for that reason plus its too expensive. Concrete all the way laid in parts so it wont go mad cracking.

lyno9235

www.ambroselynottconstruction.com/EcoGrid-Permeable-Paving.html

reilig

Looking at it myself at the moment for a similar sized area. I'm tempted to go the extra mile and put inStone Mastic Asphalt which will wear better. But I have yet to get some prices on it.

From the prices that I got, €10 to €14 per square meter is around the range. €10 or €11 for hand laid stuff. €12 to €14 for machine laid stuff.

He's bluffing you when he says that the area isn't straight forward enough for machine laid stuff. If the area is wide enough to get the machine in (10ft wide), the machine should work. The difference between hand laid and machine laid is massive. Hand laid tarmac puddles, and you will see the water sit in the humps and hollows on a wet day.

I's take machine laid tarmac over hand laid stuff any day.

bouli73

reilig wrote: »

Looking at it myself at the moment for a similar sized area. I'm tempted to go the extra mile and put inStone Mastic Asphalt which will wear better. But I have yet to get some prices on it.

From the prices that I got, €10 to €14 per square meter is around the range. €10 or €11 for hand laid stuff. €12 to €14 for machine laid stuff.

He's bluffing you when he says that the area isn't straight forward enough for machine laid stuff. If the area is wide enough to get the machine in (10ft wide), the machine should work. The difference between hand laid and machine laid is massive. Hand laid tarmac puddles, and you will see the water sit in the humps and hollows on a wet day.

I's take machine laid tarmac over hand laid stuff any day.

Thanks for that Reillig. Have read a lot of your posts with interest on the farming forum.

We have a timber fence at either side of hte house that might prevent access to the rear of the dwelling by machine (very small area to rear) but the front which is the majority of the job has clear access.

Excuse my total ignorance but what is the difference between tarmac and SMA? What would the expected lifespan be of both?

Thanks

reilig

bouli73 wrote: »

Thanks for that Reillig. Have read a lot of your posts with interest on the farming forum.

We have a timber fence at either side of hte house that might prevent access to the rear of the dwelling by machine (very small area to rear) but the front which is the majority of the job has clear access.

Excuse my total ignorance but what is the difference between tarmac and SMA? What would the expected lifespan be of both?

Thanks

SMA is much higher strength than tarmac and can last twice as long and handle a lot heavier traffic.

I read that tarmac has a lifespan of 15 to 20 years before it will begin to ravel. You can treat it with certain products to prolong its life.

We want our tarmac/sma to be able to handle a tractor, jeep, quad or small truck on a regular basis as with us having a farm, these are the types of vehicle that we have.

SMA will do this according to what i have read. Ordinary tarmac will not last.

bbam

Run anyone that is intending to lay by hand.
There is no way it will be a good job. I've seen a few jobs done near me and it looks terrible, wavy along kerbs and lots of little puddles.

The reason they are hand laying is they are chancers (probably in White vans) and don't have the proper equipment.

Definitely SMA will last much longer than tarmac and is stronger. We put SMA at our first house 12 years ago and it's still like new, the sister put down Tarmac at the same time, it has faded and is ravelling badly, probably needing to be done again within a few years.

bouli73

bbam wrote: »

Run anyone that is intending to lay by hand.
There is no way it will be a good job. I've seen a few jobs done near me and it looks terrible, wavy along kerbs and lots of little puddles.

The reason they are hand laying is they are chancers (probably in White vans) and don't have the proper equipment.

Definitely SMA will last much longer than tarmac and is stronger. We put SMA at our first house 12 years ago and it's still like new, the sister put down Tarmac at the same time, it has faded and is ravelling badly, probably needing to be done again within a few years.

Thanks for the that.
I agree fully regarding laying by hand. The reason i was so suprised is that the man who quoted on this basis is from a well respected company in this business. i couldnt believe that he would lay by hand in the situation.

Anyway, i am going to try and get a few quotes for SMA. I want to do this job only once and well. If anyone has experience of this or recommendation of a good contractor in the limerick area i would appreciate it.

thanks