A freshly laid driveway and curbs are something to admire. It's like a fresh canvas, smooth and free of unsightly stains and crumbling surfaces. This image is different from what your pavement currently looks like, and you're considering going the DIY route to replace it all. You may have gotten a few quotes from local pavers and compared these estimates against renting equipment and covering supply costs yourself. 

Do you have the necessary skills to lay down a new sidewalk or driveway? Is the cost-savings worth the extra effort and possible mistakes? It's hard to ignore the pros and cons of both options for replacing your pavement. 

This article has broken down the advantages and disadvantages of DIY paving versus hiring a commercial paving company. 

DIY Paving Pros and Cons

You're handy, mechanically inclined, and not afraid of trial-and-error situations. A DIY paving project may not be beyond your skillset, but consider these advantages and disadvantages before diving into cement or asphalt pavement installation.

The Upside to DIY Paving Projects

Cost-Savings

The primary reason most DIYers take on a project of this magnitude is to save money. The supplies needed to complete this job are relatively inexpensive, and you could rent the necessary tools. You'll save the most on labor costs since you're doing all the work. 

You Can Take Your Time

There being no urgency is a partially true statement because this depends on the type of pavement you're laying. For materials like asphalt, you'll want to complete most of it the same day since this mixture has to be poured at high temperatures to keep it pliable. But for other materials, like cement, there's no pressing timeline. 

Since you aren't paying a crew, you don't have any set deadline to finish your project. This means you could work on it a few hours a weekend if need be. 

You're the Project Manager

DIY pavement installation puts you in the role of project manager. This is a benefit because you are in charge of all decision-making, including layout and materials. You decide how much should be spent and can make any changes to your project as you see fit, something that is hard to do with a professional paving company.

The Drawbacks of Paving Your Own Hardscapes

Your Project Will Take Longer to Finish

You will have different resources than commercial pavers, like a dedicated crew, all necessary tools, and years of experience laying pavement. All of these enable them to lay new walkways, parking lots, and driveways in a day or two. You'll likely take a few weeks or longer, depending on the scope of your project. 

Mistakes Are On You

DIY projects are money-savers until things go wrong. Some mistakes may not surface until months later, such as unexpected frost heave or shifting due to weak points in the sub-base you put down. Correcting these problems could cost you more. If a professional paving company were at fault, they would correct their mistake at no cost to you. 

You also have to consider what happens if you get injured during your project. If you have to miss work, those lost wages won't get compensated. Professional pavers are fully insured, so their policy absorbs the loss if an employee gets hurt. 

You'll Have a Significant Learning Curve

You can indeed rent any needed tools and equipment, but you won't necessarily have the necessary training to use them. You could end up causing further damage to your property as well as yourself, so you'll need to learn how to use unfamiliar machinery safely. 

The Benefit of Commercial Paving Services

Receive Professional Advice about Your Pavement Project

Installing pavement involves more than simply pouring cement into a form and waiting for it to harden. The same can be said of asphalt and blacktop. These processes require several steps to ensure they're formed correctly. 

Commercial pavers will take time to assess the foundation, evaluate the lay of your property, and note any drainage or heave issues already present. These factors require experience and expertise to be evaluated correctly, which a paver brings to the table. 

They Meet Deadlines

Paving companies have the resources to get projects done quickly and without delay. Because they are professionals, they can give you an accurate timeframe for completion in a quote and meet that set milestone. If you own a business that needs new sidewalks, this efficiency means less downtime, so you can get back to serving your customer. 

Enjoy Hassle-free Service

Another benefit of paving services is you don't have to trouble yourself with the details. You can have peace of mind knowing that your new surface will be made of the best materials and gets installed correctly to ensure it has long-lasting durability for years to come. This level of professionalism lets you focus on your everyday routine while they work.

The Downside of Hiring Professional Pavers

Large Equipment Could Annoy the Neighbors

Whether you need a new driveway or parking lot, the process of laying asphalt or cement can be inconvenient for your neighbors. You have to consider the noise involved with breaking up and removing old cement and debris, and heavy equipment like a paver may block the street occasionally while your paver works. While this is a temporary experience, you may need to give the folks next door a gift card to a local restaurant for their patience.

You Won't Manage the Project

Hiring a commercial paving company doesn't mean you have zero control over how your project, but when it comes to elements like materials and design, you may need to compromise. They're the experts, so at times, you'll need to defer to their judgment. 

Miscommunication Can Happen

Even though you've written out what you want your new cement walkways and curbs to look like in great detail, you will still run into communication issues. 

Should You DIY Or Hire Professionals?

At the end of the day, your decision to do your own pavement work depends on how much work and risk you're willing to take. The reality is you stand to lose money if serious mistakes get made you can't correct on your own. Whether this financial loss adds up to less or more than the cost of hiring commercial paving services is hard to predict, but why put yourself in that situation at all? 

Installing pavement requires experience and a technical understanding of how the ground surface and subsequent layers support one another. Professional pavers do this type of work every day, have the resources to finish your project, and provide quality pavement results that will stand up to the test of time.