"Nice young fellows, and good to work with. Our deck was a goner. They replaced it with Trex composite materials, and enlarged it. It's great. On our patio, they took out patio bricks, and put in cement. The wife is happy. We had some changes, and they were okay with it. We even had them re-shingle, a shed, and had them tear out a shower in a bathroom. We would hire them again."
"Kasey (Dueling Aces) built our Trex Front Porch Deck and installed rain gutters, did an excellent job and were right on time. Kasey and his staff were courteous, professional and friendly. I will have Kasey back for more improvements and additions and I recommend Dueling Aces to anyone."
"They were very professional and efficient. Removed snow around the property to reduce the chance of flooding in my home. Polite and on time, worked hard. Would definitely recommend and use again."
"K-man worked with us to select and order the flooring. The distributor had some hiccups and he took care of all of that for us. The new flooring went in about 800sq ft of the house and he had it done in a couple days and it looks great. Mouldings and caulking looked very professional. He also fixed a few large holes in are wall created from an old leaky roof. He repaired a couple of this very quickly and did excellent with taping and texturing. I would highly recommend k-man for your needs."
"Dutch and his partner, Mike, put down our hardwood flooring for us in just a few days! Before our floor was laid, they took a wall down in our kitchen which gave us a wonderful open "great room". They were incredible workers. Dutch has so much experience that he was able to figure out some real tough situations we had with wiring and plumbing after the wall was down. Mike was excellent at crawling up in the attic and helping Dutch reroute all the exposed wiring. I've never seen two guys work so hard and put in such long days. They were incredibly fast at their work and I would highly recommend them for any remodeling job. Very nice guys!"
"He was really professional. Told me exactly what he was going to do and broke the invoice down and showed me exactly where my money was going. He was on time got the job done exactly how he said he was going to. Cleaned up after the job was done and left my place better then when he got there. I will be using him for other projects in the future. Highly recommend him and his crew."
Concrete is typically the best material for a driveway if you’re looking for longevity, cost-effectiveness, and ease of maintenance. But, it’s not ideal for areas with annual freeze-frost cycles, nor is it the most attractive option—although you can get it stamped or painted. If your location is consistently below freezing, asphalt may be a better choice.
Instead of a set number of types, asphalt comes in variations designed for different needs. Some are categorized by temperature—hot mix, warm mix, and cold mix. Others are sorted by composition, like dense-graded, gap-graded (such as Stone Matrix Asphalt), porous, and mastic asphalt. There are also modified versions with added compounds like polymers, rubber, or emulsions. Instead of focusing on a number, it may be more useful to understand how contractors customize asphalt for durability, climate, and traffic conditions.
When asphalt cures, it typically changes from a very dark black hue to a lighter, more matte gray color. Cured asphalt also won’t be tacky or sticky to the touch or emit any odors from the asphalt mix. Additionally, the surface of fully cured asphalt won’t deform under any pressure.
While blacktop is a type of asphalt, the terms should not be used interchangeably, as not all asphalt qualifies as blacktop. The primary differences are in their composition, production process, and ideal applications. Blacktop contains more stone than other types of asphalt and is heated to a higher temperature during production—300°F or more—while hot-mix asphalt is heated to between 275°F and 300°F. The ratio of bitumen (a tar-like crude oil) is a key differentiator, though sources vary: some state blacktop has less bitumen, making it less durable, while others claim it has a higher ratio. Due to these differences, asphalt is generally more durable and better for high-traffic areas like highways and streets, while blacktop is more suitable for playgrounds and residential driveways. For a driveway project, it is best to consult a professional to determine the most appropriate material.
When hiring an asphalt paving contractor to install your driveway, ask as many questions up front as possible. Here are a few questions to ask a prospective driveway contractor:
How many years of experience do you have?
Are you licensed, bonded, and insured?
Do you have worker’s compensation?
Do you use subcontractors on your projects?
Do you clean up after the job is done?
Who is responsible for any damage to lawn or landscaping?
Do you provide a guarantee or warranty on your work?
Do you give free estimates?
What is the timeline for completion?
How do you handle change orders?
Can you provide at least three references?
Can I see some of the work you’ve done?
The La Barge, WY homeowners’ guide to asphalt driveway services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Adding a new asphalt driveway to your home can boost its overall appearance and give homeowners a nice ROI down the line. But how long do asphalt driveways last, and what can you do to maximize their lifespans? Read this guide to find out.
