Tag Archives: pavers vs. asphalt

Custom home construction in 2015 - what will it look like?

What Will Custom Home Construction Look Like in 2015?

Custom home construction is an exciting and dynamic industry, always changing with the cultural, economic and aesthetic landscape it inhabits. Year after new year, it changes as new homeowners take a liking to new and upcoming trends. Now that 2014 is behind us, we at CCM are excited to see what this new year brings us. Here are our predictions for what custom home building will look like in 2015!

What Custom Home Construction Will Look Like in 2015

Going Green in 2015

First and foremost, it’s impossible to deny that more and people are going to make their home green in any way that they can. There’s no reason to doubt that this trend will continue in 2015, and not just for moral (i.e. environmental) reasons. There are also practical benefits to “going green”: some evidence suggests that green construction costs less and improves homeowner satisfaction.

It’s All About the Bathroom

Bathrooms are often the focal point of luxury home building. Why is this? Because it is both easy and highly desirable to incorporate an atmosphere of luxury into your bathroom. How else would you describe a jetted bubble bath, heated towel racks, and even an HDTV rack in the far corner? Many homeowners have recognized this potential in custom home construction, and many will continue to do so in 2015.

So Long Asphalt! So Long Concrete! Hello Pavers!

We can’t say that concrete and asphalt are “so 2014” — after all, paving stones have long been a staple of custom paving in South Florida. In 2015, it looks like this trend will be catching on elsewhere. More people realize that their pavement, driveways and walkways have been neglected for far too long. After all, why spend so much time and money beautifying the inside of your home only to pave your driveway with unattractive, cracking asphalt? Why put the effort into custom home construction only to have your outside as banal and commonplace as everyone else’s?

Each new year brings with it new opportunities: an unknown future waiting to be explored. For our part, we can’t wait to explore the exciting possibilities 2015 will bring for custom homes.

Installing paving stones over asphalt

Can You Install Paving Stones Over Asphalt?

When it comes to custom paving in South Florida, there is no doubt that paving stones reign supreme. The advantages of paving stones vs. asphalt are many: asphalt cracks, melts and retains a hot surface temperature. This is why so many South Florida homeowners choose interlocking stone installation from inception. Yet, what about homeowners who have already paved their driveway with asphalt? Can they install paving stones over the existing asphalt?

Should You Install Pavers Over Asphalt?

The answer is yes, you can install pavers over asphalt. But should you? It is debatable. In South Florida, warranties for paving stones over asphalt are rare because of the hot temperature, which may cause the asphalt to melt.

How To Install Paving Stones Over Asphalt

Yet, installing pavers over your existing asphalt driveway is still better than removing the asphalt and starting from square one. This can be timely and expensive, as you will need to:

  • Check with your local government’s regulations for asphalt disposal
  • Jackhammer the asphalt bit by bit to break it up
  • Shovel each piece of asphalt into a wheelbarrow to dispose of it

So, it is often easier to simply install paving stones over asphalt. This process is not much different than the normal procedure for custom paving in South Florida. Here is what we do:

  1. Repair and cracks, divots, etc to make sure the asphalt is in as good and level a condition as possible.
  2. Since your driveway will need to sustain a larger weight for vehicles, we install a 1” class II base of bedding sand with a depth of 4”.
  3. Place a board around the perimeter of your driveway.
  4. Use a plate vibrator to force the paving stones into the sand bedding and push the sand up between the stones to interlock them.

Voila — you have installed paving stones over asphalt, killing two birds with one stone in the process. On the one hand, you’ve saved yourself the time and headache of removing asphalt from your driveway. To boot, you’ve also installed paving stones, an infinitely more attractive and aesthetic custom paving arrangement.

CCM uses pavers for custom paving in South Florida

Custom Paving in South Florida: Asphalt vs. Pavers

Custom paving in South Florida isn’t just a matter of pavers vs. concrete. Another popular option is asphalt. It is similar to concrete and stamped concrete in a number of ways. Both concrete and asphalt are poured and flattened, whereas custom pavers are installed. Asphalt and concrete are also considered cheaper options for custom paving in South Florida.

Custom Paving in South Florida: Asphalt vs. Pavers

There are both advantages and disadvantages of using asphalt for custom paving in South Florida. However, we think that CCM’s custom pavers make for a better overall paving experience. Here are the reasons why.

Advantages of Custom Paving With Asphalt

  • Inexpensive
  • Restricts buildup of dust
  • Can pave over and be paved over
  • Efficient water drainage
  • Unaffected by ice*

*Asphalt’s immunity to ice build up is a principal advantage over concrete, which will crack when ice thaws. However, for such hot climates it is not relevant to custom paving in South Florida.

Disadvantages of Custom Paving With Asphalt

Despite its cheapness and other advantages, asphalt does not compare to the value the pavers we use for custom paving in South Florida. Appearance and surface quality are two of the many areas where custom pavers outshine asphalt.

Appearance

cracking makes asphalt an unattractive choice for custom paving in South Florida

Like concrete, asphalt will inevitably crack over time.

Asphalt is poured to create a smooth, black surface. This immediately makes it seem unattractive for luxury homes in South Florida. Even if homeowners can get past the plain appearance, it’s important to realize that asphalt will not remain that way. Like concrete, it will crack over time.

Surface

There are also two features that make asphalt particularly unappealing for custom paving in South Florida:

  1. Melting
  2. Surface temperature

Asphalt is extremely temperature-sensitive, as anyone who has stepped barefoot onto a blacktop will undoubtedly attest to.

Why We Use Pavers for Custom Paving in South Florida

Only stone pavers provide true style and elegance for custom paving in South Florida luxury homes. Whereas asphalt looks plain, custom pavers are made to look customized and extremely intricate. They also last for a lifetime, forever adding to the value of your house. They come in different sizes, shapes and colors, which allows CCM to really put the custom in custom paving.

For the best custom paving in South Florida, call Complete Construction & Management at 561-436-3679 today!