Asphalt sealing is your best way to maintain your blacktop so it stays firm, intact, and water repellent for years to come. Why not do it Groupon-style and get the very best in quality and the very best in savings. Here are three different ways to pool your buying power with others to get your sealcoating done, while saving money. Plus, we show you some great group-forming ideas.
1. Hire A Reputable Sealcoat Company
Okay, this one’s not just Groupon-style, it’s a flat out Groupon take-off... Rather than hiring a fly-by-night sealant company, look for a company that’s professional and includes asphalt repair like crack sealing. First, find like-minded neighbors who are looking for quality, then call around and ask how many driveways you need to get how much of a discount. Read our Avoid Asphalt Scams checklist to choose the very best pro you can hire.
Important Tip: Cracks and potholes must be filled before asphalt sealing. Either hire a company to do the asphalt repair, or use the same group-buy ideas for doing your own crack filling.
Related: How to Troubleshoot Asphalt Crack Repair Problems Like a Pro
2. Buy In Bulk
Airport grade sealer is the highest standard, since airplanes need the very best in runway maintenance. Quality isn’t cheap, but buying in bulk will get you the savings you crave. How much can you really save? When applying by hand, 1 gallon covers 70 square feet. When you purchase a 5 gallon pail at $70, you are paying $14 a gallon. However, getting a 55 gallon drum for $375 you pay only $6.82 a gallon! Right off the bat you are saving over 50% off your asphalt sealing costs.
How Much Sealant Do You Need? Click here for our free calculators for all your asphalt repair needs. Details include whether you apply by brush, roller, squeegee, or machine.
3. Spray Sealing Equipment Dramatically Saves On Time And Product
You may have noticed in the last point that 1 gallon of asphalt sealing covers 70 square feet when applied by hand. When you use spray equipment, that goes up by over 40%. That same gallon covers 100 square feet. If your driveway is 600 square feet, you would have needed 8.6 gallons (cost $59); now you only need 6 gallons (cost $41) saving you another $18. Not a lot, but the larger your driveway, the more money you’ll save.
Time is where you really start to see a significant difference. To apply by hand you pour a little on the blacktop and spread a thin layer with a brush, squeegee, or roller. That’s time-consuming, and a lot of work! A pro, with an asphalt sealing spray system, can apply in less than 15 minutes. Figure you’ll need to do this type of asphalt repair every 2 to 3 years, and you’ll start to see how much time and product you’ll save. With the right group, investing in even the simplest spray system starts to make a lot of sense. Simple to use, fast, and saves 40% on the amount of sealant used.
Watch this video on how fast you can sealcoat a driveway:
Group Buying Ideas: Family, friends, and trusted neighbors are good bets. You and 11 other people can manage a simple system for about $100 each. An alternative would be to purchase the asphalt sealing equipment yourself and charge a rental fee.
Related: How Proper Asphalt Maintenance Can Prevent Parking Lot Accidents
How To Find A Group For Asphalt Repair And Sealing
Need some ideas to get started? Here’s a list to start giving you ideas to form your group:
- Neighbors – Close by, makes it easy to share.
- Family – Always a good choice, with the potential of setting up one of the kids who’s a student with their own driveway sealing business.
- Friends – Working together with the people you like the most, always better than alone.
- Church – Consider buying the equipment and donating it to the church, so they can get the parking area done as well, then rent it back out to parishioners.
- Service Clubs – Members working together for the good of the community – what better choice for finding a group?
- Franchises – You’re all part of a ready-made group, just add asphalt sealing.
- Social Sites – Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, wherever you socialize on the web, you’ve got a ready made group.
First Time Buyers Saving Tip: Get a package to purchase all the supplies and equipment to save even more money.
Related: How to Prevent Parking Lot Accidents in Winter
Whether you save a little or a lot, working Groupon-style gives you the buying power you need to save on all types of asphalt repair. Whether you hire a pro, do it yourself by hand, or invest in spray equipment, you can keep more money in your pocket. Plus your driveway will stay firm, intact, and in good repair with asphalt sealing every 2 to 3 years.
Asphalt Repair Groupon style is just as easy to do! Start here to learn what you need, and ask your group if they’re interested
