EXPERT ADVICE
“ Opportunities do arise where a paving contractor can easily increase their revenue by pursuing a project at a school district or park and recreational district where they are already doing work ...”
For More Information On This Advertiser Please Visit www . CallAPE . com / e-inquiry or athletic facility . It is extremely important to meet the needs of your customer regarding surface performance , certifications , color choices , compliance , durability and longevity .”
Sometimes the decorative paving need is less daunting and more readily accessible .
“ Opportunities do arise where a paving contractor can easily increase their revenue by pursuing a project at a school district or park and recreational district where they are already doing work ,” said Rob McConnell , president of
McConnell & Associates , North Kansas City , Missouri . “ This is especially true if you are already dealing with the same person that handles the parking lot work as well as the build or repair of tennis , pickleball , or outdoor basketball courts . Helping the customer out on this becomes another set of services the contractor can provide for that customer .”
Girish C . Dubey , president of STAR , Inc ., Columbus , Ohio , stated that the reason for adding sports surfacing can be : “ Simply to expand the business , by offering more services . Such jobs usually have better profitability than just regular run-of-the-mill paving and sealcoating jobs .”
Hemsink agreed : “ Often times , a paving contractor or sealing company adds recreational coatings and complete sport surfaces to their portfolio to expand their available service offerings and reach customer segments that they currently don ’ t serve , such as Home Owner Associations ( HOAs ), parks and recreational associations , schools , universities , athletic clubs as well as collegiate and professional athletic programs .
“ Decorative paving or coating allows customers to add to the visual aesthetics of their surfaces . For instance , adding games or pictures on a school playground to give students more opportunities for play . It also provides a solution when patterns or color coding on pavement is necessary for directional purposes , such as on a bike path or band practice field . Using color coatings for these purposes can be longer lasting and more durable than traditional paints .”
Clearly , there is a step away from typical asphalt paving and sealcoat projects . “ Probably the biggest hurdle to overcome in making that step from parking lot work to doing sports work is understanding the different techniques involved and meeting the tighter tolerances in grading and paving and especially the coating systems ,” McConnell said .
As far as the equipment required to delve into the sports surfacing and sports courts market it depends on the services being provided . Obviously , adding a hop-scotch grid to playground surface is easier than creating a full sports court .
“ The equipment needed to offer sports courts or decorative coatings varies depending on the project ,” Hemsink said . “ To apply decorative coatings , the tools required are typically similar to those of sealcoating , including squeegees , scrapers , blowers , etc . www . callape . com [ 26 ] 1.800.210.5923