It is the right choice to employ a paving specialist for your Southern California pool deck, patio, walkway, or driveway installation project, but not every paving contractor out there has the necessary experience and expertise to do an excellent job.
To help guide your selection process, here are the top six qualifications to look out for when you are interviewing and selecting a paving contractor to work on your home.
Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) Certification.
An ICPI certification is one of the most important qualifications to look for in a reputable paving contractor. In fact, you should not hire someone who doesn’t have one. The ICPI Certified Pavers Installer program communicates industry standards in areas including estimating, planning, and executing residential pavers projects. ICPI certification shows that a contractor is dedicated to their craft and cares about quality installation and meeting industry standards.
(Read more about the importance of ICPI certification.)
License
A license is another absolutely essential qualification for potential hires. Here is what California law says about licensing in the state of california:
"With a few exceptions, all businesses or individuals who work on any building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost of one or more contracts on the project is $500 or more."
A licensed contractor or contracting business has been able to show the CSLB that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to complete projects safely and effectively, and are able to manage all aspects of the construction process, including daily supervision of employees.
Portfolio
An important aspect of paving construction that sets it apart from many other forms of construction is that the pavers must be aesthetically pleasing, meaning that there is an artistic component to paving installation as well as structural and practical ones. Like any other creative professional, you are going to want to see someone’s work before you hire them. Would you pay for someone to design you a website or give you a tattoo without looking at their work first?
“Anyone can create art, but not everyone can produce a masterpiece and we believe the difference lies in the details,” says Los Angeles, Ventura County and San Fernando Valley pavers installation expert Mark Ovitch.
A reputable Los Angeles-area contractor should have a portfolio ready at your request, which showcases past work that they have done. While this will show you the quality of their work, it will also allow you to see if the styles of architecture they are accustomed to working with is compatible with the style of your home and what you have in mind for your project.
Years of Experience
You should also check any potential contractor’s work history to be certain that they have at least several years of experience installing pavers. Generally, the longer they have been perfecting their craft, the higher quality their work will be.
Relevant Experience
It isn’t just the numbers that matter when it comes to experience. You need to be sure that the contractor you choose to hire has ample experience working on the specific type of project you are hiring for. Common types of paving projects in the Los Angeles area include:
Pool deck installation
Patio installation
Driveway installation
Firepit installation
Walkway installation
For example, someone who has mostly worked on installing patios may be missing some of the skills and knowledge needed when it comes to installing pavers on a pool deck. You should also ask about what types of paving stones a contractor has experience with installing.
Positive Reviews
Another way to verify the quality of a contractor’s work is to look at how past customers have reviewed them. These experiences can tell you about more than just the quality of their work, including how professional and accommodating they are when it comes to working with clients, how they deal with unexpected road bumps, and how motivated they are to complete the project in a timely manner.
However, be wary when it comes to reviews on their website as these may be cherry-picked, or a showcase of only the most glowing reviews. Look at Google, Yelp, and Angie’s List reviews in addition if possible.
About Eminent Pavers
At Eminent Pavers, our certified paving installation professionals will guide you in choosing the best pavers for your home, budget, and design preferences. With high-quality products, seamless customer service, and a reputation for excellence, Eminent Pavers is the go-to paving installation company for many people in the Los Angeles area.