John's company had already been busy in this neighbourhood for several weeks, ripping out old driveways and installing new ones. Somehow, I got missed in the blitz, and that was okay, for we had at least had ours freshly blacktopped this summer. Admittedly, it was still not in great shape.
But when John found me on that morning, I agreed to part with $3000 in return for having him adding our driveway to his schedule.
That was on Tuesday, and I thought that it would take a few days, but come Wednesday they began the work. Astonishingly, they were all finished by suppertime.
Here's ↓ how stage 1 went. There are notes to the side. These photo are b&w because the colour cast was weird and terrible. Note: the image is clickable if you can't read the notes but want to.
They went away; I went inside. After awhile I bolted out to see them rolling the gravel. It was so quick that I missed getting photos. They went away again, but before long they were back and spreading the hot asphalt.
There were many workers at this stage, plus a big truck and other machines. The labourers were all Mexican. That surprised me a lot. I was told that many of them also overwinter here when they do interior work on basements and so on. I am not sure what to think or believe, for remember that this other John was Irish, and I suspect that he just might have kissed the Blarney Stone at some point in his life.
Once the asphalt was spread, the roller did its/his thing with the asphalt being cooled by a hose at it went.
Shortly after 6pm, they were finished. and I was $3000 poorer. Phew! That was quick. A fool and his money etc etc.
I took a lot of video clips and spliced them together into two videos. No, I don't expect y'all to watch them, but I post them regardless because I did the work, and I want them there until heaven and earth shall pass away. I really did it mostly for Sue who was absent for all of the excitement.
The first, Tearing Up the Old Driveway is one minute long. Making the New Driveway is a minute and a half. I could have combined them into one clip, but you can see how silly the colour was in the first video, so I didn’t ant to mix the two. I must have somehow contrived to do something very odd to the phone that morning, but by afternoon, the colour was back to normal.
I simply should have obeyed the impulse to stay inside and not deadhead those phlox.
18 comments:
Wow! That work is impressive, and I think you spent that money well. :-)
What with our winters, and summers, I 'spose, it's well-worth it to get it done.
Our driveway is 100m long, you can imagine how much it cost us! It makes a big difference, though.
Too bad you couldn't get your neighbour to agree and get both driveways done at the same time.... might have got a discount.
Looks good! If that was $3000, though, I shudder to think what our 1/4 mile long driveway would cost to blacktop.
Can't help wondering if Sue thinks it's safe to leave you home alone. What next, another additional floor, while the builders are in the neighborhood?
They did a nice neat job, and it is well packed, so it should last. I think you spent the money well. But, wow, prices are sure up!
For some weird reason, my comment on the cat post repeated several times. Not sure why. sorry.
Those kind of maintenance expenditures are painful but necessary. It looks great!
Good job. It would cost a lot more here, AC.
I love the heavy set guy in the orange top dancing over the asphalt to tamp it down. That was worth the price of admission. My price (zero), not yours (3 grand).
That is what you call fast work.
Quite a job.
It is best to get it done while there are tradesmen ready to go
I'm impressed with the efficiency. I think the cost was reasonable and the operator made his profit in the efficiency.
I don't mind spending money for a job well done, and this looks as if it was done right. It looks nice too.
That was a serious bit of kit that sliced up the top layer in the firs video! What will men think of next? :-)
Fascinating. And expensive. Whew. That's one of the things on the "should" list -- but there other "shoulds" first. So, I try to kill the weeds that grow up in the tracks!
Oh dear! Our driveway could use a facelift but it's a lot longer and wider than yours and I cannot bear to think what it would cost! Yours looks very nice though. A tad bit of buyer's remorse at that price point is normal, but I think you will be glad you did it. xoxo
Wow! $3,000 seems cheap for all that work with all those workers and equipment. I'm sure it would have cost a ton more here in Hawaii. We're going to have our 2 bathrooms downstairs renovated so it will be safer for mom. We're going to be a LOT poorer by the time it's all said and done. Ouch!
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