Hey guys, I have a customer that uses me for all of his landscaping, site work, and general contracting needs that needs some asphalt work done. He owns several large warehouses and the lots need patches ranging from two foot square to about twenty by thirty. I have patched some pot holes for him in the past with just ashpalt patch and my plate coompacter. But these lots are going to need a full ashpalt set up. I have been looking for a way into the ashpalt business for a while now and he has enough work to get me started, and maybe even pay off the equipment. I already have a dump truck so I am going to need a paver and a roller. The only type of work I want to do is parking lot patches and maybe small driveways and smaller new parking lots. I dont have the energy to get into trying to pave roads or anything. What size equipment am I going to need, and what sort of price range should I be looking for? Usually when I buy equipment I try to find some that needs a good bit of work that I can get a deal on. If need be I can rent a roller for the first part of the work but I would like to buy one eventually. I know I am going to need to find someone that knows the job, and I already have a few guys with ashpalt experience that I am talking to so that shouldnt be a huge problem. Any knowledge you guys can send my way would be very much appreciated. I hope it dosent seem like I am jumping in way over my head but when there is work available and the customer is willing to help finance a new branch of my business it seems foolish to say no.
For rollers, having had Bomag, Dynapac, Hamm, and Caterpillar. I say go with a Caterpillar. My CB224C and D models are the go to, always up, rollers. Engine parts on the C are a little weird to get because they aren't in the parts catalog, but can be gotten from a deutz dealer. For your application, a CB214 or CB224 should be a nice fit.
Don't know if you already own a skidsteer or mini loader, but if you do a paver bucket would be an economical way to get into it. https://www.norcar.com/en/tools/matrix-asphalt-surfacing-equipment There is video out there of one being used to aspalt domestic driveways, but I can't remember where I saw it. They are basically a hopper with adjustable height skids for depth control and an adjustable gate for flow control. Pretty basic, but seems to work good for small jobs. Graham
Mauldin makes nice entry level pavers, LeeBoy also. You'll have to consider dealer support in your area. Sakai makes a reliable roller, more so than the Volvo-ized ingersoll rand. Again, dealer support is gonna be a huge factor. Paving Equipment eats parts, that's just the nature of the business. No parts availability, no up time. Good luck.
Here’s a link to a manufacturer of tarbox. https://www.essener.co.uk/tarbox.html Graham
You would probably be better off with a paver that will close down to about 5 feet and open to 8 or 9 . That way you can use it for sidewalks and patching and also paving small parking lots and driveways.