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8 Easy Ways To Improve Business Curb Appeal

The outward appearance of your business plays a vital role in making a first impression—whether good or bad. Before deciding to walk inside, potential customers will form a subconscious opinion based on how it looks on the outside. By making a few simple adjustments, your storefront can become considerably more welcoming. Here are eight ways to enhance your curb appeal, simply and affordably:

 

1. Effective Signage

Make sure you invest in a sign that has your business name, logo, and website and/or phone number. This should be large enough so it’s easy to read from the street, and minimal without being too wordy. Stick to no more than three colors.

 

2. Spruce It Up

Trim hedges, sweep the sidewalk and porch, and wash your windows so they sparkle and shine. Go around and do any paint touch-ups where needed. Placing a couple of large potted plants on either side of the entrance adds a splash of life and beauty.

 

3. Embellish the Front

Think about adding a pretty new awning over your entrance to provide shade and shelter, or maybe installing a brand new front door. If that’s not in the budget, painting your existing door a vibrant color adds a fun touch and offers a warm, inviting welcome.

 

4. Parking Lot

If your establishment has a parking lot that accommodates several cars, consider having parking lines painted on or existing ones touched up. Follow up with seal coating to protect it from cracking and potholes. In addition, having a well-lit parking lot is much appreciated and helps customers feel safe.

 

5. New Concrete

How does your sidewalk look? If it’s chipped or cracked, you might consider hiring someone to repair or replace the damaged areas. Not only does a smooth, clean walkway make a great impression, it’s a good idea that can prevent any potential accidents from happening—something you definitely don’t want on your business property. Another way to boost your business kudos is to provide accessibility for disabled visitors, such as a installing a wheelchair ramp.

 

6. Help Out Neighbors

If your business is among other shops in in a strip mall, offer to tidy up for those around you who might need it. Being a good Samaritan for your work neighbors is a nice gesture as well as a way to improve upon the looks of your storefront area.

 

7. Offer a Sale

If you run a retail business, consider placing a few clearance items outside or some interesting items displayed in the window that will attract customers. According to a recent survey, 20% of the purchases made by American adults are done on impulse. Here’s your chance to lure them in with some offers they cannot resist!

 

8. Percent Off or Limited Time Offers

Everyone loves a bargain, and what better way to get potential customers through the door than with a large, “50% Off Today Only” sign? A sale—especially one with a limited time offer—brings a sense of urgency and gets people to buy.

 

These are just a few easy ways to improve the visual appeal of your business that will make a considerable impact on the perceived value, without spending a lot of time or money.

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4 Ways Asphalt Paving in Colorado Helps the Community

Asphalt paving is a vital part of the transportation infrastructure for Colorado. This type of pavement provides a safe, cost-effective and environmental friendly for the roads, bridges and parking areas. It plays a significant role in the Colorado community. Asphalt pavements is a combination of aggregates of stone, gravel or sand that are bound together using some asphalt cement, which is derived from crude oil.

A large percentage (94%) of American roads and highways are paved with asphalt. Construction and maintenance of these smooth asphalt pavements is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and completely recyclable. They offer a safe and long-lasting surface for all types of transportation modes such as foot trails, bike trails, roads and airport runways.

Some benefits of asphalt paving are:

1. Quieter Roads

Noise pollution is everywhere. One of the best ways to lower road noise is to deal with the issue at its source. By using asphalt pavements on roadways, noise in residential areas and businesses can be lowered significantly. Stone Matrix Asphalt can reduce road noise by 3-5 dB(A). Using asphalt to combat highway noise is even more effective than noise barrier walls.

2. Recyclable

Asphalt pavement and processing facilities have very low carbon footprint. Asphalt Pavement Alliance says that production of asphalt pavements emits less greenhouse gases compared to other concrete pavements. Asphalt pavements are highly recycled in America. 100 million tonnes of this type of pavements are reclaimed every year, and out of that, more than 95 percent is recycled or reused, thus saving the taxpayers money and less use of landfills.

Sustainability is very important in today’s society. Asphalt can be used over and over again, like an infinite life cycle. This one of the biggest reasons why asphalt is popularly used across the country. Most companies strive to use environment friendly materials; the recyclable nature of asphalt makes it a great product.

3. Create new jobs

A career in the asphalt industry means job security. Road construction is always happening in Colorado; new roads are being installed while existing roads require regular maintenance to enhance safety. From repairing potholes, to filling cracks, asphalt contractors are always busy trying to keep the Colorado roads clear, smooth and safer for drivers. Furthermore, construction of new business buildings means a need for parking lots installation as well as regular maintenance, which means job security in this field is great.

The asphalt pavement industry offers: local jobs that are usually pay well and last for long, heightened community transport infrastructure, improved standards of living for the local people, eco-friendly products, and economic development.

4. Asphalt is great for winter roads

Winter can be hard on pavements; the freezing, thawing, deicers, plowing and the immense weight of plow trucks contribute more to the damaging effects of the cold weather. However, some pavements can hold up better than other during this season.

Extreme winter weather can ruin paved surfaces. Asphalt pavement is not only quick to install, but is resistant to harsh weather too. Asphalt roadways can be able to withstand cold temperatures during weather in both the low traffic and high traffic areas.

Hot-mix asphalt is the best when it comes to ensuring that the roadways are free of potholes and cracks during winter. It is asphalt pavement that is poured immediately after mixing aggregates of sand and stone with petroleum on to the road while the mixture is still hot. The hot-mix asphalt is strong and long-lasting, resistant to freezing and thawing, not affected by deicing agents, flexible, cost-effective, and needs little maintenance.

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3 Variables To Consider When Determining Asphalt Paving Costs

Asphalt pavements are made from a mixture of stones, sand, and liquefied asphalt cement at 300°F. Upon cooling, the mixture forms a hard surface that is capable of accommodating heavy weights including vehicles. When computing asphalt paving costs, key among the factors to consider include soil, usage, and size. It is essential that you consult an experienced constructor to give you a quote before commencing on a project to ensure that your budget is capable of executing the task to completion.

Soil

The type of soil in the area to be paved plays a vital role in influencing asphalt paving costs. The kind of soil has a direct impact on the type of subgrade that will be used to support the load which will be transmitted from the pavement. The cost of paving increases with the increase in subgrade thickness. The subgrade is the working platform upon which the construction equipment is supported and is also the foundation to the pavement structure for supporting and distributing the traffic load. It is, therefore, critical to evaluate the how strong the subgrade should be before embarking on a pavement’s structural design. Failure to provide the required subgrade thickness can result in deflection rendering your work to be useless. Different soil types have to vary (texture) support capabilities which influence the depth of the subgrade. Soil texture is the average size of its mineral particles, and it defines how a type of soil can be used. Usually, most natural soils are made of different particle sizes which are used to distinguish one type from the other. Soils can be categorized into three main classes based on texture: Light, medium, and heavy-textured or fine grained. The three categories can further be classified as gravels, silts, sands, or clays.

Usage

The core function of an asphalt pavement is to distribute the weight on the wheels to the supporting subgrade. Asphalt paving costs vary with the type of load that will be accommodated on the pavement. Axle load can be classified into single, tandem, and multiple and can weigh up to 50,000 pounds. Asphalt pavements for use by tandem and multiple axle loads experience reduced load effects and thus, have a long lifespan. Asphalt pavements for use by single axle loads lack a diminished load effect and are thus, costly to pave due to the high-quality requirements to lengthen their lifespan. The volume and distribution of a load play a critical role in estimating the anticipated life of asphalt pavement and consequently, its cost. Usage of asphalt pavement can be predicted based on historical traffic records and truck percentage. To determine the effect of traffic, you require to establish the total volume of the two-way Average Daily Traffic (ADT). You can estimate a road’s ADT by use of a traffic map or a pneumatic tube on the road for some days. Traffic weight can have a dramatic effect on asphalt paving costs. Design differences have a direct impact on material, labor and equipment costs.

Size

The size of the area to be paved also impacts on the cost of asphalt paving. Size differences can be in parameters such as the gradient of the area to be paved, the extent of ground clearance required including the removal of physical barriers such as trees and buildings. Also, the cost of paving can be affected by whether the pavement will be flat or will have peaks and depressions to control the movement of storm water.

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Why You Should Be ADA Compliant In Your Parking Lot

Improvements to your parking lot aren’t an expense, they’re an investment. Those simple changes can pay for themselves.

They’re also the law. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has specific guidelines and requirements to accommodate those with disabilities. For your parking lot to be ADA compliant, it must be accessible and have no barriers, among other requirements. A full list of requirements can be found here. It is a common misconception that parking lots constructed before 1990 have been grandfathered in and don’t need to meet ADA requirements. As of 2012, that isn’t true. All businesses are required by law to be ADA compliant.

Here are some of the ways you’ll benefit:

1. More Customers

ADA compliance is designed to make it easier for people to access everyday businesses. You’ll open opportunities for more people to visit your store or office, bringing in a whole new set of customers or clients.

People with disabilities make up the largest minority in the nation, and they represent more than 12 percent of the population. With the growth in the aging population, that’s a lot of potential new customers or clients!

2.  Tax Benefits

The IRS offers tax advantages in the form of credits and deductions for businesses that can help with the cost of making your parking lot ADA compliant. According to the ADA website, the credits can be up to $5,000 a year for businesses with less than one million in revenue “to offset the cost of undertaking barrier removal and alterations to improve accessibility” and the deductions can be up to $15,000 a year for all businesses for the cost of these improvements. Check with your accountant for more information.

3.  Higher Property Value

It’s hard to predict the future, and you could outgrow your current location. Making your parking lot ADA compliant may increase your business’s property value because potential buyers would not be saddled with the cost of improving the property, yet will still benefit from the upgrade.

4.  Competitive Advantage

If you’re ADA compliant and your competitor is not, you are likely to draw in more consumers. The aging population – which makes up a large percentage of those with disabilities – holds half of the discretionary income in the nation, Even people who aren’t disabled respect the needs of others and will patronize businesses that are accessible to their friends and family members with disabilities. This holds true for employees as well, and your competitive edge can extend to potential new hires.

5.  Community Spirit

While more difficult to quantify, making your parking lot ADA compliant tells your community “we care” by respecting the needs of others. Today’s consumer looks for businesses that are socially responsible. Consider the needs of people with disabilities and the difficulties they face in everyday activities. By showing consideration, you are telling the public you are a company to trust. If you are thinking of the public, the public is thinking of you.

Simple yet important changes to your parking lot can affect your bottom line, offsetting the cost of those improvements. Those improvements can be seen as more than a business expense, but rather, a marketing tool.

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The Cost of Drainage Issues on Your Pavement

Pavements are important to our contemporary lives by providing a smooth surface onto which we can transport goods and people as well as communicate with each other. Therefore, it is important to keep your pavements in optimal shape. This can be achieved through proper drainage. It is considered the element that ensures a long lived quality pavement. Problems can occur due to moisture accumulation in any structural layer of the pavement.
Long-term problems can not only be caused by standing water from heavy rain or sprinklers but also from underground water, which is harder to detect. Cracks in the pavement provide a way for the ground water to seep into the parking lot from below the surface. Some of the drainage issues affecting pavements include;

Winter Liability
During winter months, your pavement can quickly fill up with ice formed by seeping groundwater. The people walking here may be in danger of injury resulting in liabilities for you and your business. It may also make it difficult to control a vehicle as hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as 35 MPH.

Water ponding
This refers to the collection of water at deteriorated shoulders or pavements. Ponding can be caused by a backup in the drainage system or an insufficient cross slope. The pavement’s original cross slope can be affected by both maintenance and traffic activities. It is especially hazardous at intersections a driver will require greater distances to stop. It is also dangerous in wheel paths or ruts. Wheel ruts are caused by traffic, especially heavy truck traffic, resulting in bituminous pavement movement to the wheel path sides. They are noticeable and run parallel to the pavement’s centerline.
Ponding can cause drivers, pedestrians, or bicyclists to divert paths, often encroaching the opposing lane. This endangers their lives as well as the lives of opposing motorists. Ponding contributes to the rutting of stabilized soil and deterioration of the pavement edge resulting in additional safety hazards. Vegetation growth and debris build-up can cause shoulder to scour and edge drops when the pavement edge traps water.

Shoving
Occurring frequently at stop locations such as intersections, this pavement condition results in the pavement having a series of ridges running across it. These ridges are hazardous when wet and dry as they can retain water and cause a vehicle’s wheels to bounce respectively. This bouncing decreases braking ability and reduces the pavement’s contact with the wheels.

Issues with Maintenance
Sealers may not work as they should due to the water and leak impact on asphalt. Wet asphalt does not enable the adhesion of sealant. The sealant will re-emulsify and be easily tracked into stores or cars. You can experience difficulties in maintenance due to poor location, trapped debris, flat grades causing clogging of pipes, and low-flow conditions lacking self-cleansing velocities.

Long Term Damage
Standing water may result in structural damage which is long-term and costly. Lack of adequate maintenance can also result in long-term, costly damage. The weakening of entire areas will happen first, then falls and large cracks will occur. Not short-term fixes will be available for potholes.

Drainage issues can be hard to detect, but they result in some costly mistakes. You should strive to prevent the accumulation of these small issues before they develop into major problems.