Mistake 1 — Taking the Cheapest Price
Just like with everything else in life, price and quality go hand in hand. When you choose the lowest price you are choosing the contractor with the least incentive to keep you happy. Most good contractors have similar costs — if someone is significantly less, ask them why. The quickest way to bring costs down is to cut corners: thinner sealer, watered-down materials, untreated cracks, no insurance. On a commercial parking lot the bottom-line risk is far greater than on a driveway.
Mistake 2 — Not Keeping Traffic Off Long Enough
Cure time should ideally be 24 hours, with an absolute minimum of 8 to 12 hours under good weather conditions. For lots that have to stay open, plan ahead with phased sealcoating — closing one section at a time so the rest of the property remains accessible. Reopening too soon is the single most common reason a fresh sealcoat job tracks, peels, or wears off prematurely.
Mistake 3 — Not Confirming Proper Insurance
A commercial sealcoating job involves a contractor working on your premises with hot equipment, traffic, and material that can splash on cars, storefronts, and signage. Always require a current Certificate of Insurance naming you as additional insured. An uninsured contractor is your liability the moment they pull onto the property.
Mistake 4 — Failing to Check References
Ask for 3 to 4 commercial references the contractor has worked for in the last 3 to 6 months and actually call them. Then check Yelp, Angie’s List, and the Better Business Bureau. A reputable contractor’s past clients will sing their praises — an under-qualified one’s past performance will speak for itself. A little due diligence on the front end saves a lot of money on the back end.
Mistake 5 — Not Maintaining the Lot Frequently Enough
Annual crack sealing and a fresh sealcoat every 2 to 3 years is the maintenance rhythm that keeps a commercial lot tight and protects your underlying asphalt investment. Skip a cycle and water gets in, the base softens, and what would have been a $2,000 sealcoat becomes a $20,000 mill-and-overlay. Pavement maintenance is the cheapest line item on your facilities budget — treat it that way.
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