The part of your project you will never see again is the part that decides how long it lasts. Here is what we build under the surface.
Everything rides on the base
A finished driveway or lot is only as good as the material under it. We strip organics, bring the subgrade to a firm and unyielding condition, then build the base in compacted lifts of properly graded gravel.
What we check
Depth appropriate to the traffic the surface will carry
Gradation, so the stone locks together instead of shifting
Compaction verified in lifts, not just rolled on top
Drainage, so water leaves the base instead of sitting in it
Cutting corners here is invisible on the day the job finishes and obvious three winters later. That is exactly why we do not.
If you are weighing this on your own property in Hadley, Amherst, Northampton, or anywhere else across the Pioneer Valley, call A&M Construction Enterprises at (413) 374-5714. We will walk the site with you, tell you plainly what the ground is doing, and put an honest written scope together. We answer the phone and we will tell you when the work can wait as readily as when it cannot.
Why lifts matter more than depth
Dumping twelve inches of gravel and rolling the top of it does not give you a twelve-inch base. It gives you a compacted crust over loose material that will consolidate under traffic and take the surface down with it. Proper base work goes in lifts, each one compacted before the next is placed, so density is uniform all the way to the subgrade. It costs more passes and more time, which is exactly why it is the first thing cut on a cheap bid.