The most important decisions you will have to make when having your driveway paved is that of your materials and contractor.  Choosing either the wrong material or company can result in unnecessary costs both upfront as well as in the near future.  Using poor quality materials will result in frequent repairs and possible replacing of the driveway in the near future.  Choosing a company who over charges for their labor or inflates the costs of materials will also result in a hefty bill at the end of your project.

There area a variety of materials you can choose from when paving your driveway.  Some of these materials include gravel, concrete, asphalt, and brick.  The cost of each of these materials will vary and have an effect on your over all costs.  You must not only consider the initial cost of each material but also their life span.  Many of these materials area available in different grades, you must choose whether to purchase a higher grade material for a high initial investment in order to try and reduce future costs.  Some materials such as gravel and asphalt will require regular maintenance and resealing. Once you have gotten estimates from several companies which use the materials you have chosen you can begin to check into the companies reputation.  Be sure to find past customers who have not only used this company but also used materials similar to yours.  This is especially important if you are using a more non traditional material such as brick.  Not all companies work well with all materials.