PAVING POSSIBILITIES: “Calvary Paving & Sealcoating is an independent family-owned business. We are a full service asphalt paving company, and we treat your driveway as if it were our own,” says owner Jimmie Harrison. Shown is a recently completed driveway in the area.

By Jean Stratton

Even though it is February, the unusually warm temperatures hint of spring. Spring cleaning and home improvement projects come to mind, and it’s not too soon to consider the state of your driveway.

In the same way it affects roads, winter, with fluctuating cold and warm temperatures, can be hard on driveways. Especially if they are older, and haven’t had recent maintenance attention, wear and tear takes its toll. Cracks, crumbling, and rough patches can appear, not only lessening eye appeal, but even causing hardship on tires.

Jimmie Harrison, owner of Calvary Paving & Sealcoating, is ready to help! He has a long history in the paving business, having received hands-on training from his father and grandfather.

“I really started helping out when I was 4 years old,” he says with a smile. “I definitely started young!”

FAMILY FOCUS: Jimmie Harrison, owner of Calvary Paving & Sealcoating, headquartered in Fairless Hills, Pa., is shown with his family, including wife Rachel, who is office administrator, and daughters 4-year-old Julie and 1-year-old Abigail.

Strong Faith

After years of experience honing his skills, he opened his own business in Fairless Hills, Pa., in 2018. “It was always my dream to have my own business,” he reports, “and it means a lot to me. I take great pride in it.”

A person of strong faith, he explains that this was a factor in his decision. “When the opportunity to open my business came along, my Christian values helped me to act on it. These values are the foundation of my life.”

These values extend throughout his business operation, he points out. “I offer quality work and integrity in every aspect. My team and I are very respectful of our customers, and give careful attention to every job, no matter the size. Every job is tailored to suit your specific needs. My dad always said, no job is too small or too big!”

While residential work is more prominent in his work, the company also takes on commercial projects for businesses, schools, churches, etc. All sizes of driveways and parking lots are part of the job.

Quality Work

The majority of residential driveways use asphalt or blacktop, he notes, but some owners like gravel, including red stone, and Calvary can supply whatever the customer wishes. In addition, Belgian blocks and stone pavers are curbing options that people may request.

“Every job is individually evaluated, and we give an estimate up front,” reports Harrison. “We try to work within people’s budget, and offer quality work at all times. Preparation is the most important part of the job, and the most important thing is water drainage — making sure that the water flows in the proper direction away from the house or garage. This may include the need for grading.”

In addition to installation of new driveways, maintenance, and removal of old pavement, sealcoating is another important service of the company. This is an effective treatment to protect the new driveway or parking lot, explains Harrison.

“Sealcoating asphalt pavement ultimately protects against deterioration, crumbling, and shrinking of the pavement,” he says. “It provides resistance to elements that can soften asphalt.”

Many Advantages

“Asphalt binder (tar) hardens when it is exposed to oxygen,” continues Harrison. “This results in a brittle surface that will eventually crack. These pavement cracks allow rain water and oxygen to penetrate the asphalt pavement and its sub-base, and shorten the pavement life by weakening it. Sealcoating has many advantages to extend the life and appearance of your asphalt pavement. It extends the life of the driveway or parking lot; it protects driveway/parking lot from fuel oil and antifreeze; it slows down oxidation and water penetration; and it beautifies your driveway/parking lot.

“If done properly and maintained, driveways can last 20 or 30 years. Maintenance is so important, and we always try to educate our customers about the proper way to preserve the overall life of the paving job.”

A typical driveway can take one day to complete, and a larger, more complicated one, requiring additional prep time, can take two days, he points out. In addition, depending on the situation, patching the driveway is an option. It may not always be necessary to install an entire new surface, although in most cases, it is a preferable method in order to ensure a long-lasting solution.

Costs depend on the size and scope of the job, he adds, noting, “Our paving is cost-effective with competitive pricing, and always with high quality work.

“We are very customer-oriented and strive for customer satisfaction, providing our services at a reasonable cost. We have a one-year guarantee, and we always stand behind our work. We have many referrals from satisfied customers, and 90 percent of our new clients are word-of-mouth.”

Hands-On

Jimmie Harrison is proud of his company’s growth, and its clientele now includes people in Mercer and Somerset counties in New Jersey and Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania. This includes an increasing number of projects in Princeton, he adds.

“I love my work. I love to create new driveways, and I’m very hands-on,” says Harrison. “I enjoy working with the customers, and it’s such interesting work. We want to make everyone’s driveway safe, durable, and good-looking.

“My team is very skilled, with a lot of experience. There are four or five on each job, and I am there too. We are very thorough. We completely clean up our work area after the work is finished. We are very neat and orderly. Our customers know they can trust and depend on us. We are set apart by the attention we give to every job from start to finish.

“We look forward to continuing to serve our customers. From designing layout patterns to preparing the site with a proper foundation, and providing clean lines and smoothly finished asphalt, we will add long-lasting value and functionality to your property.”

For further information and to schedule an appointment, call (267) 598-7131, and visit the website at calvary-paving.com.