Asphalt sealing: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering asphalt sealing

Sealcoating is a repeat-business service, and customers trust the crews who clean, repair and mask before they spray. Win the job by showing the cleaning and the crack work, and by setting a clear reseal schedule the customer can follow.

What customers ask

  • Will sealcoat make my drive look new again?
  • How long will the seal last before I need to do it again?
  • Can you seal around my curbs and landscaping without a mess?
  • How long before my car can drive on it?
  • Will it make the surface slippery?
  • Do you fix the cracks before you seal?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask how old the surface is, when it was last sealed and where the cracks and oil spots are.
  • On site, walk the surface, mark the cracks and oil spots, and check whether the base is sound, then tell the customer what must be repaired first.
  • In the quote, separate the cleaning, the crack sealing, the sealcoat and the masking, so the customer sees the full scope.
  • Show samples of the sealcoat finish on a board, and explain the difference between a standard and a polymer-modified product.
  • Set a weather window and a cure plan in writing, since sealcoat must not be applied to wet or cold surfaces.
  • Give the customer a reseal schedule and a note on keeping oil and fuel off the surface between seals.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of sealed surfaces, shot wet and dry from the same angle
  • Sealcoat products you use, including standard and polymer-modified types
  • Surfaces you seal, such as residential drives, parking lots and commercial pads
  • Your service area and whether you also do crack sealing, patching and striping

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a reseal reminder on the schedule that suits the product and the traffic
  • Suggest crack sealing before each reseal, explained as the step that keeps the seal working
  • Mention striping or a parking layout as information when the customer is refreshing the lot

Licenses and permits

Whether sealcoating needs a contractor license varies by place and job size, and larger commercial work and any repairs that change grade or drainage are commonly done under a contractor license. Confirm what applies where you work with your state or local licensing agency and local building department, and keep your insurance current.

Questions

What do I do when the customer wants a seal over a failing surface?

Tell the customer that sealcoat will not hold on a surface that is breaking up, and quote the repair first. Put the recommendation and the decision in writing so both sides know the scope.

Should I warranty the sealcoat?

Warranty your application and state that wear, oil, weather and traffic are outside the warranty. Put the reseal schedule and the conditions in writing.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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