On a new commercial construction project, parking lot striping is one of the final trades to hit the site—but a problem with the pavement-marking scope can still delay turnover.
For general contractors, site contractors, developers, and paving companies, getting the striping contractor involved before the last minute can prevent missing markings, incorrect quantities, scheduling conflicts, and unexpected change orders.
Here’s what should be ready before a new parking lot is laid out and striped.
1. Provide the Latest Approved Site Plan
The striping contractor should be working from the current plan set, not an outdated drawing that has been sitting in someone’s email for six months.
During construction, parking configurations can change. Islands may move, entrances can be modified, accessible parking locations can change, and revised plans may add or remove pavement markings.
Before striping begins, confirm that the pavement-marking contractor has the latest applicable drawings and revisions.
2. Don’t Assume the Striping Scope Is Just Parking Spaces
A plan may show considerably more pavement-marking work than the stall count suggests.
Depending on the project, the striping scope can include:
- Standard parking stalls
- Accessible parking spaces and access aisles
- Crosswalks
- Directional arrows
- Stop bars
- Loading zones
- Fire lanes
- No-parking areas
- Pavement legends and stencils
- Curb markings
- Traffic-control signage
- Wheel stops or curb stops
- Roadway pavement markings
These items should be identified during estimating rather than discovered when the crew arrives on site.
3. Confirm Paint or Thermoplastic Requirements
Material specifications matter.
A project may require traffic paint in the parking areas while calling for thermoplastic in other locations. Municipal or roadway portions of a project may also have different requirements from the private parking lot.
The striping contractor should review the plans and applicable specifications before providing a final price.
This is particularly important when bidding from a plan set because a line on a drawing doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story about how that line must be installed.
4. Make Sure the Pavement Is Actually Ready
Striping crews need a surface that is ready to receive pavement markings.
Construction debris, sand, dirt, standing water, equipment, dumpsters, pallets, and subcontractor vehicles can interfere with layout and application.
Fresh asphalt also needs to be sufficiently ready for the specified marking system.
If the striping contractor is scheduled for Tuesday morning, the parking lot shouldn’t still be functioning as construction storage on Monday afternoon.
A clean and accessible work area helps the striping operation move efficiently.
5. Establish Layout Control Points
New-layout striping is very different from repainting an existing parking lot.
There are no old lines to follow.
The crew has to establish the parking configuration from measurements, plans, curbs, islands, buildings, and other reference points.
On larger or more complex projects, clearly established control information can prevent uncertainty about where the engineered layout is intended to begin and end.
This becomes especially important when several trades have made field adjustments during construction.
6. Resolve Questions Before Mobilization
If something on the plans doesn’t make sense, the best time to resolve it is before paint equipment and a crew are sitting on the property.
Common questions can involve conflicting dimensions, unclear markings, missing details, material specifications, signage locations, or differences between the drawings and actual field conditions.
Getting the pavement-marking contractor involved early provides time to identify those issues while they can still be addressed efficiently.
7. Coordinate Striping With the Rest of the Project Schedule
Parking lot striping often happens near the end of construction, which means several other trades may be trying to finish simultaneously.
Landscapers, electricians, sign installers, paving crews, concrete contractors, inspectors, delivery trucks, and cleanup crews may all need access to the same area.
Giving the striping contractor a defined work window can make a significant difference.
Once layout begins, unnecessary vehicle traffic through the work area should be minimized until the markings are completed and sufficiently ready for traffic.
8. Consider One Contractor for Markings, Signage and Related Items
There can be an advantage to consolidating related parking lot work.
When pavement markings, parking signs, curb stops, and associated items are coordinated together, it reduces the number of separate subcontractors the general contractor or developer has to schedule.
It also makes it easier to identify who is responsible for completing the final parking-area scope before turnover.
Need a Striping Subcontractor for an Upcoming Florida Project?
Affordable Striping works with general contractors, developers, site-development contractors, asphalt paving companies, sealcoating contractors, property managers, and commercial property owners throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast and surrounding areas.
We provide new parking lot layouts, commercial striping, pavement markings, traffic paint, thermoplastic applications, crosswalks, stop bars, directional markings, signage, curb stops, and related pavement-marking services.
Affordable Striping serves projects throughout Martin County, St. Lucie County, Indian River County, Okeechobee County, Palm Beach County, and surrounding South Florida communities.
Send Us Your Plans Before You Need the Crew
If you’re bidding an upcoming project or already have one under construction, send Affordable Striping the plans and pavement-marking scope early.
We’ll review the striping-related work, identify what is required, and provide a straightforward proposal so the pavement-marking portion is ready when your project reaches that stage.
Call Affordable Striping at 772-200-0015 or visit AffordableStriping.net to request a quote.
Affordable Striping — commercial pavement markings from the plans to the finished parking lot.
