As summer winds down in the Greater Cincinnati area, parking lot owners face a key decision period: whether to wait for the last moment or plan ahead for fall resurfacing. The right timing, clear quotes, and securing materials now can save you money, reduce stress, and protect your pavement from winter damage.
Local Weather & Why Timing Matters
Cincinnati’s climate plays a big role in resurfacing success. Summers are hot and humid, with regular heavy storms. Winters bring cold, snow, and freeze-thaw cycles that expand cracks and damage asphalt surfaces. Late-summer through early fall (roughly late August through early October) offers some of the best conditions for asphalt sealcoating and maintenance work. Daytime temperatures tend to hover between 60°F and 85°F, nights are cooler but not freezing, and humidity typically eases down, allowing sealants and overlays to cure more evenly.
Waiting too long risks running into:
- early frost or cold nights that slow or interfere with curing
- more frequent rain or moisture events that disrupt or delay work
- contractors’ schedules becoming crowded, pushing your project later or forcing less ideal work windows
Obtain Early Quotes — Know What You’re Paying For
One of the most effective ways to budget smart is to obtain quotes well before fall begins. When you reach out early, you can compare a few different contractors (or different scopes of work), get a sense of how much prep will be needed, and plan for those costs rather than discovering them in the middle of the project.
Lock in Materials & Secure Suppliers
Material prices for asphalt mix, sealcoating materials, striping paints, and even concrete repair compounds can fluctuate based on demand, fuel costs, and supply chain constraints. When fall demand spools up, shortages or higher cost premiums are possible. Locking in supply or ordering ahead helps buffer these risks.
Also important: know exactly what kind of material quality and specifications you expect (thickness of overlay, type of sealant, paint durability for striping, etc.). The more detailed your early quote, the more accurate suppliers and contractors can be with pricing — reducing surprises in your invoice.
Schedule Now to Beat the Rush
Because Klekamp notes that late summer/early fall is ideal, scheduling early gives you several advantages. You can generally find longer dry windows, more predictable weather, and fewer delays. If you schedule now, you’re more likely to get a crew available when you want, at a price you can accept, rather than being pushed into less favorable times when contractors are overloaded.
Choosing your work dates in advance also lets you plan for traffic disruptions, signage, and operations downtime with greater flexibility, so you can minimize impact on customers, tenants, or employees.
Assess Scope & Preventive Maintenance
Before finalizing a budget, assess the full state of your parking lot. Some lots might need full resurfacing; others may benefit greatly from patching, crack filling, sealcoating, or drainage correction. Often damage from early in summer or prior seasons reveals itself in fall when moisture and storms worsen small defects.
Klekamp is a full-service provider offering crack filling, sealcoating, asphalt paving and resurfacing, asphalt patch repair, plus concrete repairs and drainage solutions. Using a full-service provider means you can address small issues now so they don’t become big, costly problems in spring.
Planning for Durability & Long-Term Value
A well-budgeted fall resurfacing project isn’t just about getting through winter; it’s about extending the life of your investment. Good base preparation, proper drainage, choice of durable materials, and professional workmanship all matter. If you skimp on prep or rush through due to late scheduling, you may save in the short term but pay more later through frequent patching, earlier failure, or cosmetic degradation that lowers property appeal.
Schedule Your Resurfacing Project with Klekamp Today
If you’re ready to plan ahead, the team at Klekamp & Company is ready to help. We offer free estimates, a full suite of paving, patching, sealcoating, concrete repair, drainage work, and line striping, all tailored for Cincinnati’s climate. Call us today at (513) 960-5764 or request a free estimate to get started.