With a typical paving company, you’ll find multiple cooks in the kitchen.
One person estimates your job, another writes the bid and another manages the project. It’s no wonder things often fall through the cracks, unmet deadlines sail past and the left and right hands don’t always talk to each other.
With Sommerset, your salesperson, estimator and project manager are all wrapped up in one person. You get continuity, clarity and efficiency. No hidden costs, no detail missed, no mysteries and no migraines. Quality, timeliness and superb communication are our priorities from first impression to final clean-up.
Think of us as the Swiss army knife of paving. Not too big, not too small. Each blade purpose-built for commercial, municipal or residential work. A range of capabilities from civil engineering and seasoned craftsmanship to leaders who bring an innovative attitude to every problem.
We’re family-owned and woman-led. Relationships are everything at Sommerset: we’ve found it’s virtually impossible not to go above and beyond when you’re surrounded by friendly and tireless teammates. And because our family’s legacy is on the line, we treat every job like it’s our own road or driveway. In other words? It’s personal.
To most people, it’s only asphalt and concrete. To us, paving is an art and a way to keep people connected.
We’re forging a different path at Sommerset. Consider us your anti-contractor contractor.
You’ve seen what we do. Here are the values that define how we do it.
Following our compassWhether it’s a new driveway or a city street, you need a paving partner you can trust. At Sommerset, we believe our expertise and capabilities are of little use without a good moral compass. That means doing what we say, saying what we mean and doing what’s right no matter who’s watching. That’s why we’re a WYSIWYG company: what you see is what you get. We practice integrity because your pavement and our reputation are inseparable.
Breaking new groundWhat’s the point in doing anything if you can’t do it well and perfect your craft? None at all, we say. Paving may seem purely functional on the surface, but there’s more than a little science hiding beneath a well-made road. And to us, paving is an art. We just happen to work in asphalt and concrete instead of paint or pixels.
At Sommerset, “good enough” isn’t good enough. Our commitment to innovation leads to greater quality and value for your project.
Smiles for milesWant to know what it’s really like to work with a construction company? Go to a job site and watch how they treat each other.
Visit any Sommerset project and you’ll see smiles on our teammate’s faces. Instead of signatures, we sign our work with smiley faces. The smiles are real because we laugh together, put family first and practice generosity. You’ll experience the same kindness from first contact to final touches.
Nobody likes confusionWhen our CEO needed her driveway repaired, she couldn’t find a paving company that communicated well. So she made one.
Communication can make or break a business. It’s the little things: answering the phone year-round. Turning bids quickly and with tailored options. Providing clarity from start to finish. Listening to understand your spoken and unspoken needs.
Tough as nailsIf a waiter brings you a tough steak, you’ll send it back to the kitchen. But when your paving partner only hires tough and determined crew members, you’ll trust them with jobs of any size and in any weather.
Like the roads that stretch across Michigan, paving is a long game. It takes tenacity and passion to sort out every detail, fix every mistake and build roads that are safe, smooth and tough as nails. We’re up for the challenge.
Leaders in their field
We aim to go above and beyond and deliver novel solutions to seemingly simple problems. There’s a lot of complexity in paving that people take for granted; the devil’s in the details. We’re not the cheapest, because we deliver high value and exceed expectations on schedule and quality.
We obviously solve road and parking lot problems. But we’ll also plant trees, dig ponds and shape the terrain to prevent flooding – all in an effort to keep drivers and pedestrians safe.
On every job, we come in like a special forces team. Execute the operation with focus and efficiency, then leave. No worries, no mess. Our clients recognize and respect all of these things.”
Although I’m the sales guy writing your quote, I’m also your PM. This is how all of our project managers work, and the result is continuity: nothing falls through the cracks or gets lost due to too many cooks in the kitchen. You can expect an accurate, competitive and thoughtfully-prepared bid because you’re dealing with an authority on the subject. And you can expect us to deliver on every promise, with tireless quality assurance, because I’m working alongside our guys from beginning to end.
Our best clients believe that if they’re paying for high-quality paving, their mental and emotional costs should be next to nothing. They expect a crew that looks and acts professionally and a project manager who prioritizes good communication. And beyond the pavement itself, they expect good advice about how to maximize the lifetime and integrity of their pavement.
I’m proud to say Sommerset delivers on all fronts.”
My dad loved perfection and took great pride in his work. The same goes for me and my coworkers at Sommerset, and it’s one thing I love about this company. They care about their reputation and want to do good work, deliver a good product, and make people happy. We’re happy people, too. That’s why we call it Happy’s Paving.”
I’ve worked in paving since 1981. I’ve developed long-lasting relationships with customers all over metro Detroit and have seen the good, bad and ugly ways people run construction companies.
If I sell you a parking lot or road, I’ll be with you from contract signing until you say you’re completely satisfied. I’ll visit the job site on a daily basis. When problems arise (and they do when you’re digging in the ground), I’ll find a solution.
With Sommerset, you get the best of two worlds: the personal touch of a small business with all the expertise and equipment you need to pave any surface, from trails and driveways to high-traffic roads and industrial parking lots.
Sommerset is the best place I’ve ever worked. I’m still working in the field every day and at Sommerset because I love this company, the people who work here and what we stand for.”
Working at Sommerset, also known as Happy’s Paving
We offer competitive salaries, on-the-job training and a comprehensive benefit package. Here are a few more perspectives on Sommerset’s culture.
When you love what you do and the people you work with, high quality is a natural result. I look at this work artistically – I see myself as an artist of sorts. Sure, it’s lower resolution than painting or sculpture. But within the limits of aggregate and asphalt concrete, we are definitely artists.
Paving is a science. It’s a very skilled job, and mastering the science of it is what sets apart the good ones from the pack. Everybody has a different attack; ours is the one where it’ll get done right every time. We think a lot about how to improve the aesthetics and longevity of pavement.
Louise’s Story: How Sommerset Began
Creating the asphalt paving company we couldn’t find
In 2008, Louise Pernicano needed her driveway fixed and asked three paving companies for proposals.
One declined, blaming it on the economy. Another showed up but never gave me a proposal. The third wrote a bid in pencil on a piece of scrap paper.
I didn’t feel confident about hiring any of them, so I bought a paving company and set out to become the contractor I couldn’t find.
At Sommerset, we actually communicate. We pick up the phone year-round, turn bids on a dime and attend to every last detail. We deliver impeccable craftsmanship and finish on time. And when we make a mistake, we take responsibility and make it right.
If the idea of a paving team that veers off the beaten path appeals to you, you’ll love working with Sommerset.
