Over time, your asphalt driveway will show significant wear and tear. So at some point, it needs repair.
If you are thinking of hiring asphalt paving contractors to improve your driveway, be aware that, unfortunately, there are some organizations that may seek opportunities to take advantage of customers in need of services. So it is always best to be cautious and be on the lookout for deceitful companies.
For instance, when people knock on your door, introduce themselves as paving contractors, and offer to repair your asphalt driveway with their leftover load of hot asphalt at an affordable price, think twice!
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns homeowners about paving scams, especially door-to-door asphalt scams:
- You should not spend your hard-earned money on something that is not reliable.
- Do not deal with companies that don’t give estimates or that start an asphalt paving project without an agreed-upon final price.
- Never be pressured into believing too-good-to-be-true sales pitches.
Instead, always do your own research, look for BBB business reviews, and check each paving company’s website. Stay away from service providers with red flags or client complaints.
Read further to learn more tips for protecting yourself and your property from malicious individuals or groups.
3 Tips to Avoid Asphalt Scams
1. Familiarize yourself with the basics of asphalt driveway repair
Knowledge is power! If you know some of the basics of asphalt driveway repair, you won’t be fooled by deceitful asphalt contractors.
If, for instance, a paving contractor highly recommends a new installation of asphalt paving because there are shallow, small cracks on your driveway, hire another service provider.
Cracks that are a quarter-inch wide and shallow must be fixed with sealing to prolong its lifespan. You should only consider a new asphalt paving if your driveway has serious crumbling and cracks that are already too deep and wide.
2. Make sure that the company is legitimate
Similar to searching for a plumber, an electrician, or anyone else who will do work on your home, you should take your time when hiring an asphalt driveway paving contractor.
Make sure that the company is licensed and reputable. Also, ask for their contact information. This way, you can easily call them in case issues arise after several hours and days of completing the job. This is something you can’t do if you choose door knockers to repair your driveway. If the job is not properly done, you don’t have someone to contact. Thus, you’ll be stuck with the cost and hassles of repairs.
Another way to determine if the company is legitimate is to check their license plate. An out-of-state license plate is a red flag. Scammers often move from one town to another so they will not be caught. Reputable asphalt driveway contractors, on the other hand, would have been doing paving jobs in your region for many years now.
3. Obtain a good quote
Don’t make arrangements to hire an asphalt paving contractor unless you have talked to reliable references, obtained at least two estimates, and seen their past projects. Though this will entail a lot of effort and time, the results are definitely worth it – a properly repaired asphalt driveway!
When it comes to getting quotes, let the company take a look at your driveway first. This means you should not accept quotes provided over the phone.
Moreover, ask the company about the services included in the driveway paving cost estimate. They should provide you a detailed summary of the total cost. If the company sounds defensive when explaining, consider moving on to the next service provider.
When it comes to payment options, legitimate companies accept checks, credit cards, and cash. If the paving contractors insist that you should pay cash, this could be a sign that they are scammers, especially when they say that their discounted service is available for a limited time only. They don’t accept checks because they know that you can easily cancel it once you realize you were scammed.
Not all paving contractors who knock on your door are scammers. There are certainly legitimate and reputable ones that make the rounds of different neighborhoods to find new clients and save resources. So the only way to avoid a driveway paving scam to perform a thorough research, be knowledgeable about asphalt paving basics, ask references, and get a good quote.
AUTHOR BIO
Ron Shattuck Jr. built Shattuck Paving into a trusted, reputable family business. Ron Jr. learned a lot about the industry and the hard work ethic that Ronald Sr. lived by, and has now followed in his father’s shoes to operate the company and help it grow. Today, Shattuck Paving is more determined than ever to serve their customers’ needs with integrity. No compromises!
