Buyers Beware!
Choosing A Paving Contractor:
Ask for references of recent jobs the contractor has completed. Take the time to call and check those references. If you have the time, go look at their work. If they do good quality work they’re proud of, they should be excited to show you.
GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. A good contractor will include itemized quantities in their bid. The bid should include the total square footage and thickness of the asphalt. Make sure the bid includes everything discussed. Although the price is the most important, square footage and asphalt thickness amounts are important to assure your getting all the materials you’re paying for. Compare all these numbers with all the bids!
Make sure the contractor is insured. It is very common practice to request a certificate of insurance from the contractor. He/she should have a certificate sent/faxed or emailed to you with your name on it. The minimum insurance limit should be $1,000,000.00. You don’t want the contractors to damage your property or have an employee get hurt on your property only to find out they don’t have insurance. You could be held liable.
Beware Of The Following:
The paving contractor who requires a deposit. Although he/she can legally request a deposit for a portion of the contract price, most paving contractors will complete the job and assure you are satisfied with the finish product prior to requesting any money.
The “fly by night” contractors. Your paving project is a significant investment. Just like buying a new car, you want a good company to back the product. All reputable contractors will warranty their work for one year. ARE THEY STILL GOING TO BE IN BUSINESS?
Watch out for the “left over materials” line. This person comes to your door and has a “today only deal” for you. Asphalt is expensive to buy. Good paving contractors calculate materials carefully and usually don’t have enough left over to do another job. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Beware of the pricing by the unit. Bidding by the ton of asphalt price or by the gallon of sealer price is not a common practice. Do you know enough about paving or seal coating to know how much product was used on your job?
The non-local paving contractor is scary. Where is he/she going to be when you need warranty work? Why is or he/she driving 100 miles to seek work. Does this really make sense?
Never make a “right now” decision on a pressure sale. Use common sense.
Check out these informative videos on the subject