When considering hiring an asphalt contractor, ask for local references and verify that the contractor is in compliance with all local licensing, bonding and insuring requirements. Make sure all promises are put into writing and do not sign any agreement without understanding it. If the paving service was sold to you at your home, the FTC’s Three Day Cooling Off Rule gives you three business days to cancel with a full refund.
If you do decide on hiring a contractor, pay by credit card when the work is completed to your satisfaction. Paying with a Credit Card provides you with added protection should anything go wrong.
Often, consumers do not have a way to contact the representative or the company they work for because they were never given a business card or don’t have an agreement in writing. To make sure this does not happen to you, here are a few red flags that you can look for in a driveway repair scam:
- The contractor says there are leftover materials from another job – Professional asphalt contractors know, with great accuracy, how much paving material is needed to complete each project. Rarely will they have leftover material.
- Scammers use this as a ploy to explain how they can provide you with a huge discount over the normal price. The catch is that they will ask you to pay everything upfront. The materials tend to be inferior and the work ends up shoddy.
- Beware if you are pushed to make a quick decision – Trustworthy contractors will provide a written estimate that will be valid for days or weeks. It should specify in detail the work to be performed and the total price.
- Be suspicious if you are asked to pay on in cash – Most reputable contractors will take checks or credit cards.
- Watch out for a company that is from out of state – Look at the truck the representative travels in. If it is unmarked or has an out-of-state license plate, be cautious. Even if the representative claims to have a local phone number, scammers can easily purchase disposable cell phones to provide a local number in the area they are soliciting.
If you suspect that you are dealing with a paving scammer, file a complaint with BBB and contact your local police department immediately. For a list of reputable paving contractors you can trust, search BBB.org
As a nonprofit, it is our mission to educate homeowners on how to avoid becoming victims of contractor scams. Before you begin a home repair or home improvement project, please visit preventcontractorfraud.org for FREE and valuable information on how to deal with contractors. Don’t become a victim!!
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Hi,
Just wanted to ask if there is a fee for seeking assistance with BBB when filing a complaint against a contractor
Thanks
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Hi Janice,
This is definitely worth commentary. What’s so significant is that, although it’s August, conditions for these paving scams apparently increase around this time, as well.
So I guess that’s a heads up for now and September, as well. As you know, after these next two months, whether the residential contractor is crooked or not, for the paving profession (in most parts of the country), it may as well be a wrap.
Crunch time for these guys and that’s all the more reason we should be just as vigilant as when you first did this wonderful article.
Personally, I really appreciate it, as well. Please, keep it going.
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