Need a new driveway? BBB offers tips to avoid paving scams
Spring has arrived, and the weather is finally warming up, but so are paving scams. If your driveway needs paving or repairs, don’t trust just anyone to do the job.
The Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker has received numerous reports during the last several years of unscrupulous contractors who have tricked homeowners with supposedly good deals. Homeowners report that they ended up with shoddy pavement — or nothing at all. The reported losses have been as high as $8,000.
COMMON APPROACHES
Typically with paving scams, a contractor shows up at the door and claims they’ve been doing work in the area. They’ve noticed the condition of your driveway or sidewalk, and since they’re already working nearby, they can give you a discount. If the price is agreeable, they will then ask for a large percentage of the fee upfront. There are usually vague when it comes to questions about the price or details about the business and its location.
Some consumers have reported that they were quoted a job in terms of cubic feet rather than cubic yards. After paying the contractor, only one-third of the driveway has been paved, and the contractor demands additional payment to complete the entire driveway.
In other cases, once the work is complete and has been paid for up front, the contractor’s work turns out to be shoddy and unprofessional. They may even fail to seal the pavement, with asphalt possibly washing away when rain arrives.
In many scenarios, once the transaction is complete, the scam contractor may disappear altogether. The contact number or email may not work, quickly helping you realize that the contact information was a sham.
Reaching the company after a paving scam usually proves to be difficult. In some cases, a contractor may also claim to be with a reputable business, and then later you’ll find that this was untrue. Unfortunately, in any of these scenarios, the chances of getting a refund or the work fixed are slim, but there’s many steps you can take to avoid paving related scams.
HOW TO AVOID CONTRACTOR SCAMS
› Be wary of unsolicited offers. Most scams involving contractors begin when a random contractor makes an effort to go out of their way to offer an estimate that was never requested.
› Research companies and contractors before you hire. Start with BBB.org. the Better Business Bureau offers lists of trustworthy accredited businesses, or you can check out companies you’ve already received a quote from. If the contractor has multiple negative reviews and complaints, don’t hire them. Often, a simple internet search will also reveal companies or individuals that have been involved in fraudulent activities or provided unsatisfactory work to previous clients.
› Get everything in writing. Ask for an estimate in writing before payment is even discussed. Don’t let a contractor start working on a project until a written, signed contract outlining start and complete dates, a detailed description of the work to be provided, material costs, payment arrangements and warranty information is provided.
› Stagger payments. Most contractors will require a percentage of the total price upfront, but it should never be the full price before the work has begun. Instead, agree to stagger payments so that work can be inspected at various stages of the project.
› Use safe payment methods. Paying with a credit card provides some peace of mind because the credit card company will help you if the company is fraudulent. If you use a check, write it to a company, not an individual. Paying cash or using an electronic wallet app is risky because there is no way to stop the payment or get some money back if anything goes wrong, and also leaves no paper trail.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Search BBB.org for paving companies in your area. Also common are “free roof inspection” scams. Learn more about free inspection scams. You can also read the Better Business Bureau tips on hiring a contractor.
BBB’S NEXT SHRED DAY IS APRIL 15
A great, proactive approach to securing your identity is to safely destroy and dispose of unneeded documents and hard drives that contain your personally identifiable information. The Better Business Bureau is here to help with our spring “Shred Day.” The bureau will hold this free, bi-annual event in partnership with the Chattanooga Times Free Press, River City Shredding, Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security, Coca Cola Bottling Company and the Hamilton County Coalition on from 9 a.m. to noon April 15. (Shredding will end earlier if trucks fill up).
The event will be in the Coca Cola Bottling Company’s parking lot at 2111 W. Shepherd Road in Chattanooga, which is just off exit 1A (Airport exit) from Highway 153.
This is also a wonderful opportunity for residents to have electronics recycled and outdated or unneeded prescription drugs dropped off for safe disposal.
Please limit documents to 3 large trash bags of documents per person. For more information, please visit bbb. org/Chattanooga or call BBB at 423-266-6144.