A good residential paving company will take the hassle away…
Those who own their home and/or have rental properties to maintain eventually find themselves facing the arduous task of paving or repaving a driveway. Paving a driveway is a major undertaking, and many homeowners wisely decide to hire an asphalt contractor or residential paving company to bring their skills and experience to the job. While a good contractor or paving company can take the hassle out of pouring or replacing a driveway, it is up to the homeowner to find a company that is reputable. This article provides a few suggestions helpful in determining which residential paving companies are going to be a wise investment and which contractors are going to take their clients for a ride.
Most respectable companies will take credit cards.
Credit cards usually have a process by which you can dispute fraudulent charges. Disreputable contractors on the other hand often prefer to deal only in cash. Once cash leaves the hand, it is highly unlikely that the money will be recovered should the chosen contractor be unable to deliver on their end of the arrangement. To further protect their money, homeowners should ensure they ask their chosen contractor for local references and for documentation that they meet all bonding, insurance, and local licensing requirements. Once the homeowner has vetted a contractor or residential paving company, they should be sure to have an agreement in writing signed by both parties.
Beware contractors who claim to have leftover materials from a previous job.
First of all, if a contractor cannot closely estimate the materials they’re going to need going into a project, chances are they are not very good at what they do. An experienced residential paving company will rarely have leftover materials, because they are adept at estimating what will be needed to get a job done. Shady contractors, on the other hand, may claim to have a surplus of materials which they can offer to homeowners at a huge discount–but only if the homeowner agrees to pay in full upfront. Any demand that the homeowner should pay in full upfront should raise a red flag.
When the contractor arrives at the residence to do an estimate, the homeowner should pay attention to the markings on the vehicle they drive. Does the vehicle have a logo or decal with the company name? Does the contractor have out-of-state plates? The homeowner should ask the contractor if they have a business card and to provide their website address. The homeowner can then research the contractor on the web, look them up at the Better Business Bureau, determine how long they have owned their own domain name, and acquire other information which can help discern the business’s legitimacy and reputation.
Hiring a residential paving company to pour a new driveway can save time and hassle for the homeowner as well as provide peace of mind that the job is being handled by experts who will do it right. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to find the right paving company or contractor, and with the suggestions provided here, the entire process should be smooth sailing.