Questions about driveway! (flooring, heat, phone, painting)

[BORGUSX]

Well, I got a problem oh okay my family does or at least i think so! Yesterday, there was a handymen who came by and offer a cheap deal on asphalt paving on my parents' driveway! Then I just did research that I should have said, "No Deal", but I didn't know and my dad agreed to the deal on the phone while he as at work! So, I don't know what are the consequences of asphalt paving and I didn't realize until it was too late that the original material of the driveway has been cover by asphalt, but before then the driveway was gray and it has small rocks within the material (what is the material?)?!

What should I do now?

[Coldjensens]

Is the guy licensed?

[BORGUSX]

I didn't ask, but he give me a flyer with a contact number and he claim to work on two of my neighbor's driveways! Well, I did saw three other driveways with asphalt paving, but I did see another business that did paving onto one of my neighbor's driveway so I don't know if the other two driveways was done by him or the other business! In addition, his son was working with him and he claim to be a pastor! On the flyer, it say Body of Christ Ministries! I was wondering about the old driveway material, what is it? It has small rocks in it and if you look away, it look gray!

[Coldjensens]

It sounds like you are talking about concrete. is it a solid surface? Do you have a photograph?

[harry chickpea]

Sounds like macadam. If done right, and properly rolled, it can be quite sturdy. Most of the paved old roads were macadam, and as a matter of fact the road I live on was just refreshed with macadam this spring. It regularly supports heavy poultry and feed trucks. The crushed rock or pea gravel is what gives the grey color. Typically it is limestone or crushed waste grout from a quarry laid in a sprayed layer of tar. The stone is held in place by a fairly small amount of tar compared to a full asphalt road.

The biggest issue with macadam is digging down deep enough, setting a well-drained base, and fully compacting the base prior to putting down the rock, tar, and rock on top. Without that, it will break up into fist sized or larger chunks at the edges as the ground settles and frost does its action. Obviously, the thicker the layer of stone and tar, the sturdier the road or drive. A cheap job will have a thin layer, a good one will be at least a couple inches or more thick.

The second issue is that some stone won't stay adhered to the tar, and will end up on the lawn or a drift in the center of the drive. The loose stone is absolute murder for any bicyclist. When I was a kid, I ripped both knees, elbows and hands in various falls on the stuff. It was the reason that I started wearing heavy jeans in summer rather than shorts.

The third issue is oozing. There are some areas where the tar will become uncovered or ooze out. It remains sticky and even semi-liquid on hot days, and gets on shoes where it gets tracked onto walkways and carpets and into cars. If you have a drive macadamed, you want to rush down to a carpet store and grab up all the old samples to wick up the worst of the tar at house entrances, and as temporary flooring in the car. The oozing usually stops about a year later.

I like macadam for a number of reasons, but the primary one is that the roadway is much easier to see in fog or at night. A secondary reason is that the road is noticeably cooler than an all-black asphalt road.

Rule of thumb on contractors - if they approach you with any fast deal, they are scam artists of some sort. If you have to search them out, or they send you a flyer one year, and another then next, then they are likely legit, but you still have to do your checking. Anyone who uses a religious schtick is suspect, for the simple reason that they learn in prison that many religious people are easy marks and less critical of others.

My bet is that the ground prep was minimal, and the layer of paving too thin. Within a short period of time, the drive may develop ruts, have a lot of loose stone, and start to break apart in areas. Your family can then have it removed and done properly, or... one of the more forgiving things about the surface is that another layer can be placed on top, once the first layer has settled. It'll bond to the first layer, and actually be quite stable if the ground has finished settling.

[BORGUSX]

1.What do you mean by "if the ground has finished settling"? 2.What are ruts? 3.What is the range cost of getting it done properly and removed? 4.What form of media should I use to find a reliable business? Since I read about not searching for them in phone books!

[BORGUSX]

Well, it seem like I can't edit my previous post, but I have more questions! I found out that there are different mix of asphalt, but the paving that I got doesn't have a smooth surface, is any concern? In addition, the guy told me that I needed the paving because of the crack in the driveway, but the crack is still there, any concern?

[harry chickpea]

When you dig up the ground for a new base, the dirt isn't settled and has air in it. Repeatedly driving over it compacts it. Ruts are the depressions where the wheels of the car go over the ground and the weight causes compaction. The cost varies depending on the difficulty and size of the drive. There is no one answer. When researching, one place to ask is the local quarry, another is the highway department personnel, and another is the Better Business Bureau. Macadam doesn't have a smooth surface. It gets some smoother over time, but always has some tooth, which is great if you get rain freezing on the road. I have no idea how to answer that last question, but it sounds suspect.

[BORGUSX]

Well, I live in Minnesota and I check the BBB website and there is no BBB accredited business in my area!

[Cosmic]

Oldest scams in the book.

Duh, paving is very nice. Most places have zero controls. There are no permits, no licenses, etc required for paving. Even lil olde Boston you could pave without any paperwork. I could pave my back yard for parking with zero regs but had to move heaven and Earth to actual park on it. Go figure.

Getting a paving job is all about knowing what is happening up front. Very detailed knowing about what is going to occur.

Harry could be right about it being macadam. There is macadam and then there is macadam. It is not a universally applied type of paving. Huge variations in methods, materials and workmanship. And he is right about prep being critical but that is also true of just about all paving type methods.

Lord knows what you got. Today it may not even be tar. Far too expensive. Even on roadways, highways and freeways, they are not using true asphalt. There are some strange water based products being used. Even legit paving contractors are feeling the heat because of having to invent new methods and use some materials not previously used. Some local towns are having heart burn over some recent paving jobs, the techniques are totally different than what was used before. Apparently some of the new methods there is a longer "Cure and Settling" period for the surfaces.

You have made some very critical mistakes. Especially in contracting in something probably like a verbal basis. One old scam is we are working down the road and have some stuff left over in the truck, must get it out quick, we have a real deal for you, cheap, must do it now. You might have got had by a less than good con artist.

You may have been conned by them olde Traveler Boys out of the Carolina's. They like "Paving" when they ain't painting meter boxes green to prevent lightning damage or other highly skilled construction endeavors.

You want to really understand a paving job. Who will be involved, exactly what is contracted for, costs, etc? The better companies will be legit, local and have a good history. They will give ref's to other peeps, jobs that have been done in your area. Best type of way to actually check them out. It is keep the hands in the pockets, talk a bit, see some of their work, talk with the other peeps involved, know who they are and their local reputation.

My best guess you are screwed. Hope for the best, learn from the mistake. Hopefully it functions to some degree. Maybe you can get some type of blessing bestowed upon it. Beware of them folks talking about Christ and wanting a check.

Your only recourse in many places, all folks conducting any type of business must have a local business license or some type of registration at the local town hall. That may include paving contractors, it is the same requirement for selling hot dogs on the street. Very common for regulated places to have that type requirement. A sort of catch all type thing. In a lot it is a paying a fee, sort of like the Mafia, just to conduct business in their town. There is zero controls, just a way to the pols to make another buck. In some places a state registration is used instead of local. Each individual job is not controlled.