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I have copied an email which came to me after removing the company and individual's names. I cannot verify what happened, but my instincts tell me it did. After receiving the email, I checked with the BBB and could find no record of the company.
If you are approached by an asphalt company unsolicited, make sure you know what you are getting for your money beforehand and have them put it in writing before you let them bring their equipment onto your property!
The following email was broadcast to many Lucas residents ...
"Hi All,
This is an email to let you know what happened to us...a driveway scam:
There is a company with a very nice young man who came and knocked on our door. The whole package, cute, nice manners, braces, ball cap just graduated from ..., so he says. He came to our door with this story:
My dad and I run a paving business. We do big construction work in Parker . We have some overages and our crew is in the area. We normally sell this product for 98 sq yard, but because we can't take this overage back to the plant so we would like to get rid of it. I only have between 30-40 yards. I'll do it for $19 sq yard. I'll grade the entire driveway and make it look nice. I won't have enough to do the entire driveway, but when I have an overage again, I'll call you and we'll do it in sections.
Well, I did the math in my head, 40x20 is roughly $800. We had that. Doing it in sections was also the best for us. The crew came. They stared pouring the asphalt (black sticky oil stuff) and THEY DIDN'T STOP! We asked ... at least 4 times, where is our 40 yards, where is our $800 mark. He says, "well I just got a little more, let's see how much further." Finally we asked him to absolutely STOP.
Then he calls his Dad, can you believe it, he was just down the street! Rolls up in his gold and diamond Rolex, and ostrich skinned boats. Says he'd be the first to whip his boy if he's done something wrong. That he doesn't have ill indented bone in his body.
We tell him that we asked him to stop and he didn't and we don't have the money. Says if we don't pay, he'll put a lien on our home.
At one point the Dad, said the infamous line, "do you want to thrown down right here". He pressures us to pay and we had to take out a loan but we did pay.
I know, I know, what the hell were we thinking? If you all know us, you know that we are pretty smart people. But we got scammed:
What we know...This company got one more older gentleman down the street. Today, (Wednesday June 24th) they have two more people with oil on their driveways. Bill Carmickle (mayor) and Jason found their crew at another neighbors house and I guess the cops are on the way.
If you see this guys and you're in Lucas, call Bill Carmickle.
If they come to your door, know that it's a scam. Maybe remind them, you reap what you sow".
July 9th I received the following email from a builder in Fairview ...
Tom -
Last
week, after reading your Web information on the Asphalt Paving Scam ---- I was
working in the yard and a handsome young man appears at our door with the exact
same word for word story. I had to laugh. I actually finished his sales pitch
for him. Boy, was he surprised. He left quickly a little deflated.
Tom, As you probably know, this is a
very normal sales pitch that I have heard several times from asphalt pavers. On
at least two occasions, I have negotiated a final price based on this sales
premise and have had a successful transaction.
Tom Grisak Estate Homes Realtors, Inc - Texas License # 0329533