Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Two weeks ago, Markham resident Steve Park said a paving company told him it was doing jobs in the area and could pave his driveway the next day for $3,500.
"I think I was played by them. They knew what to say and how to say it. A handshake used to mean something, but now it does not seem to anymore,” said Park.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The crew showed up but said there were problems including paving over the watermain in his driveway so the driveway had to be ripped up.
"You can see where they ripped it up and the patches because when they couldn't find the watermain they didn't know where it was so they were just guessing,” Park said.
Park said his driveway was left uneven with highs and lows so when it rains there are huge pools of water and asphalt is splattered on his stonework.
Most frustrating, he said, there is now a huge pile of asphalt and debris on his lawn which they promised to come back and take away but they never did.
“I contacted them with messages, calls and they haven't got back to me so I guess I’m stuck cleaning up this mess,” he said.
CTV News Toronto also phoned the company and they hung up on us and our emails were not returned.
When Park researched the company he found it was using a similar sounding name to reputable paving companies working in Toronto and New Jersey.
“At first, I felt good when I got a 15-year warranty, but it's more like 15 minutes,” Park said.
We’ve done several stories with homeowners in the past who were also left with sub-par jobs and a mess on their property.
When choosing a driveway paving company, according to the Ontario Consumer Ministry, get three estimates, have a written contract, inspect prior paving jobs, ask friends and family for recommendations and never pay in advance.
Park said he now has to get rid of the rubble left on his lawn and said next time he’d rather pay a higher price to get a better job.
"You pay more, but you've always got coverage and someone you can contact if there is a problem,” he said.
You should also watch out for companies going door-to-door saying they'll be in your area soon and they're collecting deposits for paving jobs. There have been cases where after they get the money they don't come back.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario gave parents more than $1B in cash over 2 years. Here's where the money went
During the pandemic, the Ontario government started to hand out cash to parents to help offset the cost of at-home learning while schools were shuttered.
One dead, 26 wounded in overnight shooting in Ohio: reports
A shooting on a street in Akron, Ohio, killed one man and wounded 26 other people early Sunday morning, according to reports by local news outlets.
Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Ambassador says interactions with Russia 'quite limited' but 'not unfriendly'
Canada's ambassador to Russia says while Ottawa has 'grave concerns' about the Kremlin's 'longer-term trends,' the war in Ukraine is 'a primary barrier to a change in the relationship.'
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
Mass parachute jump over Normandy kicks off commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day
Parachutists jumping from Second World War-era planes hurled themselves Sunday into now peaceful Normandy skies where war once raged, heralding a week of ceremonies for the fast-disappearing generation of Allied troops who fought from D-Day beaches 80 years ago.
Lanny McDonald and a few old Flames take the Stanley Cup on a surprise visit to the man who saved his life
The Stanley Cup was passing through town Friday, and Lanny Legend took it upon himself to take it for a surprise visit.
South Korea vows 'unbearable' retaliation against North Korea over its launch of trash balloons
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.
Chad Daybell sentenced to death for killing wife and girlfriend’s two children in jury decision
Jurors resumed deliberations Saturday on whether a man should be sentenced to death after being convicted days earlier of the murders of his wife and his girlfriend’s two youngest children in Idaho.