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Choosing A Company
Sealcoating Specialists:
 | Member of the Belvidere Chamber of Commerce |
| Member of the National Pavement Contractors Association |
| Locally Owned & Operated, We're Here When You Need Us |
| I.D.O.T. Approved contractor |
| Products Designed for Asphalt |
| Neat Workmanship & Courteous Attitude |
| We Specialize In Asphalt Maintenance |
| Fully Insured for Your Protection
|
Sealing Guys:
| Substandard Products (Shiny in Appearance) |
| More Sealer on Buildings and/or Curbs Than Asphalt |
| Jack of All Trades-Master of None Quality |
| Never Seen or Heard From Again |
| Not Insured!!! |
No
matter if you are a residential or commercial customer there are pavement
"rip-off artists" and unscrupulous contractors looking for you.
Here are a few tips on common scam tactics and how to avoid those "fly by
night" contractors.
First a very basic rule. NEVER
contract any job on impulse...no matter what the good reason or "today
only" bargain seems to be.
- The #1 trap
to
avoid is the old "left over materials" line. Someone stops by
and says they have some materials left from another job and offer you a great
deal right now. Reputable contractors calculate materials carefully and seldom
have more than a small amount of "leftovers" never enough to do an
entire other job.
- Beware of "fancy" trucks
with small equipment carried on
light "utility" type trailers. (Sealer tanks should always be
cylindrical shaped NEVER square and should have continuous agitation etc.)
- Look out
for prices by units. Bids quoted by
"gallons, square feet, etc." are usually rip-offs waiting to happen.
Do you know pavement work well enough to know for sure how many units the
contractor used? A common ploy is to charge per gallon for sealcoating. Run
from these guys. A good contractor gives firm bids
with a "total" price for the completed job.
- Beware the non-local.
Does it really make sense for a contractor with
out of state license plates or from many miles away to be at your door or
office?
- Does the deal sound to good to be true?
It usually is.
- There are too many others to list but remember the basic rule. Use common
sense and never decide "right now" on a job you didn't ask
for first.
A
Few Tips for Choosing A Contractor.
- References. Don't just ask, check them. Call customers near you who
had work done some time ago. Ask if you can come visit to look at the work.
- Get it ALL in writing
.
A good contractor will give you a detailed written quote with all
specifications, quantities, and costs included. This includes all costs for
preparation, labor, materials, taxes, permits, clean up after the job etc.
- Make SURE the contractor has both general liability and worker's
compensation insurance.
If not you could be left wide open for
damages to you or your property or lawsuits from your customers or even the
contractor's employees. A million dollars is a minimum for
liability/worker's comp. insurance in the pavement industry. A reputable
contractor will gladly furnish certificates of insurance and will never mind
you verifying coverage with his agent. (Note:
Some smaller contractors who only provide one service such as striping may be
sufficient with $250-$500,000 liability and self-employed individuals with no
employees may be unable to obtain worker's comp. The consumer must decide the
level of protection they are comfortable with.)
- Ask to visit a current job site where the contractor is working. See if
this is the way you would want your job done. Talk with the property owner
about how he found out about the contractor and if things are going as
planned.
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