As a professional paving company in North Texas, we run across folks who are unhappy with the quality they've received on their driveways. Some think they've been scammed. Sometimes they have and sometimes not so much. Either way, the threat of being scammed these days doesn't feel good at all so here's a post that discusses it in more detail.

Being scammed is something we all live with the possibility of today. We know it can happen in pretty much any endeavor we take on in our daily lives. Still, we've all become accustomed to taking calculated risks with our online shopping, the payments we make, the contracts we sign, and the passwords we put on our computers just to name a few.

Today, everyone does some due diligence, but eventually we have to make a decision to move forward. 

You don't want deferred maintenance...

When it comes to driveway paving, putting it off because of fear is actually costing you far more than you think. The small puddle turns into alligator cracks and before you know it, expensive repairs are necessary to remove and replace damaged asphalt. The point is, it's not good to wait as deferred maintenance costs many times more than regular maintenance.

Still, the buying process can be a challenge. How do you know you're getting a fair price? How do you know the work will be completed on time, and on budget? Honestly, it can be hard to know, unless you have some honest discussions with the companies your getting bids from, references, or other experts that you can rely on. You should still be getting multiple bids on any home improvement project as experts recommend. The trick is to avoid being scammed or getting shoddy work that you've paid full price for.

What does not constitute a scam?

It seems that most of the time, when we talk to disappointed homeowners in Texas, they haven't been scammed at all. There are usually underlying issues involved. Here are a few to consider...

Underlying Water issues:

An example would be a paving company that points out that a homeowner needs a culvert and the homeowner doesn't want to pay for one. They pave without it and as a result water rushes over and under the driveway eroding it prematurely. This is not a scam because the paving company did what they were contracted to do, despite telling the homeowner what they did actually need. 

Underlying base issues:

Another example would be an asphalt overlay that cracks. Here in Texas we have very bad soil conditions and the weather takes a mighty toll on paving of all types here. When a newer asphalt overlay cracks, the cause is most likely due to the underlying base or dirt. This would not constitute a scam because to remove the existing asphalt can be very costly for homeowners and few are willing to take on the financial burden of removing an entire driveway to start from scratch. This isn't a scam unless the overlay was wafer thin throughout. A good company would come see what happened, but in the case of a paving scam they very likely wouldn't.

Heavy Vehicle Traffic:

When a dump truck, trash truck (especially one with one rear axle), or other heavy trucks and trailers drive on a driveway, the weight can damage the asphalt. This is especially true in the period of time before the asphalt is cured. Asphalt companies will ask you not to drive on a new driveway right away, and no heavy traffic should be allowed on it before it has time to cure. If asphalt is bending and breaking, it may not be the overlay or driveway, but rather the commercial traffic driving on it. This would not be a scam, but a good company could help you out and look at the damage and potentially fix it for you. A scammer wouldn't be reached for comment.

"Weeds and water go where they want."

If a company puts in asphalt and some grass or weeds make it through it's not necessarily a scam, but it can also be a tell-tale sign. Here in Texas, grass and weeds are pretty veracious, and they can make some asphalt seem like it was put on thin even when it wasn't. Additionally, a paving company with a good reputation could put in a driveway that inadvertently has a small area with thinner asphalt than it should, but a paving scam would involve a very thin layer throughout.

If a paving company falls short in a small area and a few weeds poke through it would be more appropriate to categorize it as an isolated defect of workmanship and the company should be willing to remedy it. On the other hand, if numerous patches of thick grass and weeds grow though more consistently across the driveway, it is likely a scam, especially if the company will not be willing to make good on it.

Remember... A quality paving company should be putting at least 2-3 inches of asphalt on top of a firm base and any weeds or grass that eventually make it through would be more sparse. A scam would involve very thin pavement throughout. A good company will address issues, a scammer wouldn't.

What may be a paving scam?

The best way to explain a paving scam is that it would be a combination of factors including a high-pressure sale where the company may say they have extra asphalt from another job or something and have to do the work immediately. This alone could be fine, but the scam part is that the price is high, and the quality of work low.

In our book, that would constitute a scam - shoddy work for high dollars.
 
Here are signs to look for that may lead to a driveway you're not proud of:

• High-pressure sales
• Unmarked trucks
• Something is too-good-to-be-true
• No written estimates
• Door-to-door sales
• Leftover product
• Out-of-state plates or phone
• Company doesn't pull up in Google
• Company has high percentage of bad reviews
• Not a company in good standing with the state

Here are a few things you can do to get a quality paving contractor:

• Check references or past work examples
• Get multiple bids
• Use a site such as HomeAdvisor to ensure contractors have passed a background check
• Get a clear explanation of the work being bid
• Let contractor know exactly what you're expecting
• Get recommendations from the neighborhood sites you are a member of and check out their driveways.

Hope that helps!

Keep in mind, the vast majority of problems with paving and driveways in Texas isn't the result of a scammer, but is more often attributable to the existing driveway, the underlying road base, water issues or other factors that Texas has its fair share of that are cost prohibitive or not approved by the homeowner.

Although there is no real way to officially warranty paving due to the water and soil issues here, a good company will stand behind their work and value their reputation.

​When they won't stand behind their work, don't have or don't care about their reputation, and also do work that is suspect, that's when things get scammy.

Comments are open so you can leave your thoughts, too. ​

​Keep in mind, we're a paving company with good standing with the state of Texas and the local communities we serve so if you have more productive things to do with your time than mess with the driveway, have us come out and do a free estimate. Additionally, these fixes are on the 'temporary' side. More permanent fixes are available with hot mix asphalt if preferred. Also... know the risks:

There may be safety concerns for homeowners who choose to do their own driveway repair such as exposure to chemicals and irritants, damage to people, wires or pipes, or real estate due to heavy equipment, or incorrectly diagnosed or completed repairs.

Have you asked yourself any of the following questions?

• How do I fix alligator cracks in my asphalt driveway?
• How do I repair a pothole in my asphalt driveway myself?
• How can I seal coat my own asphalt driveway?

How to fix my own driveway - The following offers a step by step overview of how to approach repairing your own damaged driveway:

When it comes to asphalt driveway repair and maintenance, there are three main types of damage to look out for—alligator cracks, potholes, and sinkholes/birdbaths. Alligator cracks (sometimes called spider web cracks) are fine fractures that appear in the asphalt’s surface. They can result from wear due to fluctuations in temperature, heavy traffic, or even faulty construction. Alligator cracks may not be noticeable when you’re driving over them. However, they don’t look nice and, if left unchecked, can turn into potholes over time.  

Potholes result from untended alligator cracks. Potholes are simply holes where the asphalt has been broken and worn away. They can make for bumpy driving and sprained ankles if you trip on them. Potholes are disruptive, and usually grow larger if left unchecked.

Fixing alligator cracks
 
To fix pesky alligator cracks, you’ll need the correct materials—alligator patch, sealcoat, and a squeegee. In general, one gallon of alligator patch material can cover 20 square feet. Make sure you consult with a professional to learn what type of and how much patch you’ll need before making your purchase.
 
As for asphalt squeegees, they are pretty affordable. The standard sizes used are 24” and 36”. You may also want to grab an old paintbrush for places the squeegee can’t reach.

For alligator cracks and all other types of driveway damage, you'll want a quality sealcoat to strengthen more repair. More on sealcoat in Step 3 of the alligator crack repair instructions!
 
Have you gathered your materials? Let’s get started!

Step 3: Sealcoat
 
Using a sealcoat (also called sealant or sealcoating) is technically optional, but most experts agree that it contributes greatly to the longevity of your asphalt driveway. Sealcoat is made of coal tar pitch or asphalt cement mixed with fillers. The sealcoat protects the driveway surface and also makes it look nicer by giving a finished appearance to the entire surface.

If you do choose to use a sealcoat, here’s what to do: First of all, you must wait until the repair material has had time to harden and fuse with the surrounding driveway. Depending on the patch you use and professional recommendations, waiting for the proper time to apply sealcoat after a repair varies from 4 to 8 weeks or even up to 2 years. Remember, asphalt maintenance is a journey, not a one time event!

Once the product you use to fill in the alligator cracks is dry, you’re ready to lay the sealcoat. Working from the top of your driveway, pour the sealcoat in a line parallel to the garage door and use your squeegee to spread it evenly over the driveway working towards the road. For edges and hard to reach corners, use an old paintbrush. Make sure you exert enough pressure on the squeegee to spread the sealcoat thinly, but not so much that it oozes over the squeegee’s edge. When finished, allow at least 48 hours for the sealcoat to dry. Going along with that, make sure you choose a period of time in which no rain is expected, as precipitation will throw a wrench in your driveway maintenance plans.

Check out our article about DIY seal coating for more detailed information!
 
Fixing Potholes
 
For potholes, you will want to purchase some cold asphalt patch. This usually comes in 50-lb bags and can be picked up at hardware or home goods stores such as Lowe’s. You will also need an asphalt tamper and sealcoat, if you wish.

Step 1: Clean, clean, clean!
 
As with alligator cracks, make sure your driveway is free of dirt and debris before beginning the repair.
 
Step 2: How big is your pothole?
 
Ten pounds of patch usually covers a square foot of pothole at a depth of 1". If the pothole is deep enough to reach the driveway’s base layer (usually made of gravel, dirt, or concrete), use sand or gravel to fill it in until it's level with where the asphalt layer begins. This will save you costly pothole filling material!
 
Step 3: Pour your pothole patch.
 
Pour your pothole patch into the hole, making sure to overfill by 1 to 2”. You can use a rake or other flat-headed tool to spread the patch material if necessary.
 
Step 4: Compound your patch.
 
Using your pothole tamper, compact the patch material so that it won’t crumble later on. Feel free to top off the hole as you compact the patch until the compacted patch is level with the rest of the driveway. Be thorough when compacting your patch, as doing so will increase the longevity of your repair.
 
Step 5: Follow up with Sealcoat. Check out our article about DIY seal coating for more detailed information!
 
As you did with repaired alligator cracks, use a good sealcoat post-pothole repair to protect your driveway!
 
Fixing Birdbaths
 
The term ‘birdbath’ is used to describe small sinkholes (usually less than 2” deep). Birdbaths can usually be repaired with the same material that is used to fix alligator cracks. Here’s how to do it:
 
After cleaning out the birdbath depression, apply a layer of patch about 1/4” thick. Let it dry completely, which can take up to eight hours but depends on temperature and humidity, before applying another layer at the same thickness. Repeat the procedure until the patched area is level with the surrounding driveway. Then, apply a sealcoat.
 
Fixing Sinkholes
 
Sinkholes are depressions deeper than 2” and require pothole patch to repair correctly.
 
Step 1: Know your sinkhole!
 
Take a look at the sinkhole cracks. If the depression has cracks only around the perimeter where the material broke away from the surrounding asphalt, you can proceed with the following instructions to fix sinkholes. However, if the material in the sinkhole has fractured, you will have to use a pry bar or other tool to remove the chunks before moving forward with your repair. After removing these pieces, you can repair the sinkhole as you would a pothole.
 
Step 2: Have the right tools for the job.
 
Because sinkholes are less stable than potholes, repairing them can be tricky. Instead of a pothole tamper, consider renting a plate compactor or roller to compact the patch, especially if you’re dealing with a shallow sinkhole where the patch might not have as much sticking power. This will increase the longevity of your repair. Additionally, if the sinkhole goes past the layer of asphalt into the driveway’s base layer, don’t use sand or gravel at the bottom of your repair as you might when repairing a normal pothole. Instead, use patch material all the way through to increase stability.

We generally caution homeowners from fixing serious items like this on their own. It's a safety thing and there may be unforeseen consequences from not hiring a professional.
 
Step 3: Sealcoat
 
As with repairs made to alligator cracks, potholes, and birdbaths, use sealcoat to seal up your repair and protect your driveway. Check out our article about DIY seal coating for more detailed information!
 
A final not about sinkholes:
 
Sinkholes can seriously undermine the integrity of an asphalt surface. If the sinkholes in your driveway are too extensive, it is probably best to tear up the bad asphalt and rebuild the foundation to the level of the surrounding base before filling with patch. Keep in mind that this method is time and energy intensive and usually requires equipment rental, so it may be better to hire a professional if you want those big sinkholes filled in properly.

​Driveway Seal Coat Information, How to, and Pro's and Con's.

Many homeowners wonder whether or not it’s worth it to get a seal coat (also called sealcoating, sealcoat or sealant) for their asphalt and concrete driveways. Sealcoat may seem like an extra expense. However, experts agree that proper application of seal coat is a fundamental component of driveway surface protection.

The average life expectancy of a paved driveway is about 15 years. However, high quality and timely sealcoating and crack repair may as much as double the lifespan of a driveway!
 
What is sealcoat?
 
Sealcoat is a thin layer of material applied to finished asphalt or cement surfaces. It is made of either coal tar pitch or asphalt cement combined with fillers, water, emulsifiers, and other additives. Seal coats can be purchased at most hardware stores or from driveway servicing providers, who usually have their own custom formulas. Professionals use large tanks of premium tar instead of buckets sold in stores.

Sealcoats are applied to protect driveways from damage caused by gasoline and oils, salt, water, and UV rays. Additionally, sealcoats improve the appearance of asphalt driveways, in particular, by hiding discoloration (usually caused by pavement oxidization over time) under a neat black finish.

The most notable benefit is sealing small cracks and fissures so that water cannot easily penetrate through, which can cause more serious cracking and erosion of the top layer of driveway asphalt. Larger cracks can be filled with hot rubber which repairs deep cracks and prevents small cracks from growing into larger ones.
 
What are the benefits of a sealcoat?
 
In addition to improving a driveway’s appearance by giving it a uniform color and texture, good sealcoats slow oxidation by filling the small spaces between particles on the driveway’s surface. This keeps oxygen and the sun’s rays, as well as oil, gas, and other destructive elements, from sinking into the pavement’s surface. Similarly, sealcoat protects from water damage, in which water soaks into and enlarges existing cracks, particularly in areas where temperatures fluctuate between thaws and freezing.

A note about oversealing: If you use sealcoat too often, it can cause more harm than good. Oversealed driveways develop cracks in the layer of sealcoat (thought not in the asphalt beneath). These cracks look unsightly and can run pretty deep. Remember, your driveway doesn’t need new sealcoat more often than once every two years. Save yourself the time and money, and just wait until it’s necessary.

How do the professionals do it? 

The biggest difference between DIY sealcoating and professional sealcoating is that professionals use spray tanks. Edges are still done the same way, but large areas are evenly coated with a large tank that feeds a high pressure spray wand.

Professionals also generally fill deep cracks with hot rubber that is not commonly available to DIY'ers.

​Concrete Driveways
 
The process of sealcoating a concrete driveway is a little different than that used on asphalt. First of all, concrete sealcoat lasts longer—about four to five years. As with sealcoating asphalt, you need to repair and clean your concrete driveway beforehand and wait until a period of dry, temperate weather to move forward with the sealcoat application.
 
A note on selecting sealcoat for concrete: A penetrating concrete sealcoat is a good choice for older driveways. Over time, concrete becomes more absorbent, allowing penetrating sealcoat to soak in and prevent water, oil, gasoline, and other liquids from causing damage.
 
Make sure you understand the instructions for preparation and application of your sealcoat. Concrete sealcoat is usually applied with a sprayer, so it’s important to wear protective gloves, a face mask, and eye protection as well. Move the sprayer in a back and forth sweeping motion to ensure that the product is applied in an even, thorough fashion.

How Deferred Maintenance Costs You?

There are two main components to deferred maintenance at your home. First, there's things that could impact the sale of the property and then, there are things that effect your enjoyment of the home.

The reason this is important is that if you are selling, you could receive only lowball offers. This is because a future homeowner will not make a full price offer on a home that needs upkeep that they consider to be major in scope. This would be driveways in bad shape, roofs in obvious need of repair, broken windows or shingles, damaged or broken appliances, and are not the sort of thing new homeowners want to deal with on their own past the closing date.

They will lower the offer. But, that's not the only reason to take care of deferred maintenance. Studies show that every $1 not spent on maintenance costs $4 later. Avoiding regular upkeep can reduce the lifespan of all sorts of things around the house significantly. This means they have to be replaced earlier. Perhaps more importantly, letting some problems go leads to emergency repairs, or more serious repairs down the road.

(source: https://www.schooldude.com/community/discover/blogs/-1-deferred-maintenance-4-needed-later-in-capitalhow-does-that-math-work)

If you're living in the house with no plans to sell, there are still reasons to stay up with any emerging maintenance issues. For one, your enjoyment is at stake. Every time you see that crack, dent, hole, or broken thing, your frustration emerges, or your thoughts turn to the dilapidated. Focusing on what's broken without fixing it is most likely a cause of stress, anger, helplessness, or anxiety — all of which are negative influences on your well being. The simplest way to look at it is that every second you spend thinking about a repair, that's a second you aren't thinking about making money, making healthy choices, or relaxing. There's no doubt, that's a cost.

Asphalt Driveway Maintenance in Texas

There's no perfect solution for Texas roads and driveways. The hard-hitting storms combined with regular wind, rain, and temperature extremes breaks down all surfaces over time. Water can erode underneath, and our soil can heave and fall. In the end, if you keep a driveway or any sort long enough in North Texas, you'll be fixing it up at some point.

Sealcoating a Texas Driveway

So, what you can do with asphalt to protect it is seal coating. It's got a good cosmetic purpose being that it gives a driveway a nice deep black look, but it also serves as a protective layer which repels water. If the water takes longer to penetrate into the asphalt, the driveway lasts longer.

Hot Rubber Crack Repair

Next, if deep cracks do appear, they can be filled with hot rubber through a process called hot rubber crack repair. This really is the last line of defense. If you fill the deep cracks, you'll add years to the driveway.

Hot Asphalt Patching

In some cases, you can do what we call a hot asphalt repair or hot asphalt patching. This involves taking out damaged areas, fixing any problem under it, and adding new hot asphalt to recover the damaged area.

So, what happens when none of these things are done to extend the life of the road or driveway? Well, they can degrade pretty far. Don't be surprised to find cars bottoming out or worse. 

Here's where it gets good. 

There is a point somewhere along the line where a driveway has to be taken out in order to be fixed. That could mean starting over from scratch completely. That would cost a homeowner more — a lot more! (See photo below.) This rural driveway had worn to the point where none of the regular maintenance listed above would be able to fix or extend the life of the driveway any further. 

Believe it or not, we could still fix this long driveway affordably! Now, instead of bottoming out on a bouncy ride to the house, it's smooth as butter. So, if you need some good news and you're living somewhere around North Dallas (from Frisco, McKinney, or Allen north all the way to Whitesboro, or Sherman, we'll come see what we can do for you too.  Contact Us