Are they giving you a warranty?

yes, 6 years but in my area, it's really a tail light warranty.

Oooooh I know that we had quite a thick base of gravel laid before the aspalt. I believe you need the gravel for drainage issues. I think they should have waited until the lockdown eased and added the gravel to do the job right. What is the base under the asphalt? Soil would wash away in bad storms and I really think you need the gravel.

Since they're almost done, I guess all you can do is hold payment until you can get an inspector in there.

crap. they put it right down on the soil (which arguably did have some gravel in it).

Did the proposal include a specification for 6 - 8 inches of base? Because they couldn't obtain the materials needed for the job FOR WHATEVER REASON, that is no excuse for not doing the job as specified in the contract. What in the world????

Even if there wasn't a written contract, you still have a verbal one. Get an inspector (from the township?) and also look for documentation on how to properly construct a driveway.

Asphalting on top of soil is asking for big problems even if there was a thin layer of gravel it wouldn't be enough for adequate drainage. Hold that payment, I would not let them get away with doing a sub standard job for any reason. Yes, we all feel petty when so many people have had their lives turned upside down but it is your hard earned money that is paying for the job and there is NO excuse for them not doing the job properly. Check your contract!

yes the contract says

Add crusher run gravel to existing gravel so gravel base is 6-8 inches regrade & compact

thanks. will call the town and ask if they can inspect.

If your contract says that then I wouldn't pay until they fix it.

"If your contract says that then I wouldn't pay until they fix it."

Ditto ... a thousand times over! There is no excuse for that.

So, I guess you can have them start ripping it out tomorrow.

Any chance you can have someone else do the work? If this is their style and workmanship, I would not want them doing work at my house. They'll really have some losses to make up for now ...

This post was edited by snookums2 on Fri, Apr 19, 13 at 18:36

Wow! What in the world is wrong with people? This can't possibly be their first driveway installation. Ours was quite a process but we have a very long driveway. I know they brought in truck loads of gravel and it was rolled to compress and level it. It was also left to cure for a bit, I suppose to allow for settling. DH says you will have big time problems with this and recommends that you take pictures and go to the township. The contractor probably had to get a permit to do the work.

So after long conversations the company (which has been in biz for 30 years and has great refs) assured me that often times they do not take out perfectly good base to replace with new base. they assured me ours was good base, and that the contract says it's their discretion how much to add to the existing. further they told me they have several other suppliers they could have gotten it from, and assured me they would not risk their reputation for 1 job. So, we paid them. Wish us luck.

Well, considering that they saved a lot of money in materials and labor by not supplying the base, leveling it, or compacting it, I sure hope they deducted that from your charges. I thought the contract stated that they would add to the existing base until there was 6 to 8 inches? I would take that to mean that "their discretion" means that they could stop at 6 inches. Does the contract actually say that they don't have to add ANY base at "their discretion"?? That's wild.

This post was edited by jellytoast on Fri, Apr 19, 13 at 22:41

Then I don't understand the "tail light warranty" from above. But it sounds like you are satisfied and sure now.

Gosh, I think you might have gotten snookered!

Very possibly. Only time will tell. Thanks for the help.

Linnie, I completely forgot about this concern! Not a crack in the driveway. Just a large puddle right where I exit the car, which was there from the beginning. So, the base was fine! Thanks for checking.