Rock Bottom Paving

Last week Rock Bottom Paving in association with Richard Squires Asphalt Paving and Maintenance came to my house offering to pave the driveway. We recently moved into an old stone house in the Poconos and our wheelchair accessible van which has a low carriage could not pass over the small bridge at the entrance. It was a job that needed to be done, and soon. We had just passed the paving trucks up the road working on a neighbor's driveway.
The supervisors, I believe it was Jimmy and Robert, said they were finishing a job up the street and had extra tar in the truck they didn't want to waste, and they would give me an end of the day deal with no labor cost. So, in record time my driveway was tar and chipped. Here are the pros and cons based on my experience.

PROS:

1. The team of about six men worked quickly and determinedly. There was a concrete slab protruding at the end of the bridge which scrapped the bottom of vehicles with low carriages. It was recommended by other contractors working at our house that I have it pulled out. So Mike, using his compact Cat worked at it until he could finally lift it out. Little did we know it extended about 3 1/2 feet underground.

2. They also graded the side yard to make it more easily accessible for my mom's wheelchair.

3. The supervisors were available for consultation and oversight of the work.

4. The team was friendly and tried to be as helpful as possible.
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5. Our van can now drive over the bridge and park closer to the house.

6. My mom can go up the incline to the back entrance without a ramp.

7. The driveway looks better.

8. After measuring the square footage and calculating the cost, I'm pleased with the price I paid. (The management asked that I not post the price.)

CONS:

1. They are fast talking and hard sell. The neighbors consider them a "fly by night crew".

2. I don't love tar and chip and other options were not discussed. However, it was inexpensive.

3. I was not given a flat price or estimate to start. I was given a price "per square foot". Since I didn't know offhand how many square feet the part of the driveway I wanted paved was, or when the tar in the truck might run out, I was left feeling uncertain as to whether I could afford this job. Midway through the job at my request, Richard measured the driveway and wrote out a figure, which did not change when the work was done. :)

4. They repeatedly pressed to do the lower part of the driveway, though I said I only wanted the top done.

5. Though they generously covered the bridge with extra coats of tar and chip, it made the berm higher. If our van crosses too far to one side, the bottom scrapes.

6. They covered over a drainage swale. It remains to be seen whether this will be a long-term issue.

7. The truck dripped tar on the part of the driveway I did not want paved. Though they threw some dirt over the tar, later the dog got into it and my shoe also got tarred.

Am I glad I had the driveway paved? Yes. So glad the van can get over the bridge!
Am I pleased with the quality of the work? Relatively. We will see what happens after the snow plow comes.