Things like this drive me CRAZY!!! So sorry for your experience. Thanks for sharing too so we can all learn!

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! I do hope the video helps someone else. I am usually pretty good at spotting a scammer or bad business. This one caught me off guard. If they had been roofers or something from out of town - I would have said "no" right away. But when they pulled in and had a roller, the dump truck, the tar trailer - I didn't suspect anything was off. AND - when they gave me the name of a few businesses down the road they had done the day before, I was able to contact those owners who gave them a good referral. So I thought it was all on the up and up. They also made it seem like it was a way better deal than the "normal price". If I had called around, I would have learned it was maybe a good deal, not a great deal.

That's a real bummer Chad. Good on you for sharing this portion of the story.

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Thanks, Chris. I do hope that someone else is able to be a little more wise if this type of opportunity comes their way after they have seen this video. I am usually pretty good at exercising caution when it comes to spending money, or using a contractor. But I guess they caught me off guard. I could have done better due diligence checking into their company. Thanks for watching!

Bummer, sounds like a shady business. Sorry you had to deal with that. *Keep on tractoring!*

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Thanks, Jon. It's a lesson learned. And I'm hoping this video helps someone else out in the future. We did learn that we really like the tar and chip surface on the driveway! We actually have a guy not far down the road who is well-respected contractor at this type of driveway/road work. I should have called him before taking the deal with the out-of-town guys. As it turns out, he would have beat their price, and done a double layer for us. Just one more example of "support the local area businesses" rather than thinking you're saving a few bucks going with someone else.

Sorry to hear about this! It isn't all bad but anytime someone stops by with a deal of a lifetime, be worried. It isn't just chip sealing, it's roofers, tree trimming, pressure washing, etc. I'd be really interested in hearing about your 40x60 building issue I read about in a comment. You should post a video about it! I had issues with my own shop build as well. Knowledge is power! Thanks for sharing.

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Thanks! We will certainly do a video about the process of getting the 40x60 building done. It was a learning experience from step 1.

It's so hard to find good honest help. We had a similar experience with a barn builder.

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear that! What happened with your barn? Some day we'll tell the story of our 40x60 building. It's an interesting one. I learned a lot about contracts in that project.

@tonygreen1067

8 ай бұрын

@@PurpleCollarLife It's built but the siding is still not complete. We hired another company but their schedule is tight. Maybe by year end.

I've heard about these. Unfortunately I do believe they are scammers. They do work, but they never come back to finish it, and it's usually sub-standard. If you still have their contact information, you might want to notify the Pennsylvania Attorney General. If they compile enough complaints, they can sue on your behalf to get you a refund. Sorry to hear that happened to you, Chad. Hopefully a positive can come from it. Thanks for sharing!

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Good thinking - I'll reach out to the PA Attorney General. I do think you're right. I'm now glad that I didn't pay to get the entire driveway done. There's a very reputable company not far down the road from me that has been in the business for decades, and has a good reputation. I should really have just picked the local contractor instead of jumping on the "great deal". The contractor who stopped in (possible scammers) told me that their "normal price" for the work is $15 per yard. But they gave me a price under $10. I figured I was saving about 1/3 of what I would have paid for the local guys. But when I later reached out to the local company, they said their rate is $8 per square yard, for the double layer!! Lesson learned. If it seems to good to be true - it probably is. AND - support and trust those local neighbors if their reputation is good. Overall - it's disappointing, but no one got hurt and we didn't lose out on a ridiculous amount of money. It's just one of those life lessons. Hopefully sharing the story on here will make someone else aware if a similar "opportunity" comes knocking at their door.

Sorry to hear that!! 😮

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

It's an unfortunate lesson to learn. But hopefully this video helps someone else know the red flags to look for.

That's what they always do. "we have leftover stone" Were they from the New Castle area?

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Now that you say that - I think the son was from New Castle or Mercer area. The father was from Ohio - I think Youngstown area.

Pretty sure many of us have had that happen. Mine was with a car. Craigslist and FB Marketplace have a lot of that going on as well. Hopefully, everything will get done properly and you will have a nice driveway.

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

It's a lesson learned for sure. In retrospect, I have a contractor not far down the road with a great reputation in chipseal driveways - been in business over 20 years. I should have at least got a bid from them before jumping on this "must act today" opportunity. After further research, supporting the local guy might have saved me some money and would have definitely given me a contractor who stands behind his work and would fix any issues. I just hope this video will help someone else out in the future if a similar type of situation comes to them.

Should have specified width, marked out areas with paint, hovered over them, withhold chunk of money until totally finished.

Good Evening Sir😇👍🚧🚧This is a very informative video for good folk going to have their driveway done 😇👍🧐🚧🚧 I recommend that you buy quick asphalt bags to fixe each side entrances so it will be stabilized and no more damage will occur 👍😇Ho boy, that is poor customer service 😤 Thank You For Your OUTSTANDING Informative video Sir Cheers 👍😇🍻

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Thanks, Dave. I do hope it helps someone else determine questions to ask, research to do, and red flags to watch for. And I think the number 1 thing to remember is that it's best to use the local businesses with a good reputation, and people you know.

Two dudes smoking cigarettes over a large area of flamable tar...they seemed fishy from the start lol.

@PurpleCollarLife

Ай бұрын

Yes - that should have clued me in. :)

It could have been worse at least you got something.

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Very true! I told them I wouldn't pay a penny until they came back and started working. I'm glad I was at least that smart. :)

Sorry to hear about this but if you’re standing next to them videoing as theyre working and you can clearly see they’re not doing what they say they’d do, you should’ve corrected them to make sure its done right. Unfortunately you cant trust alot of contractors.

@PurpleCollarLife

3 күн бұрын

I wasn't sure exactly what the process was - and was only there for a few minutes as I was in and out while they were working. Having seen it once, I'd know what to look for and expect the next time.

You didn't get ripped off. You got a decent job for a very decent price and they made a little bit of money from you in the process. You live in a very economically depressed part of the country that gets a lot of traveling paving contractors coming through offering deals on more affordable services like chip seal and pothole repairs because that sort of work is plentiful there. Personally I think this video was a bit of a Richard move, but hey....that's just my opinion.

Im in the asphalt business and you got to meet what we call Gypsies. From someone that owns a business, I will never discount my work due to left over material... I will save that material and cut my cost on the next job. And base is never 5 7 gravel. It moves to much under weight. Sorry you had to deal with it, but hopefully this video will warn people!

@PurpleCollarLife

7 ай бұрын

I do hope it's an education for someone else so that they don't have the same experience as me. In your professional opinion, what's my best next step for this section of the driveway? Can a 2nd coat of chip seal be put overtop and fix the issues? Or would asphalt on top fix it?

Nightmare! Did these guys just show up out of the blue?

Sounds like you got scammed that is a big thing in west Tenn they come around every summer from other states wanting to seal your driveway are they have blacktop from someone job left over to do yours the police we involved in lots of that when I was on the fire dept. It was every summer. We are used to them here I tell them to get out off my property.

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

I guess I was naive this particular morning that they stopped in. Usually I'm really pretty good at suspecting a scam or bad business. They caught me just at the right time I suppose - on my way out the door to take our daughter to college, and having recently been thinking about a way to take care of the pothole at the end of the driveway. AND - it helped their case that they had just done two businesses up the road, and I was able to contact those owners and verify the actually did the work. In the end- I should have supported the local contractor who has a reputation of doing this type of work for decades with good results. Lesson learned. :)

@OldIronAcres

8 ай бұрын

@@PurpleCollarLife Here in Kentucky.... now that I'm thinking about this more... I've been warned of "out of state" crews that supposedly come in an offer to fix Barn roofs. They take your money and run, knowing that you're not going to chase them out of state.

Should have put a diffrent base layer first..even crushed concrete would have worked..should have gave you an extra foot especially if you where paying by the square foot..if it was a flat price well that's diffrent.. the end should have been done ..it isn't much when your already there..at the end you probably have enough tar but they just emptied the last of the load leaving extra rocks..tar and chip is about a 6 year driveway then it needs to be redone..as far as tar and chip it doesn't go bad like asphalt so if you are in the buisness you would never have left over..the only scenario where you would have extra would be extra oil because sometimes you may have 200 or less gallons in the tank and it costs basically the same to fill it partially full or all the way full but that would be rare ..only a few plants in the country give discount at 1000 gallons..it is usually at 2000 gallons and a couple hundred in the tank ain't gonna matter..and 200 gallons ain't going too far..so no way to have your entire drive worth extra..stone is cheap if you have a ton or so extra you usually throw it away..or take it home n dump it in your yard somewhere..

@PurpleCollarLife

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the excellent comments and information. I'm actually talking about this in an upcoming video.

Sorry to hear you got scam

@PurpleCollarLife

8 ай бұрын

Thanks, Larry. At least we did get some work done. I know people who pay thousands of dollars as a deposit for a roofing project or deck and never get any results.