Was I taken? Driveway paving question

[silentjen]

Our driveway is in desperate need of repaving. We had a guy come around on the weekend to offering an estimate. He was very nice/not at all pushy. We were on our way out so he measured while we were gone and tried to call several times that night but we didn't get back until late. He gets a hold of us yesterday and gives us a quote-$800. This seems pretty low compared to other quotes we had. We ask him to come out and remeasure because we forgot to mention that we wanted the driveway widened by six inches on both sides and brought up to the height of the garage. He comes out and takes a look and says thats fine and he will still do it for $800. We start to get a weird vibe from this guy and he goes and gets a contract from his truck and asks us to sign. The contract is not filled in except for the agreed upon price and "no deposit required" written in the deposit field. I say that we are not signing a blank contract and he says all we are doing is agreeing on the price and the rest is a verbal agreement. Now this price is to have the driveway graded and paved - not dug up and redone. Do people normally pave on top of an existing driveway or have the whole thing dug up first? My gut keeps telling me I was took.

[T-DOT]

Mostr driveways are dug up and repaved. I remember ours was, and it was widened a bit. I think we paid around 1100.

Are the other quotes you got, for companies that will dig up the old driveway?

[CheapScotsman]

this guy and he goes and gets a contract from his truck and asks us to sign. The contract is not filled in except for the agreed upon price and "no deposit required" written in the deposit field. I say that we are not signing a blank contract and he says all we are doing is agreeing on the price and the rest is a verbal agreement. Now this price is to have the driveway graded and paved - not dug up and redone. Do people normally pave on top of an existing driveway or have the whole thing dug up first? My gut keeps telling me I was took.

If you didn't sign ten you didn't get taken

If you signed an agreement that had "$800 and no deposit required" and NOTHING else on the contract (no name, no address, no work to be done) and you actually gave him the money then, yes, if he doesn't show up again you got taken

[Sylvestre]

as other posted said, if you didn't sign, you are fine.
Before you sign anything, ask him to stipulate the scope of work and to precisely state how he plans on doing the work (i.e. excavation, cover-over etc). also make sure the contract states he supplies materials (and cost covers materials), that guy will clean work area after he's completed, he won't interfere with lawn (and return things to previous state), ask for a timeline to be written in as well as penalties if delays are experienced etc etc.
that's just off the top of my head, there's other things you should ensure.

[CSK'sMom]

If the existing driveway is in reasonable shape it can have another coat over the top of it. It's actually quite common now and is considered more environmentally friendly if there isn't an asphalt recycling plant close by.

[fireguy9]

desperate need of repaving to me means its cracked, weathered, and plain horrible.

IT gets ripped out and redone!!

The ones that get top coated are new developments which base coat one yr and next yr finish it.

I would make sure its a rip out and redue deal

[mannie511]

it cost me $850 to repave and widen my driveway. it was dug up and removed.

[CSK'sMom]

Everyone's definition of "desperate need of repaving" is very different fireguy. We watched as someone on our street repaved an existing asphalt driveway that was less than 5 years old. To them it was in desperate need of repaving, to everyone else it was need of being sealed. We have been told by several pros with impeccable reputations that putting another coat over the top can result in a far superior driveway in the end because in some cases they only put down 2 inches of asphalt for a new driveway.

The other thing for the OP to check is what grade of asphalt will they be using...

[fireguy9]

Everyone's definition of "desperate need of repaving" is very different fireguy. We watched as someone on our street repaved an existing asphalt driveway that was less than 5 years old. To them it was in desperate need of repaving, to everyone else it was need of being sealed. We have been told by several pros with impeccable reputations that putting another coat over the top can result in a far superior driveway in the end because in some cases they only put down 2 inches of asphalt for a new driveway.

The other thing for the OP to check is what grade of asphalt will they be using...

That is true, desperate need means different things,,,, I have had 4 homes and have repaved and paved a new one,,,, never did a contractor suggest paving over existing except for the home that was new and paved a base coat first yr and finish coat the second.
I dont buy into paving over crap driveways

[cba123]

The OP stated his current driveway isn't even level with his garage, and that really needs a second coat to bring it up level.

If it's already level, then you'll want to have an inch or two scraped off (not all of it taken off) and then repaved level with the garage; otherwise the overcoat would end up being higher than the garage.

If you were to have them dig it up, are you expecting them to put down more crushed gravel to bring the grading of the driveway up, or are you expecting just more ashphalt? Paving over gravel or old ashphalt is the essentially the same.

[B0000rt]

Ours was done for $2100 a couple months ago. They tore up the old driveway, threw some crushed stones and compacted it. Came by a couple weeks later and threw some more smaller stones and compacted it and then threw some road grade asphalt on there. Our driveway is pretty long though, fits 6 cars comfortably.