‘I feel cheated': GTA homeowners defrauded of thousands of dollars in driveway paving scams
Having your driveway paved can be expensive, so you want to make sure you hire the right company to do the job correctly the first time.
At this time of year, there are some pavers who go 'door-to-door' pitching their services, but they may not always be the best choice.
They may say they are working in the area so they're able to give you a great deal, and if your neighbours are having work done it might seem like a good idea.
But some companies may do a poor job and not come back, if there's a problem.
Pavers did a 'terrible, terrible job,' says Ajax homeowner
Paulet Blenman, of Ajax, had her driveway paved a month ago and while it seems to look presentable from a distance, she said it's lumpy and uneven, and ants are already burrowing through it.
'If it was done really good would ants be digging through it already? No, it was just a terrible, terrible job,' she told CTV News Toronto.
Paulet Blenman
Paulet Blenman shows her driveway, which she says is lumpy and uneven after being paved. (CTV News)
Blenman said pavers knocked on her door in late May and said they were doing other driveways in the neighbourhood.
She said she ended up paying $6,000 to have hers re-paved but says she's unhappy with the outcome, adding that the workers left behind a huge pile of asphalt at the end of her driveway, which she'll have to dispose of herself.
She added that there is also no way to contact the pavers.
'All the information (on their website) is not correct, they don't answer the phone, there is no way you can leave a message you can't send an email, and you can't contact them,' Blenman said.
'We went through the neighbourhood, and we haven't found them yet.'
Huge pile of asphalt
Huge pile of asphalt left by workers at the end of Paulet Blenman's driveway in Ajax. (CTV News)
Up the street, other homes that had their driveways done by the same company also have debris left behind, while others had their water valves paved over and will need to try and locate them and dig them up.
CTV News Toronto called and emailed the company, but we were unable to leave a message, and their email appears to be inactive.
East York man says paving company did half the job and left
In a separate incident involving a different company, someone also knocked on Luigi Raffaele's door in East York and said he was a contractor who could patch and repair his driveway.
But the company that Raffaele hired only applied driveway sealer to half his driveway and did a poor job.
'Did these guys just knock on your door? Yes, they knocked on the door,' said Raffaele.
The company also claimed it would repair the front steps of Raffaele's house, but he ended up having to do it himself.
Luigi Raffaele
Luigi Raffaele speaks with CTV News' Pat Foran.
Raffaele said he paid the contractor $3,900 in advance and he never came back.
'My wife said, 'Why did you give them the money in advance?' I thought they were nice guys, and they needed the money for materials,' he said.
'I feel cheated and that's not nice.'
CTV News called the contractor who took the $3,900 from Raffaele, but when we identified ourselves, he hung up.
Both Raffaele and Blenman, meanwhile, said they will be more careful when a contractor comes to their door in the future.
How to avoid falling victim to driveway paving scams
To avoid becoming a victim of a driveway paving scam, beware of unsolicited door-to-door offers, research companies thoroughly, get multiple quotes, review contracts carefully, and don't pay in advance.
When choosing a driveway paving company, you should also be concerned if the price is too low and when you see an address on a contract, it could be a post office box.
Also, try to find a company with a good reputation and a physical address you can visit in case there's a problem.
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