Possible Paving Scam?

[mimico_polak]

I had the pleasure of meeting @Jampy00 at his new compound recently. He place isn't located on the main road. You sort of have to be going there with purpose and not just driving by. Not sure what they meant by "working in the area". Unless their idea of work is driving around trying to scam people.

That's most likely the reason. Plus easy enough to fire up HouseSigma and see what sold within the last few months. Then check out if the new owners have showed up and off you go.

When I am handing out my flyers I make a point to NOT put into any 'No junk / flyers' mailboxes, or somewhere that I can see someone is clearly a contractor / in the middle of a renovation.

They're already there, busy, and doubtful that I would drum up business there.

 

[GreyGhost]

or somewhere that I can see someone is clearly ... in the middle of a renovation.

They're already there, busy, and doubtful that I would drum up business there.

Who knows. Those may be your most likely clients depending on how the renovation is going. Now, it may be a job you don't want. Following a screwup can be painful and very hard to budget as you don't know how much you have to go backwards before going forwards.

 

[jc100]

Good that you caught that one. Any decent paving company will be booked up for 6 months before you get a spot. The fact that they often prey on the elderly really annoys me.

We have a neighbourhood facebook group. There’s a lot of elderly residents on it so last time the “pavers” were in the area we posted to let them know about the red flags…the generic webpage using images found on google, the numbers that don’t lead anywhere etc. I hate these leeches preying on the vulnerable so will try to do something about it.

 

[mimico_polak]

Who knows. Those may be your most likely clients depending on how the renovation is going. Now, it may be a job you don't want. Following a screwup can be painful and very hard to budget as you don't know how much you have to go backwards before going forwards.

True. I just happen to see a paint truck at a house down the street. You can be sure I’ll be dropping off a flyer as it’s very likely the quote stage for that house.

 

[hdsomeday]

Slight derail here....anyone have any recommendations for a good paver in the Brampton area?

 

[robertv19]

Slight derail here....anyone have any recommendations for a good paver in the Brampton area?

There’s this Irish guy, see…

 

[GreyGhost]

There’s this Irish guy, see…

You're in luck. He's working in your neighbourhood.

 

[PrivatePilot]

Same day service even, I hear.

 

[backmarkerducati]

We had ours done by a well known/respected paving company. I called them in spring, they gave me a quote. They said we are working in the area these days and scheduled the removal and the installed and rolled the base. That was in late spring. They came back in September, rolled again and and paved, again a bunch in the area. Their logic for the gap, we will drive and park on the base and it will get compacted more where vehicles drive and tend to sit. My guess is this but also just works out better for them to line things up... It has held up very well. My only complaint is we had the driveway "expanded" and they left all the tree roots behind, said they cannot take them. No big deal to cut them up for me but if I was some old lady... if we didn't expand it no issue.

What was funny, all summer guys kept knocking at the door asking if we wanted them to pave over the base.... we will give you a good deal...

 

[nobbie48]

I had the pleasure of meeting @Jampy00 at his new compound recently. His place isn't located on the main road. You sort of have to be going there with purpose and not just driving by. Not sure what they meant by "working in the area". Unless their idea of work is driving around trying to scam people.

I was thinking the same but didn't include the Zoocasa / Sigma leads.

Yeah we were just driving up and down country roads with a ten ton dump truck carrying a load of hot mix and towing a spreader and roller.

What's chances of getting the sales rep to sign the contract "Indemnified", personally guaranteed.

 

[ReSTored]

............... done by a well known/respected paving company. ............... and scheduled the removal and the installed and rolled the base. That was in late spring. They came back in September, rolled again and and paved, again a bunch in the area. Their logic for the gap, we will drive and park on the base and it will get compacted more where vehicles drive and tend to sit. My guess is this but also just works out better for them to line things up... It has held up very well.

Around here the pavers rip up the driveway and then there is a gap of 4 - 8 weeks before they come back and do a bunch of driveways in the area, one coat of asphalt only.

This is a "This Old House" YT video of an paving project. Excavation, 12" compacted base, base coat of asphalt and then a finish coat. Contractor says to expect 30 years life............... All done in a day. Does this work in any way resemble what you see local contractors do? Not in my experience.

BTW, we've been in our house 35 years, purchased from original owner 2 years after they took occupancy. When we took possession the driveway had a scratch coat of rough asphalt on it. Pavers came by a year later to pave every driveway on the steer with the final coat, 3 years after the houses were finished in 1987.

 

[nobbie48]

Around here the pavers rip up the driveway and then there is a gap of 4 - 8 weeks before they come back and do a bunch of driveways in the area, one coat of asphalt only.

This is a "This Old House" YT video of an paving project. Excavation, 12" compacted base, base coat of asphalt and then a finish coat. Contractor says to expect 30 years life............... All done in a day. Does this work in any way resemble what you see local contractors do? Not in my experience.

BTW, we've been in our house 35 years, purchased from original owner 2 years after they took occupancy. When we took possession the driveway had a scratch coat of rough asphalt on it. Pavers came by a year later to pave every driveway on the steer with the final coat, 3 years after the houses were finished in 1987.

Ours gets paved about every twenty years. It’s one layer not particularly thick. Going to an industrial / commercial spec would last longer but at a disproportionate increase in price.

 

[cruiserider]

These days having someone with Irish accent trying to scam people is a huge red flag alone - you know right away they are not from GTA

Rule # 1 : Know your local scammers!

Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com

 

[Jampy00]

Slight derail here....anyone have any recommendations for a good paver in the Brampton area?

I'm getting quotes from these three companies. I'll let you know how it goes. I think they'll all service Brampton.

Enviro-Loc Interlocking Ltd.

Read verified reviews for Enviro-Loc Interlocking Ltd., a Landscape Contractors & Designers pro located in Milton, Ontario with a StarScore of 99%.

homestars.com

Cactus Landscaping

Read verified reviews for Cactus Landscaping, a Landscape Contractors & Designers pro located in Kleinburg, Ontario with a StarScore of 99%.

homestars.com

Elcon Contracting Inc

Read verified reviews for Elcon Contracting Inc, a Interlocking Stone pro located in HORNBY, Ontario with a StarScore of 69%.

homestars.com

And if they don't work out I'll contact @mimico_polak

 

[hdsomeday]

While I was looking I came across this...

Driveway Paving Information Course

Driveway Paving Information Course

www1.brampton.ca

"Property owners must ensure that the contractor performing driveway paving work on their property is licensed by the City of Brampton. A list of licensed contractors is available here."

I had no idea this was a requirement. None of the pavers I was considering calling are on that list.

"Both contractors and residents are responsible for ensuring that construction is in line with City by-laws, to help create safer homes and an attractive community. Failure to follow the rules could result in penalties issued to both contractor and the homeowner."

"Individuals could be fined up to $25,000 for violation of the Zoning By-law."

 

[cruiserider]

While I was looking I came across this...

Driveway Paving Information Course

Driveway Paving Information Course

www1.brampton.ca

"Property owners must ensure that the contractor performing driveway paving work on their property is licensed by the City of Brampton. A list of licensed contractors is available here."

I had no idea this was a requirement. None of the pavers I was considering calling are on that list.

"Both contractors and residents are responsible for ensuring that construction is in line with City by-laws, to help create safer homes and an attractive community. Failure to follow the rules could result in penalties issued to both contractor and the homeowner."

"Individuals could be fined up to $25,000 for violation of the Zoning By-law."

That's from ancient times when Brampton used to be a decent little city, today it us just another remote village in Punjab province. No laws, no by-laws, no traffic rules. How do you even tell who owns the house when 30 people emerge from the basement??

"Brampton officials have revealed that 25 international students were found living in a single basement apartment and shockingly, this is not the first case.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown tells Now Toronto that unfortunately, this particular incident is far from unique and is actually happening on a regular basis".


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app

 

[nobbie48]

While I was looking I came across this...

Driveway Paving Information Course

Driveway Paving Information Course

www1.brampton.ca

"Property owners must ensure that the contractor performing driveway paving work on their property is licensed by the City of Brampton. A list of licensed contractors is available here."

I had no idea this was a requirement. None of the pavers I was considering calling are on that list.

"Both contractors and residents are responsible for ensuring that construction is in line with City by-laws, to help create safer homes and an attractive community. Failure to follow the rules could result in penalties issued to both contractor and the homeowner."

"Individuals could be fined up to $25,000 for violation of the Zoning By-law."

I was told North York required a permit. Etobicoke doesn't.

 

[Rupert]

Over the weekend while we were out a gentleman stopped by our house and dropped off a business card.
When we arrived I glanced at it, put it on the counter and went outside to work on some projects.
About an hour later a white pick up truck with two occupants, rolled in my driveway and I was pleasantly greeted by a guy with a heavy Irish accent.
He stated his company was doing work in the area and he was wondering if we require any. With my front entrance all ripped up it is obvious there is work to be done. So we chatted for a bit he gave me a price and explained in detail what he could do for me. He was polite, knowledgeable and very eager to do the job. "You don't pay until the job is done"...
So I said, I'll think about it and I'll contact him if I'm interested. He left and I continued my projects.

Went in the house and told my wife. We decided to check out reviews on Google. We could not find a single one, but their website showed Google reviews, first red flag. Then we see no name on the card, the business is a virtual address and only a 1-800 number, having his cell number we checked that and it is from the Ottawa area, then we checked out the website creation date, November 2023. More red flags...

Lastly we Google paving scams, Irish accent, white pick up truck and boy that seals the deal. Looks like these two have been doing this for years and even arrested for it. Found articles, forum posts etc.

While I could be wrong, I'll stay sceptical and cautious and keep my money....

could I start by saying that we are very old fashion and don’t know a lot about social media and Internet platforms. We recently, however, updated/renewed our website in November and I don’t feel this is caused to be associated with a scam P a paving and find these accusations absolutely ridiculous. How can you come to that conclusion just by one of our guys having an Irish accent that sounds extremely xenophobic we are all from somewhere.

We do have an office in Etobicoke and also another storage facility which we keep all of our equipment, but don’t advertise the location as we have had stuff stolen in the past.

Also, we have various different references local to you. All you had to do was call and ask I’m happy to provide you with my cell number. Could you please provide me with yours and we can discuss this matter further there hasn’t been any scam or any indication of a scam you are just jumping to conclusions I feel this is very xenophobic and damaging to our company. We are honest, hard-working guys trying to make a living, and this is causing damage to our future earnings.

 

[Jampy00]

Call it whatever you like, we did our research I'll remain cautious. But as a courtesy I've removed the companies name from the title of my post.
If my single post on GTAM is hurting your earnings, you have other issues to attend to...

 

[Rupert]

As I said in my earlier post, we don’t deal much with social media. A guy that I’ve worked for for over 10 years and I’m currently working for brought it to my attention.

So I felt it’s only fair to respond. I still don’t know how you come up with a scam, but that’s your opinion it hasn’t affected our future earnings but negative press for no reason is unexpected and not appreciated we warrantee our work, but at the end of the day we’re only human and we can’t guarantee you’re never gonna have an issue, but it’s only a problem if we can’t find a solution and fix it.