Driveway Paving Scams to Watch for in Virginia

It usually starts with a knock on the door. A friendly crew with a truck full of hot asphalt says they just finished a job down the road, they have material left over, and they can pave your driveway today for a great price. It sounds like luck. In a lot of cases it's a scam, and homeowners across Virginia lose money to it every year.

Most paving contractors are honest, hardworking people. But driveway paving is a favorite target for traveling scam crews because the work is fast, the results look good for a few weeks, and by the time the problems show up, the crew is long gone. Here's what to watch for and how to protect yourself.

The leftover asphalt pitch

The most common driveway scam is the "leftover asphalt" offer. Real paving companies order asphalt for each job based on careful measurements. They don't routinely end up with a truckload to spare, and they don't drive around neighborhoods looking for somewhere to dump it.

When a crew uses this line, the asphalt is often low quality, laid far too thin, or spread straight over dirt or grass without any base. It may look fine the day they leave. Within months it cracks, crumbles and washes out, and there's no business to call.

Warning signs of a paving scam

Watch for any of these:

• They show up unannounced. Door-to-door paving offers, especially from out-of-state trucks, are a classic red flag.
• They pressure you to decide right now. "This price is only good today" is designed to stop you from checking them out.
• They want cash, or a large payment up front. Honest contractors give you a written estimate and a clear payment schedule.
• There's no written contract. If everything is verbal, you have nothing to fall back on when something goes wrong.
• They can't give you a local address or a working phone number. A business you can't find later can't stand behind its work.
• The price keeps changing. Some crews quote one number, then claim they used more material than expected and demand more once the job is done.
• They skip the prep. Paving over grass, mud or loose dirt without grading and compacting a base is a sure sign the job won't last.

The FTC's guide on how to avoid a home improvement scam lists many of the same warning signs, and its home repair scams page is a good one to share with older neighbors and family members, who are often targeted.

How to check a contractor in Virginia

Before you hire anyone to work on your property, take a few minutes to check them out:

1. Look up their license. Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation has a free license lookup where you can search a contractor by name and see whether their license is active.
2. Ask for a physical business address and confirm it exists.
3. Ask for references from recent jobs in your area, and look at their reviews.
4. Get the estimate in writing, with the scope of work, materials and payment terms spelled out.
5. Never sign anything or pay anything on the spot.

If you think you've been targeted by a scam, you can report it to the Virginia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section. Reports help them spot crews that move from county to county.