Almost every neighborhood in Northern Virginia from Haymarket to Alexandria and McLean to Herndon have been targeted by unscrupulous asphalt contractors pushing the “leftover asphalt” scam. The first thing you should know about the “leftover asphalt scam” is that professional asphalt contractors never have asphalt leftover from a job. Asphalt is too expensive. Jobs are carefully calculated, and a legitimate contractor isn’t going to order an extra 20% of the stuff just to be safe.

So, when that friendly looking guy dressed in work clothes wearing a safety vest and hard hat shows up at your front door, be ready. He’ll tell you that his company is doing a paving job at a neighbor’s several blocks away and that they’re going to have leftover asphalt when the job is done. He’ll mention that he noticed your driveway has cracks and crumbling edges. And then he will pitch the idea of recapping your drive with the “leftover” asphalt for an incredibly low price.

The argument is the leftover asphalt will be a total loss for the contractor so it’s better to get something for it rather than nothing. That justifies the low, low price being offered. But you’ll have to make up your mind right now because when the neighbor’s job is done, the asphalt will start to cool and could reach a point where it simply can’t be used.

At this point you should simply say “no thanks” and shut your door.

When the Leftover Asphalt Scam Plays Out

When homeowners or businesses can’t resist the amazing price being offered by the scammer, they are setting themselves up for an experience that will not end well. Here’s a sampling of how these scammers have worked across the country:

• A church bought into the offer but the “leftover asphalt” that arrived only covered half the lot that was to be paved. The scammers apologized said they could come back the next day with more asphalt and finish the job. They offered the additional asphalt at a price even lower than what they charged originally. However, they needed a check for the asphalt they did deliver, and another check that would cover the new asphalt to finish the job. The church paid, the scammers cashed the checks, and blew town.
• A more common scenario involves negotiating a new, higher cost, after the asphalt has been installed. When this occurs, the original salesman is nowhere in sight. Another scammer, usually the “boss” quotes a significantly higher price than you were told and sticks to it. There is no contract so there’s nothing to fall back on.
• Then there is the contractor who gets a legitimate job and promises to install a 3 inch asphalt cap on an existing driveway. He buys enough asphalt for 3 inches, the customer pays for 3 inches but then the contractor only puts down 2 inches. Who’s going to know the difference? Now this contractor has actual “leftover asphalt” that his customer has already paid for. It’s time for his scammer to sell it for half price to another homeowner.

There are two takeaways from this story, and actually they apply anytime you deal with an asphalt paving contractor.

Get a Contract in Writing. And the time to get this contract is before any work begins. Make sure it details the work to be done, the timeframe that it will be done in, and the terms of payment.

Check References. Every reputable contractor will offer references. Of course these are going to be people that are going to say good things about the contractor but call them anyhow. You never know when buyer’s remorse will set in, and you’ll get an idea of how easy it is to do business with the contractor.

If you are planning an asphalt paving project or need to have your asphalt treated with a sealcoating, call or contact us today and let’s talk!