American USA Paving

Review: In June 2014, we contracted American USA Paving to install a new driveway for us. The job was completed and paid for in full on June 18, 2014. We were instructed not to park on the driveway for two weeks and move the cars around and not park in the same spot for a while. We followed their recommendations and actually never parked in the same spot until late fall. In March of 2015, after the snow melted we noticed the driveway had a lot of frost heaves and noticed some other issues with the driveway. We contacted American USA Paving to log a complaint. A couple of representatives did come out and reviewed our complaint. We agreed that we would revisit these concerns in May 2105, once the weather warmed up to see if any of these issues would resolve themselves. We followed up with American USA Paving several times in May, to set up a meeting time. Finally, they returned our call and came out on June 10, 2015 to review the situation. We stated our displeasure of the outcome of the driveway after just 10 months. We still had some lifted spots in the driveway (2 noticeable ones), we had noticed water was no longer draining off and water pools were forming. We also complained that we started seeing areas starting to sink down already. Walking around the driveway you could feel the unevenness of the driveway. We asked what American USA Paving was willing to do to rectify these concerns for the customer. We agreed to disagree and compromised, American USA Paving and I came to a contractual agreement and agreed that this agreement would be satisfied by a certain date. American USA Paving has not upheld their contractual agreement, we have reminded them of this agreement via certified mail on August 4th, signed for on Aug. 13th. We have left several phone messages as well (Sept. 4th and Sept. 8th were the most recent). American USA Paving sold us on family values and customer satisfaction, neither to which has been upheld.Desired Settlement: We would like American USA Paving to obligate their contractual signed agreement.

Review: May 30, 2014 – I called American USA paving in the afternoon and left a message requesting an estimate for sealcoating my asphalt driveway. I received a call back that same evening from the owner. He said he could take a look at the driveway on Sunday, June 1, 2014.

June 1, 2014 -- I met with the owner. After looking at the driveway he told me that it should be redone rather than sealcoated. After some discussion, I agreed to his suggestion and agreed to a price that included a hot tar application. He said he would be able to install the driveway Wednesday, June 4, 2014.

June 4, 2014 – The owner and his crew arrived early morning and worked the entire day until the job was complete. A check payable to the owner in the full amount agreed upon on June 1, 2014 was accepted by him as payment in full for his services. They worked very diligently and cleaned the area very well before leaving. Within six months, however, problems arose.

January 18, 2015 – On a very rainy Sunday, an extensive area of ponding on the driveway occurred and the major portion of that ponding was in the vicinity that lead to the main entrance of my home. Since that time, this ponding scenario has occurred over and over, and during the winter months, caused serious icing issues. Attempts have been made to sweep the water away, but the water simply returns.

February 2015 – I left two messages for the owner regarding the ponding issue. No response.

March 2015 – Left a third message for the owner. No response.

March 16, 2015 – Sent a certified, return receipt requested, letter to American USA Paving, c/o the owner, outlining the problem. Letter was signed for on March 19, 2015 and I subsequently received the return receipt. No contact from the owner.

April 17, 2015 – Sent a second certified, return receipt requested, letter to American USA Paving, c/o the owner. Letter signed for by the owner on April 20, 2015.

April 20, 2015 – Received a call from the owner asking what the problem was with the driveway. He said he was getting “a late start” this year (2015) because of the weather and that he would have to come out and look at the driveway – possibly on Tuesday, April 21, 2015.

April 26, 2015 – The owner called and said he could stop by “today” and look at the driveway, which he did. I showed him several of the many pictures I had taken since January 2015 showing the problems that existed. He offered several different explanations – all relating to issues with my property. He claimed that the ground settled in the area behind the garage and leading to the walkway, where the most extensive ponding was taking place and that he could not help that. He stated that it could have been caused by the vehicle(s) parked there; however, the majority of the time there were no vehicles parked in that area for any length of time. The owner also said the water came down from the small concrete incline behind the garage. That small amount of water used to seep into a minute opening between the concrete and the driveway but that opening was eliminated at his suggestion so I wouldn’t have to deal with weeds growing there and that amount of water was miniscule in comparison to what was accumulating on the driving. After I reiterated to him once again that this standing water/ponding problem never existed before, he said it was the only way he could install the driveway because of the landscape of the yard.

After some discussion the owner said he could put some small holes in the area of the driveway where it was ponding the most to act as a “leaching field” and see if that alleviated the problem. If not, then he said he possibly would have to redo the top portion of the driveway, but that wasn’t the best solution because that would leave a seam in the middle of the driveway. I reluctantly agreed to try the small holes first as a solution. The owner did return early in May 2015, and he and his son made several holes with a large nail and hammer in the driveway.

Throughout the summer I monitored the effectiveness of this solution, but the problem persisted. In fact, it caused an additional problem because now the underlying gravel/sand began coming through the holes onto the surface of the driveway after it rained.

In August 2015 I contacted a civil engineer to determine what could be done to remedy the extensive ponding situation. He came and looked at the driveway and the pictures I had taken since January 2015. He advised me that the driveway was level and that it had not been properly graded when it was installed. The engineer also said he would be willing to meet with the owner and myself at a mutually agreeable time to help resolve this problem.

August 24, 2015 – I left a message for the owner that the ponding problem still existed and to please call me so we could resolve this issue. No response.

August 31, 2015 – I called and left another message for the owner. I told him I had met with a civil engineer and explained what he told me and to please call me back. No response.

Sept. 2, 2015 – I sent a certified, return receipt requested, letter to American USA Paving, c/o the owner.

Sept. 18, 2015 – I called the receiving post office and was told the letter was received at their office on September 4, 2015 but had not been picked up yet.

Sept. 24, 2015 – Called the receiving post office and was told the letter was picked up “yesterday” (Sept. 23, 2015).

Sept. 26, 2015 – I received the signed return request notice, which was signed for and stamped Sept. 23, 2015.

Sept. 29, 2015 – As of this date I have not received any response from the owner or anyone associated with his company regarding my August 2015 telephone calls or Sept. 2, 2015 letter.

This owner’s company’s website states his company has “developed a reputation of integrity, one that can never be compromised by … inferior work” and that he is “also known for quality workmanship and customer satisfaction.” When we met in May 2014 he also told me I would be “very pleased” with the results. Although my experience with this company began positively, once there was a problem six months later, the experience deteriorated. I am unhappy and disappointed with the company’s product and service and have major concerns about the driveway’s lack of drainage. It also has been difficult to get a response from the owner and requires several phone calls and letters. Consequently, because the paving season is ending, I will have to continue to deal with the ponding and poor drainage during inclement weather, including another winter of ponding and icing, all of which compromise the usability and safety of the driveway.Desired Settlement: Considering my attempts to amicably and patiently work out this situation over the last several months, the owner’s response, or lack thereof, and his failure to stand by his assertions to me and those on his web site, I feel the only resolution at his point is to have him reimburse me for the cost of the improper installation of my asphalt driveway by his company on June 4, 2014.

Review: American USA Paving was paving the driveways of two of our neighbors at the end of October and the beginning of November 2014. They approached us to see if they could put a sealant on our driveway. We agreed to the service and the price and inquired whether the temperatures would be too low for the sealant to properly adhere. We were assured this was not the case and they went ahead with the job. American USA Paving came by on November 8, 2014, sealed the driveway and were paid by us in full the same day. We did not drive on the driveway for over a week (although [redacted] told us we would only need to wait 2 days).

We noticed during the winter months that the driveway was already producing bare spots where the sealant had not properly adhered. Once the warmer temperatures started to be consistent, we contacted American USA Paving to register a complaint. We have called on these occasions and have received no reply: May 1, May 4, May 7 (3 separate phone calls), May 8 and May 15, 2015. On their website they claim that they guarantee all their work and “We are known for quality workmanship and customer satisfaction, with a high level of repeat customers “. It is highly unprofessional to not call someone back after repeated phone calls.Desired Settlement: We would like American USA Paving to come out, redo the sealant so that it properly adheres and live up to the guarantee that they claim is part of their business model.

Review: A couple years ago my wife and I added a small extension of trap rock to our existing driveway. In November 2013 American USA Paving paved the part of my driveway that was trap rock. [redacted] the owner, who is a very nice person by the way, supervised the paving process.It was a bitterly cold day in which his equipment kept failing/freezing. There roller had to be fixed which delayed the project into the coldest part of the day. Then they ran out of gas during the rolling. Their wheelbarrow for unloading the tar broke. And during the application of the final coating, the lines kept freezing, making it impossible to spray on occasions.My biggest complaint is that they misjudged the amount of tar needed to do the job. When they ran out, they tried scraping down tar from another spot to fill the empty spot. He ended up making approximately the last 6 feet about an inch lower than the rest of the driveway.Also, when they abutted the previous tarred driveway, they did not abut it evenly. There is a slight discrepancy the entire length of the abutment which causes about a six inch strip of ice in the winter the entire length of the driveway.During the spraying of the final coating, they also sprayed one of our solar lights and a very large flower pot.All of American USA Paving flyers assure "Satisfaction Guaranteed". [redacted] also assured me verbally that, if there were any problems, they would be back to fix it.On 1/13/14 I sent American USA Paving a certified letter detailing the problems. I never heard from them. Early July I called them and talked briefly with [redacted]. Since it was right before the 4th of July, he said he would call me back the next week and set up an appointment to look at the driveway. He never called. During September I called him twice and left messages on his answering machine. Still no response.I simply want them to come back and finish the job correctly.Pictures are available.[redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like American USA Paving to come back and finish the job. They need to apply more tar where they ran out. They need to abut the older tar much better...and not just with a liquid tar substance. And they need to reimburse us for the damage done to the solar light and large flower pot. This all should be done at no added expense to us.