Reading Asphalt Corporation, Inc.

Dear Revdex.com, We decided to decline this job because I began to doubt being able to successfully complete the job due to a huge root issueWe returned his money and suggest that he pursue other companies to do his project.Sincerely,*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # [redacted].
 Mr. [redacted] did not respond to our issues, basically continues to re-state that the driveway is solid and that my statement of facts is “slanderous" which is not only unprofessional, but also untrue. I stand by the facts stated in my original complaint. The driveway was installed in steady, at times heavy (not light) rain with cool temperatures. The driveway is breaking up, has roller marks and lines where the different loads of asphalt were installed.When Mr. [redacted] came to look at the driveway after installation to discuss our concerns, his quote was “I am not satisfied with the quality.” He then said some of the asphalt being made these days was poor quality, and this was a particularly bad batch from the supplier. He also agreed that the depression that was to be corrected with the new driveway was not fully corrected. But, he said the driveway would get better and that he would come back in the Fall to seal coat it and take care of the depression with a blow torch. He told us he could keep the driveway going for “ten years”. We had expected to have a quality product that would last for at least twenty years since our previous driveway had looked good for thirty years. However, the driveway is not getting better as Mr. [redacted] told us, but has became worse with people talking about the poor quality.I find it amazing that Mr. [redacted] is suggesting that driving on the asphalt is causing the problems and that the Reading Asphalt proposal stated that three point turns would be a problem. I am looking at the proposal as I write this, and there is absolutely nothing in the proposal about possible problems with driving or turning on a driveway. Important to note, we did follow the instructions of Reading Asphalt and did not drive on the driveway for a full four days after installation. However, the whole purpose of having a driveway installed is to be able to drive on it. We are older people who do not drive recklessly, but we do have to enter and exit our garages, and we do have visitors to our home who use the driveway. When we had a driveway installed 33 years ago, we had four teenage drivers and many more visitors, and there was never a problem with the driveway - it was smooth, never broke up, showed no evidence of turns, and had no depressions. It was an enhancement to our property. When we contracted with Reading Asphalt, we obviously needed a new driveway and were assured by Mr. [redacted] that it would be the best quality and we would be satisfied. We are not satisfied and are amazed that Mr. [redacted] is stating that the driveway is fine. It is not fine, whether the problems are due to the weather conditions at at the time of installation or the poor asphalt used. We need a resolution of the problems.Sincerely:[redacted]. [redacted]
Regards,
[redacted]

We reiterated that there is nothing structurally wrong with this driveway and any perceived cosmetic issues will resolve themselves naturally as the driveway ages. Mrs. [redacted]'s issues are not valid. The only concern is the tire marks, which will also resolve themselves over time. Or, with her permission, we will repair and sealcoat in the fall. As I told her and is clearly stated on our website, tire damage is an inherent issue with asphalt, the first and sometimes second year, from three point turns if not moving. Any asphalt manufacturer will substantiate the tire marking issues are inherent in the nature of asphalt. She insists that we have tried to deceive her, which is utterly untrue. This driveway will last 30+ years just like the many thousands we have done for the past 60 years.

I have my original proposal from [redacted]...

[redacted].  It is dated September 17th, 2014.  If [redacted] began to doubt being able to successfully complete the job, for whatever reason, I would have expected himto contact me.  Knowing only now, almost a year later, that the reason for his hesitation was the tree root that we discussed at the time of his visit doesn’t change the fact that for the remainder of 2014[redacted] left me with the very reasonable assumption that I would have a new driveway from Reading Asphalt in April or May the next year.When I called in April and sent in the $100 permit fee, neither the office staff nor [redacted] told me that he was having doubts.  Later in April and then in May, during my many calls to his office never once was I told that [redacted] was having doubts.  When I called in early June to ask when my driveway was scheduled to be done I was only told that [redacted] did the actual scheduling.  I was not told that there was a problem.  In fact, I was never told that there was a problem.  This was only implied by the office staff when I was told that I had better speak to [redacted] directly.When I tried calling [redacted] on his cell phone he never gave me the courtesy of speaking to me.  When I left my own number so that he could call me back he never did.It was only after I got a refund of my $100 permit fee, still never having talked to [redacted], that I decided to lodge a complaint with the Revdex.com.[redacted]’s response to the complaint was two sentences.  There was no apology.  There was no acknowledgement of the fact that they kept stringing me along for months, letting me think that the promisedwork would be done when they in fact had decided otherwise.Sincerely,
[redacted]

We apologize to Mr. [redacted] and should have denied the project sooner. However, we still, respectfully decline to perform the work. Thank you.

I have now been paving for 50 years. Everything I have told Mrs. [redacted] is true, regardless of what she chooses to believe. I have never lied to a customer in my life and did not start with her. Our reputation in this business has been beyond reproach for three generations. We have paved hundreds of...

driveways in a light rain, and none have ever failed. Here are the facts: We do use a course mix because it is stronger, as I said to Mrs. [redacted] previously. Three point turns will dig up a driveway, as I also said previously. This is also stated very clearly on the proposal and our website. The driveway is solid and if she chooses to not have us sealcoat, as I offered to do in an email on both June 8, 2017 and June 9, 2017, it will age and weather naturally without issue. I am still willing to sealcoat her driveway as I told her I would in the fall. Despite her slanderous remarks, I looked at  her driveway this week and it is aging well. Once again, as I stated to her both in person and via email, she must be as careful as possible during the hot summer months to be moving when she turns on the driveway or she will dig it up. If she chooses, we will do the sealcoat in the fall.Sincerely,[redacted]

While I understand that Reading Asphalt will not perform the work that they originally proposed, I must still highlight my frustration and disappointment with their indifferent attitude and lack of attentive customer service.Since I found the company through [redacted], and they provide a forum for customer feedback, I plan to log the text of my Revdex.com complaint and the company’s responses as a record of my interaction with Reading Asphalt.
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # [redacted].
Mr. [redacted] only restates that the driveway is acceptable and that the issues will resolve themselves over time. Yet, he himself stated that the quality was unacceptable when he viewed it after installation, seemed quite surprised at the poor quality and spent several minutes saying that sometimes they were getting bad batches of asphalt from their supplier. Obviously, if it was a "bad batch", it should not have been installed. Additionally, the main reasons for replacement were a depression that had appeared in our old driveway as well as new stone walls abutting the driveway. The depression was not fully corrected, and the "cosmetic" appearance, as Mr. [redacted] refers to the roughness, the roller marks, the lines of different asphalt loads as well as tire marks, is so bad that people who have come to our home have commented on it without any prompting from us. It detracts from the value of our home. And, it certainly does not resolve our issues for Mr. [redacted] to re-state that the driveway is acceptable and will improve over time.  These are self-serving comments which do not address the issues. We obviously did not expect to have issues with the asphalt, paid top dollar ($10,000) for a quality job, and yet we were not treated fairly by Reading Asphalt when they installed a bad batch of asphalt from their supplier (again, Mr. [redacted] himself stated it was a particularly bad batch) and in weather that caused it to set up too quickly for the asphalt to be smoothed out even if it had been a good batch. Mr. [redacted] should try to offer an acceptable resolution instead of continuing to state that it is fine when it is obviously not.
Regards,
[redacted]