Sealrite Asphalt Maintenance

Had my driveway sealed late in 2021. In Spring of 2022 looked like it was done 4-5 years ago, not 11-months!
Called to have this fixed. Was told that I would be contacted when it could be. After several calls over a 2-month period became evident I was being lied too! Reported this company to the Better Business Berough. At this point been 2-weeks &thiscompanyhasnot responded to th BBB!

Brian [redacted] incorrectly installed a new asphalt driveway at my house and refuses to rectify the issues. I paid a premium to have a peastone embedded finish, but the delivered result is 1-3" of loose stone on top of the asphalt. It should have been rolled into liquid asphalt, rather than mixed asphalt as was done by Sealrite. Underneath the stone, the surface is extremely rough and thus unsatisfactory as a finish coat. No stones are actually embedded. Also, the end of the driveway was chewed up by a snowplow last winter, indicating that it was not properly feathered. The end of the driveway is raised above the street level, creating a lip that would easily be caught by a plow. Brian has been unresponsive to phone calls and email messages regarding these complaints.Product_Or_Service: New DrivewayDesired SettlementRefund of the full contract amount of $3600 for work that needs to be demolished and redone by a different service provider. A new topcoat is not a viable solution because the driveway would be too high at the garage, walk, stone edging, and street.Business Response The complaint filed is a unique situation do to its type of driveway chosen by the customer. The driveway that was installed meets all industry standards and state specifications until the exposed aggregate finish. The customer wanted the driveway to look like a stone driveway but the longevity of an asphalt one. On completion of the project the customer was very satisfied and paid the balance in full. After verbally explaining as well as in writing, that the stone would over time move and be displaced as well as informing her that there is no guarantee on such a driveway. I assured her that the hot mix asphalt had been installed with extra care and that the driveway would last a lifetime. I do recall in the next month or so her calling and wanted to have a regular driveway and wanting me to install it free because she thought the stones would be to much maintenance and snow blowing it would be difficult. My more than reasonable proposal was to remove the pea stone and machine lay 1 1/2" fine top finish for cost of materials (approximately $1000) she dismissed this as an option and I hadn't been contacted since.Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)Sealrite Asphalt has ignored several complaint calls I made and now claims that I was a satisfied customer simply because I paid my bill. The problems were not immediately apparent. At the time, the driveway looked good and I was told it needed a day or two to cure. The issues are twofold: a.) ALL the stone was loose after the asphalt curing period and b.) the end of the driveway was ripped up by the snow plows. I called many times regarding both issues - about the loose stone in the fall a few days after installation and about the broken asphalt in the spring after plow season. No one from the company has ever returned a call or come to see the result of the work.a.) During bidding, I was shown a picture of stone embedded in asphalt and made to believe that Sealrite could provide that finish but with more dense stone cover. After the failed installation, research indicated that the stone should have been laid in liquid asphalt, rather than the mixed asphalt used by Sealrite. At the time of installation, I accepted that Sealrite could not warranty the finish and SOME stones may come loose. I do not accept that NONE of the stones were installed correctly. Sealrite cannot continue to blame improper installation of the finish on the customer.b.) In the response, Sealrite has ignored my complaint about the grading of the driveway. The raised lip at the end of the driveway caused large chunks to be broken off by the town plow. A properly feathered asphalt driveway should have lasted more than one season.The proposal by Sealrite to lay a 1 1/2" top coat at my expense was rejected for three reasons. 1. I should not be held responsible for the cost of correcting a mistake by the installer. 2. The additional thickness of asphalt would be too high at the garage, fieldstone walk, cobblestone edging and street edge, so the "solution" would only cause a litany of other problems. 3. I will not continue to expose myself and my property to the unprofessional work of Sealrite.Final Business Response To whom it may concernThe complaint filed is a unique situation do to its type of driveway chosen by the customer. The driveway that was installed meets all industry standards and state specifications until the exposed aggregate finish. The customer wanted the driveway to look like a stone driveway but the longevity of an asphalt one. On completion of the project the customer was very satisfied and paid the balance in full. After verbally explaining as well as in writing, that the stone would over time move and be displaced as well as informing her that there is no guarantee on such a driveway. I assured her that the hot mix asphalt had been installed with extra care and that the driveway would last a lifetime. I do recall in the next month or so her calling and wanted to have a regular driveway and wanting me to install it free because she thought the stones would be to much maintenance and snow blowing it would be difficult. My more than reasonable proposal was to remove the pea stone and machine lay 1 1/2" fine top finish for cost of materials (approximately $1000) she dismissed this as an option and I hadn't been contacted since.Final Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)Sealrite has not acknowledged any error on their part nor offered a reasonable resolution.

Complaint[redacted] avoiding my calls. Which I gave him [redacted] One Thousand dollars for the down payments. I have call him many times, he is telling me, he comeingI have call SealRite on [redacted] he came right away with no hesitation. I ask him for what need to do. If he could take out the granite curb stones and level the road to the driveway. He stated he has no problem doing the work. He left, came back to have me sign the contract and one check of One Thousand dollars at signing. Now its [redacted] 2015 I have lefts messages, no respond. I need helpDesired SettlementI would like my money back.

Complaint[redacted] avoiding my calls. Which I gave him [redacted] One Thousand dollars for the down payments. I have call him many times, he is telling me, he comeingI have call SealRite on [redacted] he came right away with no hesitation. I ask him for what need to do. If he could take out the granite curb stones and level the road to the driveway. He stated he has no problem doing the work. He left, came back to have me sign the contract and one check of One Thousand dollars at signing. Now its [redacted] 2015 I have lefts messages, no respond. I need helpDesired SettlementI would like my money back.

Brian [redacted] incorrectly installed a new asphalt driveway at my house and refuses to rectify the issues. I paid a premium to have a peastone embedded finish, but the delivered result is 1-3" of loose stone on top of the asphalt. It should have been rolled into liquid asphalt, rather than mixed asphalt as was done by Sealrite. Underneath the stone, the surface is extremely rough and thus unsatisfactory as a finish coat. No stones are actually embedded. Also, the end of the driveway was chewed up by a snowplow last winter, indicating that it was not properly feathered. The end of the driveway is raised above the street level, creating a lip that would easily be caught by a plow. Brian has been unresponsive to phone calls and email messages regarding these complaints.Product_Or_Service: New DrivewayDesired SettlementRefund of the full contract amount of $3600 for work that needs to be demolished and redone by a different service provider. A new topcoat is not a viable solution because the driveway would be too high at the garage, walk, stone edging, and street.Business Response The complaint filed is a unique situation do to its type of driveway chosen by the customer. The driveway that was installed meets all industry standards and state specifications until the exposed aggregate finish. The customer wanted the driveway to look like a stone driveway but the longevity of an asphalt one. On completion of the project the customer was very satisfied and paid the balance in full. After verbally explaining as well as in writing, that the stone would over time move and be displaced as well as informing her that there is no guarantee on such a driveway. I assured her that the hot mix asphalt had been installed with extra care and that the driveway would last a lifetime. I do recall in the next month or so her calling and wanted to have a regular driveway and wanting me to install it free because she thought the stones would be to much maintenance and snow blowing it would be difficult. My more than reasonable proposal was to remove the pea stone and machine lay 1 1/2" fine top finish for cost of materials (approximately $1000) she dismissed this as an option and I hadn't been contacted since.Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)Sealrite Asphalt has ignored several complaint calls I made and now claims that I was a satisfied customer simply because I paid my bill. The problems were not immediately apparent. At the time, the driveway looked good and I was told it needed a day or two to cure. The issues are twofold: a.) ALL the stone was loose after the asphalt curing period and b.) the end of the driveway was ripped up by the snow plows. I called many times regarding both issues - about the loose stone in the fall a few days after installation and about the broken asphalt in the spring after plow season. No one from the company has ever returned a call or come to see the result of the work.a.) During bidding, I was shown a picture of stone embedded in asphalt and made to believe that Sealrite could provide that finish but with more dense stone cover. After the failed installation, research indicated that the stone should have been laid in liquid asphalt, rather than the mixed asphalt used by Sealrite. At the time of installation, I accepted that Sealrite could not warranty the finish and SOME stones may come loose. I do not accept that NONE of the stones were installed correctly. Sealrite cannot continue to blame improper installation of the finish on the customer.b.) In the response, Sealrite has ignored my complaint about the grading of the driveway. The raised lip at the end of the driveway caused large chunks to be broken off by the town plow. A properly feathered asphalt driveway should have lasted more than one season.The proposal by Sealrite to lay a 1 1/2" top coat at my expense was rejected for three reasons. 1. I should not be held responsible for the cost of correcting a mistake by the installer. 2. The additional thickness of asphalt would be too high at the garage, fieldstone walk, cobblestone edging and street edge, so the "solution" would only cause a litany of other problems. 3. I will not continue to expose myself and my property to the unprofessional work of Sealrite.Final Business Response To whom it may concernThe complaint filed is a unique situation do to its type of driveway chosen by the customer. The driveway that was installed meets all industry standards and state specifications until the exposed aggregate finish. The customer wanted the driveway to look like a stone driveway but the longevity of an asphalt one. On completion of the project the customer was very satisfied and paid the balance in full. After verbally explaining as well as in writing, that the stone would over time move and be displaced as well as informing her that there is no guarantee on such a driveway. I assured her that the hot mix asphalt had been installed with extra care and that the driveway would last a lifetime. I do recall in the next month or so her calling and wanted to have a regular driveway and wanting me to install it free because she thought the stones would be to much maintenance and snow blowing it would be difficult. My more than reasonable proposal was to remove the pea stone and machine lay 1 1/2" fine top finish for cost of materials (approximately $1000) she dismissed this as an option and I hadn't been contacted since.Final Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)Sealrite has not acknowledged any error on their part nor offered a reasonable resolution.