New Asphalt Driveway - Was I Scammed? Aerial footage done with the DJI Mavic Mini

[@Ucanchokeonit]

Using concrete chunks as a filler isn't an issue. Not for a driveway at least. But it's a tip off to the kind of company you're dealing with. The professional way to do that is to use clean 3 inch granite rock or small riprap. That concrete was likely from another job they did and instead of hauling it to the dump they hauled it to their shop and waited until the next time they needed large aggregate fill and charge it out. They get paid twice on free material. As for the compaction? If this was a bridge abutment or a major highway then it is critical to have uniform compaction. But in this case, the base layer that wasn't compacted was still subject to the weight of the gravel, traffic by the skidsteer, and weight of the dump truck and paver prior to the asphalt going down. That should be sufficient enough for a driveway. What's most concerning to me is that it didn't appear that they made any attempt to grade out the soil layer below the base or grade the base to match. Horrifyingly, it appeared that they flattened out the approach to the garage. And they didn't lay down any bitum. Without the bitum in there soil from below will slowly pump up into the base and then the gravel and result in cracks and an uneven surface. But even worse the untouched soil becomes hardpan after its exposed and trafficked on. If it's not graded away from the foundation then any water which seeps under the pad will run down onto the hardpan and either puddle there and create a serious pumping issue, or worse, run towards the house and Puddle against the foundation. I would have very serious concerns about the quality of the gradework they did there and would consider hiring a professional to inspect it. Depending on costs and options in your area it could even be worth it to inspect it using subsurface imaging. The cost of that is well under what you'll pay if water is running towards your foundation.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks! In a nutshell there is a major issue with the driveway. There was frost heave along the whole sidewalk (both sides) and by the front of the skirt. The frost heave was almost an inch, and never settled. Thankfully I had photos where they were needed, you can see 11min into the video where the Bobcat is parked, it was barely excavated, along with the skirt. Imagining will be done. Possibly the whole driveway might need to be redone. This is why there is a delay on my update video. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@LeadRakFPS]

@@TripodsGarage I work on and have helped build power plants, refineries, chemical plants etc. With that being said, I have watched Union operators grade, compact sub grade and compact fill hundreds of times. This gentleman is right. Overall the company made it look great, but when I saw certain things they didn't do that would have taken another couple of hours, I was weary. And you confirmed my thoughts by mentioning the heaving. Don't listen to all these people on here saying that you got a deal. Go with your gut. Document, document and document some more and then do what needs to be done. It's your driveway and you have to live with it. It's not all the keyboard warrior's property. Who cares what they think.

[@ericpatterson3887]

@@TripodsGarage The area you are talking about appears to me to be where the water is leaving the driveway and onto the grass, about where they took some of the existing grass off to aid the drainage of the driveway. If the water goes into the grass along the edge of the driveway and just sits there, it more than likely will encroach on the grade under the driveway and saturate that area under the driveway next to the lawn. The edge of asphalt is always the weakest spot of any asphalt pad (and they know that!), and if the saturated grade became frozen, then you could expect there to be some swelling in that area. Drainage is very important to the life of an asphalt pad, and there should never be standing water anywhere near it if it can be helped. I would ask for a full depth repair of the area that has been harmed by the freezing, and then make adjustments to your lawn area to make sure that the property drains well and no water is allowed to sit on, or near the driveway. The other way to go if they do not agree to do that is to have your driveway cored in several places (the industry standard, coring is done by soil experts, or the same folks who test house pads for proper compaction, sometimes they use the word environment in their names. Do a Google search for density testing) to determine the asphalt thickness and the compaction that the asphalt got. The contract said that they would provide proper drainage. The fact that they removed a portion of your lawn to aid in this regard, makes it very apparent that they were aware of where the water was going, and they did not make an effort to properly address the drainage of water once it left your driveway. But the fact that it was an existing condition and not on the contract, helps them. The fact that they started to address the drainage on the existing lawn and did not offer to fix the drainage when they started it, is good for you. They should have at least offered to make sure the water drained off the property properly. As you say, the driveway was pretty flat. We probably would have put a crown in your driveway, and then graded both sides of the driveway to make sure there was no water encroaching on the driveway and that water could egress the property without any significant pooling of the water being drained from the property, especially not any pooling of water near the driveway! Good Luck! By the way, if you do have the driveway cored, avoid coring in the areas where the paver tracks where at. I would core the area along the edge where they took out the grass, and where they ended up, as they probably were thin there on account of the amount of material they had left to finish the job. Also the phrase "Industry Standard" is a phrase used often in courtrooms when adjudicating disputes over construction of driveways, as often the contract wording is purposely not very specific. contact me at [e-mail] if you have any questions.

[@skliros9235]

@@TripodsGarage rock actually tends to hold more water if you get a lot of rain. And your yard looks pretty flat, so water don't run off easy. If it heaved, it should eventually go down again. Make sure no gutter is dumping a lot of water next to drive and sidewalk.

[@TripodsGarage]

@@skliros9235 - It is pretty flat. It has been 6 months after it heaved during the winter, and never fully settled. There is no gutter dumping, and all downspouts in front of the house go into a drain.

[@jamesbondero6170]

My father paid $6000 to repave his driveway and all they did was go over what was there. He got scammed. You got the deal of the century!

[@allaboutslots7784]

What people don't understand is, all those trucks, equipment, hired men, materials, fuel, maintenance and insurance isn't free! You got a heck of a deal, our Asphalt company wouldn't have touched that job for $4800.. you didn't get scammed, you got one heck of a deal!

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and the comment! Well, it would seem that isn’t the case right now with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@funnyklown1]

I wouldn't have done that for any less than 6,000.

[@fuzion430journey3]

Yes but that’s a two-man job three man at the most why do we have 5-6 guys standing around holding shovels doing nothing that we’re paying them, In the end they did a nice job but I’m curious did a salesman come out or the owner come out to give you an estimate because anybody that’s been in the business for more than a few years would’ve known right off the bat that there was no bass under the driveway the way it was in such bad shape and they wouldn’t for ones you, but in the end you got an awesome job in a company really needs to learn about job site management or they have nothing else going on because the whole company is standing there watching one guy put in the driveway

[@mikejames1187]

Yes i agree he got 1 hella deal.

[@coffeegrinds685]

Hes right about the estimate though, everyone comes into problems and yeah you gotta throw money at it but the way they are doing business is unethical imo. Give a low estimate, blind side people after putting they’re backs to wall. Most people don’t know how expensive it is to do this work so when they hear a low price they jump on it. Owner knows that and takes advantage of ppl. It seems scummy to me. When i give and estimate , I incorporate all these forseeable problems, somethings pop up you could never expect, but pitch and base should have been discussed prior to start

[@manny53o]

As an owner of an asphalt business I will tell you I always give people the best case and worst case prices. I will never take a job on only showing the customer the lowest price because 9/10 your driveway needs worst case scenario repairs. With that said for the amount of work they did you got a really good deal and I’m not even sure how they turned profit.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@yairval9]

@@TripodsGarage you paid no money and you still cry hate cheap ass customers they are the worst

[@dasboot5387]

Dude you didn’t get ripped off. Getting ripped off would have been them not taking care of your sub base disaster putting a shinny coat of asphalt down and skipping town with your 2800$ and in a few months you’d be complaining about getting ripped off. Those guys went out of their way and did the job the right way so you’ll have a beautiful driveway for years to come. Next time do a little research on the project you’re looking to get done at your home first.

[@nickwiththemoney9141]

a bunch of unprofessional that have no clue how paving works, are going to give their opinion in the comment section. As a paving contractor i will say you got a good deal. Asphalt is 68-80 per ton plus delivery ($110 per hour) for trucking. base materials run about 18-25 per ton. plus delivery. Each laborer cost company about 30 per hour, paver operator is 50 per hour. materials and labor probably cost around 3500-3800. so out of the 4300 the company made about 500-800. not really a lot of money is it. plus that dump truck cost about 180k , paver 150k , roller 40k , skid steer 50k. shit if you were to rent everything and do it yourself you probably would have spent 4 grand on rentals without material

[@AnitaSouthall]

Good perspective

[@512kjt]

@Shep VanDelay If it isn't moving, it isn't making money.

[@cameronjm]

Exactly

[@flip66five]

Depends heavily on region and size of job... in NH we get 120-200 a ton installed. I've seen jobs in NJ go 350 a ton installed. Not including dirt work. 65-75 is cost if you're not making it yourself.

[@jrome3465]

@@flip66five in Stamford Ct its 95$per Ton Class2..(195$per Hour per Trucking... 6$ per Sq Foot..

[@zackkennedy3659]

I own an asphalt company in Pennsylvania. That job was underbid. Regardless of new base, if the contract is signed at $2800, that’s the check that gets written. They can take it up with the estimator at the end of the day.

[@jeff7764]

What’s your company’s name? I work for a huge paving contractor in the Philadelphia area. We do all Pendot work. Big money

[@bazsheasby6529]

Thats a job that gets done asap and moves to the next town if you get me,terrible workmanship hense the price

[@life_with_bernie]

40+ years in construction and, not only did you not get scammed, you got a great job too.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks! I really appreciate your input, and so will others that watch this video! Thanks for watching!

[@jefflane1209]

I’m not a paving expert but I’ve seen enough scam paving to know that they would never have dug it down to put a compacted base material before finishing it. I think you got a hell of a deal. Last quote I got for paving was $6 a square foot and that was for a “quickie” at the end of a driveway. No special prep.. especially no digging or backfill! And that was in 2002!

[@benboyko3015]

Dude you where not scammed. Truly they wanted to do you a good job, theres no way of knowing if you need a new base or not before excavation. Be happy they didn't lay on top of the crap soil and walk away. Those number also seem really cheap for all that work, they did an incredibly quality job.

[@certifiedyouss]

In my area they would charge 10-15k for something like this no joke. All these men and machinery + materials. I’m jealous of you

[@torrielandsman4625]

I've raised my family paving and can tell you that the crew that did your driveway know what they are doing. using recycle and gravel will give a good long lasting base and their asphalt work is quite good as well, they aren't sloppy pigs like some crews. Your driveway would have cost you close to $10,000 in Edmonton Alberta Canada, the material alone would cost $2,000 then there's trucking, equipment , labor, insurance, and they have to warranty the work. Yes I think that you did pretty well and I would give thumbs up to the contractor because I think he did the base for his cost and didn't make any more off you than he would of from his original quote even though it took two days instead of one to complete the job.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@torrielandsman4625]

@@TripodsGarage check out what you could have got kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIXZi5KMiqiHh6M I see from your picture that the ground is frozen and has heaved up because the moisture in the ground will do that. When the frost comes out in the spring it will settle again and that is nature. Judging from how things usually work you have at least a year warranty and the contractor will come and make things right when the frost comes out in the spring, I wouldn't be surprised if it settled right back to the height they laid the mat in the first place. If you get them to grind it down now you will not be happy when it settles in the spring and is then too low.

[@highhavencabin]

Inexpensive job. Looks great, and looks like a great crew. You got a deal at that price

[@mikemcclure1855]

Hi Tim. They did a great job. As for the free used 1.5 - 3 they used for base, it still had to be trucked to the shop and crushed. Stone costs little. Now, trucking costs a lot. Stone at the quarry is just a commodity to be trucked. The overruns are to be expected. There is no way of knowing at the time of estimate just what is underneath. It was the same in my work. Only Superman had xray vision. They did a great job.

[@skipritchey2343]

Excellent job. The two fills, limestone and concrete compacted were put in and were not left loose for the the asphalt the crack later. The asphalt was deep enough for a quality job. I was with MDOT for 27 years.

[@jstewart2005]

Still got water on the driveway. did they take into account for runoff for when. It. rains does not look like it .

[@MotorHeadGreg]

$4300 and included hauling away clay and putting down new base rock? That's a steal

[@whutteretbrock2181]

Contractors around where I live would charge in excess of $500 just to mobilize the plant equipment.

[@timothy2902]

Yea its not bad

[@Stealthschannel]

I’d say so. They don’t know what’s under the driveway until they tear off your old one. The reason why your old driveway failed is why you had no base and the clay expands causing it to break up your asphalt.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@cnunez002]

The only one scammed here was the contractor!

[@xPROxSTYLEx]

I've been paving roads for 21 years. If myself or any legit company I know of would have paved your driveway it would have been 8-10k! You got one hell of a deal. And to answer your question, they went above and beyond what most companies would have done for you.

[@marcciolino3880]

AGREED.

[@marcciolino3880]

DAB kevin??

[@xPROxSTYLEx]

@@marcciolino3880 yep!! How have you been mark?

[@waynew.w6944]

I paid $3500 for a 450 sq. foot- driveway in upstate New York three years ago. You got the best deal in this country for both materials and labor.

[@bellagrace9812]

You got a deal for $4300. That was a lot of materials, equipment and manpower. It looks great!!👍

[@dylanrampage9360]

An you must be the owners wife/girlfriend, or wait wait I know your the sancha that's it the side chick.

[@matthewshultz2495]

@dylan rampage Dude come on , he's 💯 on point , now if the homeowner really wanted samples taken & all these extra steps he'd of paid an ass load more. Now other than the chunks of concrete which I've no issue with other than , they should of used a heavier roller on the , Dirt,The base( conncrete) & the 3/11 . That Lil cut out was a dumb ass idea ,as I bet water is possibly still an issue with terential down pours. All this said & as long as this drive is a consistent 2 to 3 inch thick throughout, this homeowner got one hell of a deal. It's obvious he certainly could of gotten a way better job & crew but face it he'd of paid if not double that price but possibly more . Especially in today's prices .

[@matthewshultz2495]

38 to 4 , those are some odds I can work with. Besides the homeowners were clearly entertained for a day or two , that in itself is priceless

[@Kingsu451]

Thank you for taking the time to record and post this video. I'm looking into getting my driveway redone and this was very helpful.

[@TripodsGarage]

You are welcome! Hope your driveway comes out great 👍

[@tsant6591]

20 years in concrete, asphalt construction and certified FDOT Asphalt tech/inspector. You got a bargain. Cutting in a new sub grade, material hauling, labor, and running a mat on a small confined space like that is harder than pulling 20 miles of roadway due to the short area that paver has to work in. It takes good screw operators to set a grade like that. And no tack on the sidewalk! They did a great job for that price.

[@shirecain2129]

Been in the automotive and construction world for 23+ years. All job sites are different as well all auto repairs. This is why we give a "quote" not a price. This job required additional materials and labor and was well priced IMO. Great looking driveway 👍

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@randallcarpenter4904]

They done a very good job from someone who had my own company for 27 years in construction, and yes they were very clean and had pride in their work. Carpenters Construction in Ohio.

[@TripodsGarage]

I can actually tell you are one of the few that actually listened! Thanks for watching and commenting, I truly appreciate it!

[@cameronjm]

I am in the Asphalt business. You are not being ripped off. You are lucky it didn’t cost more. They had to dig out clay and replace it with base. That seems like a lot of money to a homeowner but that was a very inexpensive job. It did not double the cost of the job to you but it more than doubled his cost of labor, materials and machinery. You were lucky he was a nice guy and gave you a good job for a great price

[@TripodsGarage]

I will have a price comparison video coming out shortly. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ronaldpigeon4713]

The issue is letting a client know ahead of time accurate estimates and potential for increases. Will he lower the price if it cost less than the estimate, no that does not happen.

[@juanlanda2441]

The contractor should have known ahead of time that he was going to need base it's clearly a rip off. When they double your price halfway through the job.

[@ronaldpigeon4713]

@@juanlanda2441 They know a base is needed. If they are doing this work professionally, they know. It is a convenient add on at a steep price. At that point they got you.

[@jameskitzmann6268]

The salesman misled him by giving a strip the top price knowing full well it was not 100 percent going to happen. He should have been told ahead of time it's only good for asphalt replacement only. Salesman wanted to make a fast buck and the homeowner was understanding enough to let them finish the job. Gives the industry a black eye.

[@djrobfabrizi5746]

Technically I would have made sure I compacted the sub base then each base layer I put down for better compaction but looks like they did a honest job. 2800 is real cheap. 5k all day for that driveway. I always put in my contracts any additional add ons or in the event I find ledge the price will increase per each additional add on. No scam here. He hooked you up so I would quickly change what u wrote as a title. Some ppl may think u did even tho they know nothing about construction

[@gordboyko769]

I have over 20 years experience in paving and grading and excavation. From what I could see, this company did things the right way, and did a good job. They probably should have warned you of the potential increase in price if the base wasn’t good . By the looks of your old existing asphalt, you’d think they would have considered that. But once they got into it, I think they did a proper job. That big course material they put down as base will stand up for many years and you shouldn’t have much, if any settling . I dont think $4300 for all that they did was out of line at all.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@genetaylor8876]

I have to say, you did not get ripped off. You got a job that was very good for the price.

[@MidMadn]

As soon as they ripped up the old asphalt - I was like - DAMN - I hope they don't lay out a new driveway on top of that base. It was obvious why your old driveway busted up. As much as the upcharges hurt. You did it right and I don't think they took advantage of you.

[@MidMadn]

I've been working for an asphalt company for just shy of 10 years. Before that I worked for a company doing asphalt for 2 years. Admittedly - I've been driving a concrete mixer and working with concrete - but I know enough to know why your old driveway was gone.

[@TripodsGarage]

Hello Jack Faxon - The clear point of failure was the base, and there wasn't adequate drainage. It was pretty much a given, doing it right would cost more. Speaking with the wife, I said there is no way the driveway will only be $2,800, we need an overage cushion. Guess my 25% overage wasn't enough this time. I had a good conversation with the owner, and they are going to reword their contract to be more transparent for future clients.

[@allomyces]

Hi Jack, my elderly parents just got their asphalt driveway done but they noticed that they put “gravel” down first on our neighbours driveway before pouring asphalt, but for ours they only put asphalt and no gravel. Now they notice three “bubbled up cracks” about 4in x4in. Were we scammed? Thanks in advance

[@christopherkraemer]

@@allomyces yep you were. They need a great base to maintain stability.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@eatentoast6365]

You got a great deal. And I do not think they overcharge you for the add-ons. I think they would’ve made more money if they just put the asphalt on top of the clay. But they were honest with you and told you you needed a better base. That definitely shows they take pride in their work. And the reason for the bigger crew, is that you have to keep your guys busy or they will find somewhere else to work.

[@MikesManCave]

Nothing wrong with their work. I can’t believe how cheap they could do it considering the equipment, materials and staff used.

[@TripodsGarage]

Good to hear! Neighbor’s just got their driveway done for $3,500 same crew size and equipment. Only thing different there was no large aggregate. Given the price difference, i would say that we almost paid the same. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MikesManCave]

@@TripodsGarage The base is the most important thing, if your base is no good the top will not last, your driveway should be fine for quite some time.

[@digimalone]

I'll agree...I've seen these type paving contractors take people for much more and still not do as good of a job as this contractor. Thumbs up to his work and price.

[@TripodsGarage]

All comments are welcome, and encouraged! My real concerns, I was quoted $2,800, while they were working it raised to $3,400, and a final price $4,300. I planned for a 25% overage, just because no project goes according to plan. I am not used to seeing up-charging like this, especially twice. I would like to know if $4,300 is a fair price for a 900sq ft driveway, and if it was done right? My local building codes requires a 6in gravel base and 2in asphalt top. Looks like the exceeded the minimal code, the base was deeper than 6in and had a 3" asphalt top. Why I didn't go with concrete. 1st, I was quoted 10k, that was over our budget. 2nd, concrete is considered a permanent structure and will increase our property taxes. There have been a lot of professionals commenting, please be sure to read their posts. We should value their advice, and expertise in the comments section. Think we all can learn from the video and them. I believe KZbin can be an education and entertainment source. As I mentioned in the video, I received filming permission from the Owner and the Foreman. I also I tipped each and every contractor that worked on the driveway. Also provided beverages, and offered food as well.

[@perillouss3506]

That looks like a good reason to go with asphalt, although that is a messed up tax system you have in your city. Other than that reason your stated, concrete would have been a better alternative and would last longer. I am a retired civil engr and have overseen hundreds if not over a thousand paving projects on public highways and your contractor looks like he did a very good job and the cost is reasonable, especially if you calculate the manpower, equipment and materials used.

[@timothy2902]

Anything under 5 grand for a project like this is pretty good. The driveway isnt small and its to code, which is very important. Sure they gotta make their money too and pay the man.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@pharoesky4906]

My husband and I own an asphalt business. With native soil removal , install of roadbase and limestone the 3-4 inches of asphalt. Looks like a $15k job to me.. Even if you did experience a little upheaving. You got an amazing deal and this gentleman didn't make a dime. This is why we stay away from residential clients.

[@TripodsGarage]

Over 3/4in is a little upheaving 😂! Wow a 15k job! I could have had my driveway poured in concrete with money to spare for that price!

[@Addwater4444]

15k? Wow

[@lazyba6652]

Asphalt estimator and project coordinator here. I would say no scam here and you actually got a screaming deal. That clay is awful to deal with and they were right to remove and replace with recycle concrete / crushed rock. Now between dump fees, labor and extra truck time, I was suprissed they only charged you $1500 more. I would be very interested to see what the company actually net of this project. Moving forward, yes they could have compacted the base course before the top came through but overall, you have a solid foundation. As for your grade you can see it was very flat. They water tested it and you can see standing water in your final fly over shot. There is only so much you can do. Bottom line, you got a steal of a job and chose wisely with your company. From what I saw those guys are worth writing a solid review for ! Cheers!!

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@lazyba6652]

@@TripodsGarage could it be root damage from the tree?

[@TripodsGarage]

@@lazyba6652 - I thought the same thing. There is a tree nearby, however it isn’t nearly as big or close enough.

[@karmadump]

I've been a heavy equipment operator for 25 years and I worked for a paving company for a decade. Bigger jobs, streets maybe some parking lots but almost no driveways. We paved most neighborhood streets with less crew than they just used on this driveway. I don't think they did a terrible job though The question I have is how does it drain now? The water from the roller sitting on the driveway at the end didn't look great but its hard to tell if it was really a problem. And who knows maybe they left a guy behind to reroll it after it cooled down a little like they should have. Now to answer your question about compaction of that first base layer, I need to ask you a question. Do you drive a sherman tank? If not, it probably doesn't matter tbh. Should you compact each layer with the roller individually? Yes, but is it going to matter in a driveway with that much base down? No. Not unless you are parking a firetruck there every night. Did you over pay? Nobody in the youtube comments is going to be able to tell you this honestly. What product did they use? How far is the plant? What kind of wage rates is this guy playing? All of that is going to factor in and much of it is going to be different depending on where you live. To me, the cost doesn't seem unreasonable but they really blew the estimate. So much so that I bet you could have fought it and gotten at least some of your money back.

[@TripodsGarage]

Greetings. I will be doing an update video shortly on that will answer most of the questions. It wasn’t re-rolled. Well our Sherman Tank is a 30ft Class C RV. We never keep it parked on the driveway for very long. Maybe a few days as we prep it for camping. We will see if driveway can handle a loaded RV for a few days. Will let you know how it goes. You are correct, pricing is different based on state and where you are located. People saying that I way underpaid is laughable. This will be proven in my update video that will be released in the coming weeks. Thanks for your professional opinion, and watching this video.

[@robertchristians7492]

I worked in a couple of paving crews, the tear out was ok, the equipment used was a little thin, but thats the equip they had and used. the heavy gravel should have been spread evenly with some compaction, usually the truck back over it a few times, or a large vibrating compactor, or seven wheel , that top layer of material could have been spread better by having the truck back all the way to the garage, raising the bed and dumping the load while pulling forward with the help of the spotter, there by spreading the material easier and faster, they did have enough workers though so handle the job, the real skill is the guys running the spreader putting down the asphalt, plus the helpers spreading with the rakes, over all the finish looked good, their team came together and did a good job, the timing was suspect dumping the piles , my crew could have finished in one day but that would have required more equipment and possibly another truck or two hauling way and delivering the base right away and spreading quickly in each step that followed. But this is Monday morning quarterbacking , did you pay too much? i dont know, you took care of business and got it done, and it looks decent. thats my critique, It just depends on the experience of the crew and owner, equipment and delivery times, so many variables who is to say.

[@corymauldin285]

You got a great deal. When you start taking everything out you never know what it’s going to look like. It looked super soft so that’s why they put the big rocks in to bridge the mud. They did a great job

[@quietstorm8230]

I came to see if I should get my driveway done, and left shopping on Amazon for a drone.

[@TripodsGarage]

I have done the same thing watching KZbin. Watching for a specific thing, wanting something else after watching 😂😂!

[@blackwater7805]

You ain’t never lied

[@roybaughman306]

I know prices are high but..you get what you pay for ...they done excellent work ...I'm 64 spending my life in construction I see that driveway will be there for many years..not being scammed. ...

[@eriks836]

My favorite part was when the crew came out and paved the driveway ;) i do road construction and cut grade, you'll be happy you spent the extra money on a solid base. They did a great job in my opinion. Great video, loved the camera from the drones perspective

[@TripodsGarage]

I can literally watch construction all day and night. If I didn’t lose my right leg, that was the field I was going to do. Happy to see experts in their craft come here and giving their expert opinion. Yeah, that little drone definitely gave a different perspective! I need to get it out more this summer. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@macleanclassics]

When I heard the original price, I laughed...you didn't get ripped off because what you paid in the end was a surprisingly good price... you did get suckered in though with the original quote. Contractors do this to get the job, then they tell you what its really going to cost as soon as they have your place in a mess. Seeing your driveway in the beginning, I knew it would require full base remediation without even having to dig it up. A good contractor would have clearly stated this possibility.

[@1967brokedude]

I've had pavers try to rip me off before. Your contractor did a good job building your base for a long lasting drive way .. At the point of finding no base I would have gone to concrete .

[@kennethflegel5736]

they have done blacktop for over 20 years I have no idea what inspired me to watch a driveway being done but here we are. I say yes the project manager should have known there were subgrade issues and pre-warned you of that, but the prices sounded about right. Rolling the large base was more just a step beyond so that spot that didn't get rolled really isn't a big deal. And yes it is common for a blacktop crew to have 6 to 8 people if you noticed when the blacktop was going down most were busy but prepping that's mainly your bobcat man. I enjoyed your video thank you

[@timothysoup7098]

They gave you a price for asphalt. There's no reasonable way they can confirm if the whole driveway has good base or not until they remove existing asphalt. No decent contractor is going to guess what is under existing asphalt. So considering they tripled the amount of work to do it right your price seems reasonable. You could have told them to just do what the original price was for. What they should probably have in their contract is "There may be additional costs for conditions that where not visible when estimate was given ". Personally, I would have went with concrete.

[@ec-fah-q-classof76]

You got a great deal. I've been paving for 20 years and wouldn't have touched that for less than 5,000. I guarantee you he made less than 20% profit which is well under the industry standard for private contractor work. And the work turned out good

[@FCP707]

I am a paving company in California and I can say you definitely did. It get scammed this job in California would have cost what you paid in materials and labor alone You can’t bid what you can’t See. Majority of the time base is good underneath but not always. They probly made about $1500 on this job which is not worth the liability for me. We’re a small paving company and takes us about $14,000 per month. To cover expenses to break even. If they were only to do jobs like yours there would hardly be any profit at the end of the month so I would say I definitely you did not get scammed

[@johngorman1219]

Do you have roughly 1000 sq feet. Rip out and hauled off. Two layers of base and paved for $4300 and it took them two days and you’re wondering if you got scammed? They scammed their own self. If they was lucky they made $1000 profit of that job. They juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.

[@Clemsontiger21487]

Y’all sitting in Lawn chairs watching us work would’ve driven me insane. I always hate customers that do that. Lol.

[@TripodsGarage]

Lawn chairs, well more like camping chairs. I love the hypocrisy here, you just watched a video of people working. Guess you figured there is nobody ever behind the camera filming. Love the armchair warriors out there.

[@abdulh63]

@@TripodsGarage watching later is different to watching someone live. I'm a plumber I hate customers watching just want to tell them to piss off

[@TripodsGarage]

@@abdulh63 - Because I was on camera, controlling the drone in a chair, all you arm chair warriors are having a stroke! Meanwhile there are other videographers all up in the face of people doing work. Looks like you and others have a bunch of other videos to complain about. Better warm up your typing fingers…. Oh! Doubtful any wants to watch your crack while working on their pipes.

[@abdulh63]

@@TripodsGarage funny man lol you should be a comedian rather then annoying peeping Tom customer. Unless of ofcourse you really are videographer making a 'how too' video and the purpose is to explain which I really doubt

[@TripodsGarage]

@@abdulh63 - A videographer doesn’t need to explain anything. Maybe you should look up the definition. Oh wait you might not be capable so let me give it to you. Videography refers to the electronic capture of moving images on electronic media, such as digital cameras, videotapes, and streaming media. This includes specific methods of video editing and post-production as well. Since you clearly cannot listen as well either. Permission was given by the owner and foreman to record this project. Clearly facts do not matter to a arm chair warrior like yourself.

[@michaelquinn8110]

Looks like good quality work at a fair price. If you think this is getting ripped off you would be mistaken.

[@bdcarroll415]

Good crew and they gave you A DEAL !

[@wickedwilliam5137]

The additional charge for stone was not excessive and added a very good foundation. Not compacting all of the large stone at once did not change the end result as they compacted everything thoroughly. That crew did a fantastic job, lot's of obvious experience. Congrats! Your driveway kicks ass!

[@alphonseroy421]

As an experienced heavy equipment operator I see a lot of mistakes with this project , the first thing that comes to my attention is they should have waited till they where ready to pave before they cut you're sidewalk edges just so your sidewalk wouldn't get chipped by them running their equipment on it ! And yes they should have compacted all the 3 inch minus before dumping the 3/4 inch minus on the base .

[@vanbillsing]

Try and do this same job today and I bet it costs at least double what you paid. I just had my 2 large driveways dug out, new base in each and type 6 laid on top. It was pretty expensive.

[@mysafetynet8034]

They did it so well to avoid ever having to tear it out again and avoid future cracking. Th reason they left when raining is asphalt has a curing set time, rain added to it cures to fast and causes cracking. So, I’m sure they decided to finish the base and then pour when weather permitted. As a carpenter of 36 yrs, you got an excellent job for an outstanding price.

[@Closingmoresales]

That was a very well planned and well produce video and documentary. I really enjoyed watching the whole process as it unfolded. From my perspective the price point seems perfect for what you ended up getting in the end but it’s really the value to you that has to be judged.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks! I greatly appreciate it! I think the average customer can learn a lot from my experience, and this video. There are a ton of professionals expressing their views on this video, minus the very unpleasant ones 😉. I believe with this video it gives a perspective of what the job entails and what to lookout for. Thanks for watching and commenting! I will be doing a 1yr update video soon.

[@eddie3314]

These guys did a great job . And great base coat. That crew and all the machinery, fuel , liability, and most of all "TIME" fantastic job and deal.

[@tomwilliams1639]

The contractor seems to be on the ball and takes pride in his work. If he was to replace the driveway without upgrading the base and the other issues you would be calling him complaining about him doing "A shitty job" and demanding he come back and redo it all, which in turn you would probably not get ahold of him.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@dennisadorno6721]

$4,300.00!!???? Here in NY That would cover the dump fees, fuel, two types of recycled base and about 20 tons of asphalt....You got a heck of a deal and they used the proper equipment.

[@thesealerguys]

You should expect to pay around $4.50 of square foot that looks to be an 1100 ft² drive... As far as the rip rap compacting goes what do you think happened to it when 15 tons drop in it vs a 1 ton roller? Without a grader your gonna get puddles

[@thesealerguys]

And he's got 6 crew members out there for 2 days each prob making 1500 to 200 a day plus cost of materials which on a job like that maybe 1000 to 1500 so you did ok on price for the quality you got. Out here in 2021 that's a 6 to 7k driveway

[@skipwavedx5151]

@@thesealerguys I just had Orange Co. Paving in N.Y. finish my driveway in the Catskills Upstate. Had a crusher run base though, they did 1/2 one season 100' and then another 100' this year. First shot was $3500. and the second was $42oo. which was a bit more work involved.

[@thesealerguys]

@@skipwavedx5151 sounds like a great price one thing I didn't see is them lay this in 2 pieces a binder and top coat . I could be wrong

[@medicmark9683]

First off I love the driveway it looks fantastic I’m excited because I’m getting mine done in 3 weeks I’ve never had a paved driveway before so congratulations on your new driveway I don’t think you got taken by this job it looks perfect, Now what kinda drown is that it works great and it’s something else I’ve always wanted. Is it easy to operate? Waiting to hear back so I can go buy one…hope they sell them up here in Ontario Canada

[@Nothingtoya]

Hire a company to come out and do a density test on the base. You'll be glad you did.

[@erocksproduct]

I think they did a great job. It was necessary to replace old base, if you want long lasting drive way. Worth it, they also take a lot of pride in there work. 👍 to contractor.

[@carlito3094]

I think the same

[@caroad2008]

No, you did not get scammed. You totally get what you paid for, a properly constructed driveway that will last for a long long time.

[@TripodsGarage]

Well, it would seem that isn’t the case right now with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue.

[@cnettrouer]

The asphalt looks good! I'm shocked you didn't have a small parking area for your trailer also paved at the same time.

[@brancebjones7205]

Dude, this was really fun to watch! All the drone footage really gave some cool perspective, especially when they started compacting the separate layers. Good stuff! Hope the driveway's still holding strong.

[@aday1637]

Essentially, the lack of a crown or slope which is allowing water to lay on the surface will in time destroy the new driveway due to freezing and popping of the asphalt. There will always be some settling over time so it's important to establish a way for water run-off in storms to prevent this effect from occurring. The previous driveway you pictured had similar issues with water laying on it. Asphalt is nice but it has an average lifespan of about 15 years in northern climates and maybe a bit longer in southern areas. Maintenance should include a asphalt coating on a regular basis to prevent as much water infiltration as possible. But over time it will crumble like the old one. Concrete costs more but will last on average 25 years with little maintenance. These lifespan figures suppose you have drainage as mentioned above.

[@macleanclassics]

Crowning a driveway isn't best practice...when rolling it can thin out the center and cause issues.... it should be flat and graded to one side to drain.

[@pippinjunction9985]

You got a flipping good deal. All that machinery etc costs money.

[@stephenjames2663]

I thought the beginning price was low myself. I saw at least 5 people working at a time plus 4 pieces of contractor grade equipment. They definitely wanted the base completely right. Yes the could have compacted everything before the first dump load. Should not be a deal breaker.I think you have a good deal.

[@VapingWatch]

I thought the same thing when I saw the number of people on that job. Granted, my expertise isn't in driveways (I'm in HVAC/Plumbing) but it seemed like the crew knew what they were doing and were trying to do a good job, and people who know what they're doing and try to do a good job aren't your average minimum wage GoFer. The wages of all involved plus the dump-truck, skid loader, and materials are getting pretty close to matching that $2800 initial price, and we haven't even talked about permits, licensing, and insurance. I believe Mr. Blue-Hat arrived that morning with the goal of finding reasons to increase the price because I doubt there would have been much profit in the endeavor otherwise.

[@kaleip]

@@VapingWatch a 5 man union paving crew for 8hrs excluding any materials and equiptment is about 4k add another 1k for material 600 for paver ,roller and skid steer and 400 for trucking 4hr minimum. That's 6k just for pave day without markup . Demo day would be about half that so looking at about 9k for a union company to do this . You can deduct equipt cost to help the price if you own the equipt but essentially you charge a daily cost for all said items above.

[@VapingWatch]

So, due to my obsessive personality, questions like these (could the company have done the job for the original price) circle endlessly in my head until I definitively answer them. In this case, I found I could not let lit go until I did some thorough research into the matter. I spoke directly to equipment rental companies, asphalt suppliers, and a family friend who happens to be the owner of a paving company (although his company mainly does commercial jobs, he has experience in residential). For the tiny percentage of other people who might be interested in what I found, here it is. Since I don't know where the video takes place (it may have been mentioned, but I missed it), the data below is based on North Carolina. Your typical 5-man crew typically breaks down into- 1 Foreman making between $1200 to $1600 per week (or $240 to $320 per day) 1 Mechanic (or equivalent) making between $20-$30 per hour (or $200 to $300 per day) 1 Apprentice (or equivalent) making between $15 and $20 per hour (or $150 to $200 per day) 2 Laborers making between $12 to $15 per hour (or $120 to $150 per day) A Skid Loader rental is about $200 to $300 per day, not including delivery and attachments beyond the basic bucket. A dump truck rental (roughly same size as in the video) is about $500 top $600 per day. An asphalt roller suitable for this job would be around $250 to $400 per day. The driveway is 918 sq ft and the quote states a 3" depth of asphalt. Allowing for some leeway, we're looking at around 4 yards of asphalt which would be $320 to $450, but could be significantly less if they do a lot of business with the supplier. Everything below assumes they could have finished in a day could have been done, but it would be pushing it. Further, All ranges will be assumed to be the top of the range. I'm also assuming they will be spreading the asphalt by hand instead of renting a machine which CAN be done, but shouldn't be done. Payroll: $1120 Equipment: $1300 Materials: $450 Total: $2870 So, it's possible the company could have done the job without losing money, but it's not likely. If they had done the job for that price, it likely would have been worse than the original. I'll also quote the owner of the paving company I spoke to: upon hearing the dimensions and quote, he said, "Not a chance in hell that'll happen". On hearing the actual final price, he said, "That still sounds a bit low, but it's believable". What I've learned further impresses on me the belief the owners of the company in this video employed questionable tactics to get the job with the intention of increasing the cost on site. Not necessarily evil, but certainly not good customer service either. With what I've learned over the past several hours, I think the $4300 is actually a damned good price for the final job. PS. Keep in mind, my data is from North Carolina. Average wages, rentals, and asphalt costs can vary dramatically from state to state. PPS. Yes, I know it's crazy to spend this much time making a comment on a friggin KZbin video but, well, I'm friggin crazy.

[@kaleip]

@@VapingWatch like you said it varies per location. Laborers are in the 35hr range and operators in 50hr range in ca . The owner can always eat cost to help customer out and that will pay itself back by good feedback which is free advertisement for the company .

[@chrissilva5868]

I own a paving company and yes when you have clay we either charge more to remove and add back in a good base. Or I leave the clay you sign off taking responsibility for it. And I pave over it.

[@markmolinari777]

Very nice job! A lot of labor, a lot of equipment, & a lot of materials. Where I come from, that would have been at least a $10,000. job. They did a good job.

[@NutmegThumper]

Not sure where this is, but in CT we paid $4,000 for a 24x26 driveway replace including block along one side. I like the work they did, but agree with you on the compaction. Though the larger machine may have helped. Curious on the slope as it looks like you have puddles. How happy were you with the grade?

[@cheerry777]

I don't know how can they make money with $2800 quote. Look at 6 workers, plus materials. With the up charge, still a great deal.

[@glenncsr.88]

I worked on a paving crew for 22 years before retiring. You did not get scammed in my opinion. The preparation putting in the base material is top-notch and key to the success of a lasting job. That being said concrete would have been a better option if you live in a cold winter state. If a none freezing state then blacktop is ok.

[@stackfire9601]

All of you so-called professional pavers on here and not a single one of you mention a crown with proper drainage somebody will be busting their butt from the puddles and ice sheets on that thing in the winter time also getting their feet wet after a good rain the paver that machine he's running is automatically designed for putting a crown in but you have to know how to operate it

[@silwan6784]

Just paid $6,500 for 1,700 sq. ft. Remove old, add crushed stone, expand drive a bit and 20 tons of asphalt. They did a good job for you

[@hectormoran5385]

20 tons of asphalt for 1700? They just did 2 in thick layer for 3 inch would’ve been 31 tons good price though . They save lots of money on materia

[@dawnmarie5831]

Looks like a great job! We are looking into doing our driveway soon. Great job on the drone. I had a question, why didn't you pave the spot where the trailer is? Just wondering

[@TripodsGarage]

Hello Dawn! Hope the video helps, also some of the comments below. Love flying that drone, need to do it more often. The village doesn’t allow the widening of the driveway past 20ft. If want to park a camper or trailer on the side or backyard we only use rock, crushed limestone, or pavers. We are looking to do some pavers where the trailer is in the future. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@martybeckman5178]

Paused the video at 25:16 WOW check out the right passenger side at The End ..of the driveway Looks so much more Narrower than up by the garage. why is that ??

[@mastercreamer1398]

Estimator should have warned you about additional cost. But they did give you a great deal. That paver alone is $150k or more. But that mix looks like road mix, lots of big rock, not so manny fines. Sometimes they just give you whatever is in the chute at the plant though.

[@TheJimbojetset1]

hi you were not scammed they did a perfect job there surprised they made money after labor cost and materials

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks for watching and commenting! A little update here, with the driveway not even being a year old. It would seem that the job wasn’t done correctly with the driveway. Take a look at my post in the “Community Section” of my KZbin, there is a nice little picture there. The driveway has lifted almost 2/3in at the end of the driveway by the sidewalk, and the whole skirt. They will be coming out on Monday to look at the issue...

[@davedaniels9563]

Looks like a nice job , you get what you pay for , next time i do my driveway i will have to do the same thing , 2023 prices about 6500 .

[@nickwiththemoney9141]

if they homeowners were charged hourly it would cost double to triple the price. trucking in my area $110 per hour. bobcat $75 per hour. labor $30 per hour per man. paver operator is $50 per hour. asphalt paver cost $200 per hour. rollers are $40 per hour. now with all these pricing. it would cost about $5500. that’s without material lets add $1200 for the asphalt and $400 for that base plus $200 for dumping of old stuff your total would be $7300.

[@dalebutler6783]

As a retired Construction Estimator I can tell you the total amount paid for the in-depth and productive work scope completed, was well worth it. I can also tell you many stories of scopes being stopped and customers forking over more money to complete a task that was not needed or warranted. This contractor stakes is reputation on a solid foundation, it’s very evident in the work being done. I wouldn’t have an issue putting that sort of quoted scope my estimates. His company will continue to grow and prosper with that attention to detail regardless of uneducated options.

[@jeffnelson4620]

I own a very large paving company. First of all consider yourself very lucky there’s a lot of guys that would’ve removed your asphalt and paved on unstable subgrade. The change orders that they submitted to you were very fair. On smaller jobs like your driveway concrete is your best bet. They could’ve just demoed everything cut the subgrade down 6 inches and gave you 6 inches of concrete we’re probably the same amount of money. However they did you a nice job.

[@superoutchthathurt]

go to love them water spots at 24:42

[@chucklindsay4690]

if they would have charged me more for the job i seen them do for you, i wouldnt be pissed at all, they did a great job, dug it out, brought in a solid base and the finished product looked great, that is a great job at a cheap price, those guys take pride in their work.

[@JosePerez-sx4rl]

Looks good..you got a hell of a deal..4,300? They stabilized your driveway the cheapest way possible to save you money.. they could have used geogrid and thats 2k a roll... This job could have cost you 7 to 8k easy!!

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks, was unsure because the price went up twice. Thanks for watching!

[@royrudolph5410]

Noticed red brick in that “base” material. Is that ok in your area. Often there is strict regulation regarding construction and demolition debris and covering it in the soil.

[@santiagot.6459]

Not many people use ballast first then road base. They stabilized it well. With all the material and trucking involved, plus 2 days of work, I don't believe this job was very profitable for the owner. You can park a dump truck on that driveway with no issues.

[@abbajomaa7973]

Hey brother I’m an experienced asphalter been in the game 15 years. All I can say the price at the start was real cheap. Anyway that not my problem my problem was the quality wasn’t to bad but I could see humps and water puddles for an experienced company shouldn’t ever leave bumps humps and puddles like that the guy that was rolling that job shouldn’t jump on it again should of used the wacker plate to close it at the start then jump on the roller towards the end when no ones in the way so he doesn’t stop on the asphalt that creates puddles humps etc...

[@TripodsGarage]

The owner was just out yesterday. There was puddles on the driveway from the rain during the night. He came at 5:50pm. The first thing he said, puddles 🤔. He will be back on Tuesday with his foreman. Stay tuned for an update video 👍

[@abbajomaa7973]

@@TripodsGarage sweet curious to what they’ll be doing

[@TripodsGarage]

@@abbajomaa7973 - There was a lot of frost heave and puddling in a few spots. They will be out 7-20-21 to see what needs to be done. Will update you afterwards. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@JOHNWIck-gr5py]

Why did they add stone instead of a base course of asphalt? You got ripped. There are many different mixes of asphalt. To answer your question the driveway should have been cored to see thickness and material underneath and any stone base should be rolled, it’s called choking. Any road or driveway should drain and be dry in 24 hours of a rain event.

[@libertyjustice2703]

My advice to contractors is give people a realistic bid. An average driveway paving costs $6,000. So the final amount was a good deal. However, the contractor should have given you a range from low to worst case scenario, because the way he bid the job made the customer think it was bait and switch. Not very professional on his part.

[@rejinc]

The base was excellent almost over what was needed for a residential driveway, plenty of gravel , but grading was not up to par because you should not have any standing water on your driveway, a slight crown would have fixed that, but overall you were not overcharged and received a lot for your money, seal the driveway every few years for added protection

[@couldabinmore]

Our mini warehouse/storage business needed new asphalt after 25 years with just 2” of asphalt. When the old stuff was removed and it was test rolled with a full dump truck of limestone, it failed. Due to our location in an drained lakebed it was all clay. They needed to remove 2.5-3 FEET! Of base. Our estimate of 90,000 eventually went to $210,000. Fortunately, we were well acquainted with the contractor and have several contractors and builders in our family that oversaw to work. We knew it HAD to be done or the new asphalt would fail. We had 4” of new asphalt laid and after 4 years it is still great.

[@craigthorpe1706]

Yes, I had my driveway completely redone and I would always, always ask that whoever you hire does a compaction test bc you never know what results it'll show and how much of a headache it'll prevent in the future.

[@brianwalter2677]

Looking at your drone shots I did notice a lot of low spots from the standing water they will be a problem down the road.

[@TripodsGarage]

Yeah, I just sprayed it, the water did drain as they planned, but there were small puddles. Thanks for watching

[@stackfire9601]

No Crown !! Big mistake

[@brianhbinesh]

Driveway looks great and good price for what was done.

[@jl3390]

The real problem was the crappy driveway that was originally put in. Had the builders laid a proper base, etc., etc. then the work required would have been exactly what was originally specified. The contractor had no idea what he would find once he ripped up the old asphalt. Regardless of his methods, which were sub-par as pointed out by Larry M., he did the right thing installing a proper driveway.

[@TripodsGarage]

Thanks! If anything having pros like you helps others that are watching this, know what to expect and to look for! Appreciate you commenting!

[@cdnroofer]

Having only 5years of driveway asphalt paving experience myself, I had warning flags throughout this whole video. I could start listing my opinions of the wrongs I seen but you don’t need the stress. I hope it works out for you and your family, and It lasts longer than I expect it to. AMAZING DRONE FLYING FOR SURE. Cheers from Oshawa Ontario Canada

[@TripodsGarage]

Well it looks like a recent comment from Darryl seems think this was done right. In fact he wants me to change the question in my title to, "Driveway Done Right!". Looks to me that at 7:00 min into the video where the Bobcat was parked it wasn't excavated. You can also see that very clearly at 11:00 min in the video. Also that each base wasn't compacted separately and you can clearly see the large aggregate missing where the Bobcat was. Just some of the issues! Thanks for the compliment on my drone flying. I need to get that drone out more often. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@cdnroofer]

@@TripodsGarage firstly they didn’t grade the base surface not once. Not one laser level was used to determine GRADE and PITCH. That would have determined how much large aggregate and gravel to be used. They didn’t edge the sides before paving, and also took a chunk out of your grass along the edge. The large aggregate wasn’t spread evenly at all missing in some spots. It was only compacted with a 1 Ton roller, most midsized CARS are 1ton. Vans, suvs, pickup trucks, and camping trailers weigh more than a ton, so what is that going to do in the future??? ITS GONNA RUT AND SAG, causing cracks in the asphalt, allowing water in and in the winter freeze. Spring time comes, and the driveway will start to heave. Do you know how thick the asphalt layer is? And you always have to ask when getting a quote, how many inches of asphalt ONCE ITS COMPACTED. If the contractor says, we lay 3inch or 4 inches, that’s not compacted thickness people. That’s loose out of the machine, once it’s compacted it’s 1.5-1.8 inches thick. Not thick enough for a pickup truck without damage in 2-5 years.

[@billwells3836]

First off you don't need lasers and such but the actual used a device early on and as far as a small roller that's bigger than a 1 ton and not to mention the vibratory on it you sound a dumb as they come that was a great job they don't do much more building a freeway I bet that last for 20 +years I would love to see your work

[@josephferrell7403]

@@billwells3836 yeah but freeways have maintenance crews and upkeep? The salesman right off the bat should know his stuff and should know to tell the customer if we had to have a base or aggregate the price can double or even triple it leaves a bad taste in your mouth when the prices skyrocket over something you feel is trivial but the salesman did not explain it very well he should’ve just explained it like this the whole thing cost $50,000 what you want is $5000 worth see the cost difference if we have to add anything!!!! Once they’re confused or feel confused they are then going to critique the heck out of you and the job you did so it better be an absolute point not just close enough!!! Like half the aggregate not being compacted ripping up a bunch of extra grass but they didn’t leave foot prints so I’m really happy???🧐🧐🧐🧐

[@joes6883]

I drive an Asphalt truck for a living and had many opportunities to witness the procedure of how they create roads, highways and driveways. That Base they put down is not only Too big of rock but the rock is Not Uniform. Rolling the rock by compacting it was alright but that's beside the point. The LeeBoy paver is a good paver for this type of work. I hope the pavement holds up. It doesn't look bad at all but the proof is in the Base they put down.

[@jay-rus4437]

I have a civil engineering background and have completed about $80M in projects….this didnt seem the correct base at all. However the second lift was much smaller aggregate. The extra cost in the project is understandable, but the contractor should have anticipated that possibility and informed the client. As a GC today, I definitely take the time to go over project proposals, contingency expectations, and timelines. Want no surprises for the client as we progress. Overall, they did a pretty good job. The excavation was clean, the backfill offered some strength with the base, the second lift allowed for compaction, and just from the looks of the asphalt as it went down the oil content was good and it seemed the temps were appropriate for the material as well. At least from the perspective from the camera 😁

[@michaelmclaughlin8474]

As long as you’re happy with your new asphalt driveway, that’s all that matters !!!

[@robbridges7810]

They done the right thing! Chances are the contract said they would remove old asphalt and replace it with new. That’s all they had to do as per contract. If that’s all they would have done chances are it would have fell apart just like the old drive. Some things are hard to see under the ground lol. But testing would have cost more money and usually in not justified. I hope this helps!

[@TripodsGarage]

Yeah, I budgeted with a 25% overage. Was hoping that would be enough. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@joecallahan3379]

You got a good job, actually they look like they do excellent work. done correctly.

[@9983sp]

They had to undercut a foot to get solid ground. Using the large will keep the mud down. The crushed run will fill the small voids, and once rolled will set up hard as the base for asphalt.

[@SurvivalManagementGroup]

About to get mine done myself in resin with a concrete hard-core base. Not sure I'll be watching them as closely as you did but will deffo get some video now after seeing yours.