Roller Marks in new asphalt driveway

if they were any good they would resurface it at no expense to you - if they were smart they would have used the large roller in the first place

Reply to
robson
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Folks,

A couple of weeks ago, I had my asphalt driveway replaced. The driveway is about 40 ft long by 16 ft wide.

After the crew left, we noticed that there were roller marks in the driveway. They were not particularly deep (though one is noticeably uneven), but the fact that they are even there left us feeling like the job was poorly done. Across the 16-ft driveway, there are three noticeable, and uneven, roller marks.

The paving company said that though it is an "eyesore" (their words), it was structurally sound, so they would not do anything about it.

I am aghast at their attitude, but wanted to know from anyone here who knows how indignant I should be about this. This was not an inexpensive job, and I did not take the low bidder. I really expected better. Should I have?

The sole remedy he offered was to send a larger roller to try to smooth it out. Apparently the larger roller guy came along and told the company that it wouldn't work.

Can anyone offer a solution to this, short of tearing it out and starting over?

Thanks

H
Reply to
H

Short of adding another thin layer over top that may not stick already or raise it too high Not much to solve your "line" problem.

Had you caught it within a day or two the asphalt may have still been soft enough to roll again.

If the company won't do anything. e.g, give you a bit off the price. Don't forget to point out the quality of their work to all your neighbors. Some may be considering replacing their drives too, and better they know who NOT to hire.

I wouldn't rip up the driveway over it though.

AMUN

Reply to
Amun

It is the nature of asphalt paving that it must be rolled properly while the mix is hot. This time is a matter of minutes, not hours.

I have seen workers using a big propane torch to reheat the top after it has started to cool, and then try to beat down ridges by hand with a tamper. Even this doesn't work very well.

Regardless of the ridges, I would be more worried that it isn't rolled enough to be properly compacted. In that case the density is low, the porosity high, and the lifetime greatly reduced.

You *only* option is to refuse to pay and demand the job be done over. If you didn't have written specifications in the contract regarding flatness (this would be something like how much of a gap is permitted under a straightedge of some length), then you're stuck. If you paid already, then you have to hire a lawyer and start sending nastygrams. Contractors do not listen to whining customers, only to lawyers.

The contractor is a well-experienced expert at winning disputes. You are an amateur.

If you think it isn't worth hiring a lawyer, then forget about it and get on with your life. Mere complaining won't work. The threat of legal force is the only effective negotiating tool in these situations.

I expect you signed a paving contract with *no* specifications for the results, other than basic dimensions and some meaningless blather about "workmanlike" blah blah blah. You ignorantly accepted a contract with no specification for temperature of application, compaction, rolling, surface quality, flatness, birdbaths, etc. You got what you contracted for. The contractor's forms are written for the benefit of the contractor, and are carefully designed to forestall a dispute over quality after-the-fact. You're a sucker if you accept them as-is. In effect, you agreed to accept the best efforts of the contractor, however bad they turned out in the end.

Reply to
Richard J Kinch

Hi, i just had the same experience with a brand new double asphlat driveway put in last Friday. So I noticed your post from a few years back and I was just wondering if you can tell me how the driveway held up? Mine was done on a cold day not of my choice. Was yours done on a cold day if you can remember that long ago? Just curious if the temp had anything to do with roller marks. Thanks,Sandy

Reply to
Sandy

If you are paying for the work then you choose when its done or go find someone else to do the job.

I wouldn't even get a concrete drive done in cold weather let alone black top.

John

Reply to
John

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