Traveling paving contractors are a huge problem in the U.S.– “60 Minutes” even did a story about them. Basically, if someone comes to your door claiming to be a contractor with “leftover asphalt” from a job he just finished, he’s probably lying – and if he offers to pave your driveway for cheap, he’s definitely trying to rip you off. While a deal is tempting, you’ll inevitably end up having to spend even more money to fix the poor job he does. So how do you turn down one of these nefarious characters?
- Just say no. Don’t try to call him out on being a scammer. Don’t engage much at all. In a courteous but firm manner, just tell him you’re not interested. Then shut the door politely, before he has a chance to hook you again.
- Say you’re house-sitting. If the so-called contractor doesn’t seem like the type who’ll take “no” for an answer, smile sweetly at the conclusion of his story and say, “I’m sorry, but I’m just house-sitting. I’m not the person to ask.” If he offers you a business card, take it. When he leaves, promptly place it in the trash can.
- Pretend you’re not home. If your doorbell rings and you see an unmarked truck full of “leftover” asphalt and one of those shady scammers on your porch, you can always just lie low for a few minutes. Don’t answer. That saves you the hassle of having to listen to his sales pitch, only to turn him down.
When you’re ready to get a new driveway, or if you’ve been the victim of one of these scams and you need some asphalt repairs, give the Atlanta asphalt experts at Prime Paving Contractors, a call. And if you have any stories about how you’ve creatively turned down traveling paving contractors, post them in the comment section. We’d love to hear them!
