Sudbury senior shares $7K paving predicament

Ron Michaud, an 83-year-old resident of Greater Sudbury, is speaking out after he said a recent driveway paving job was done poorly.

“What I’m supposed to get is the asphalt paving, and there’s no asphalt paving here. It’s all recycled asphalt,” Michaud said.

His ordeal began June 10 when a paving company approached him, noticing damage to one side of his driveway.

Michaud said the contractors drove either a black or white pickup truck and identified themselves as from a paving company based out of Toronto.

He added that the man he spoke to had a Newfoundland accent.

“They said, ‘Well, we can do your whole driveway.’ They said they wanted $8,000,” Michaud said.

He inquired about a smaller repair. The price dropped to $4,000 for a two-foot section.

“He said, for another $3,000, we’ll do the whole thing,” he said.

Agreed to pay $7,000

Michaud agreed to the $7,000 full-driveway job.

“I didn’t sign the contract. Then I waited for the guy,” he said.

“He came (while) we were doing the contract, I asked him, ‘I said, how much asphalt are you putting on there?’ He said three to four inches, which is about right, because once you compound it then and go back to the two inches.”

However, Michaud said what was promised and what was delivered were two entirely different things.

“That never happened. They put on this recycled asphalt and it can’t bind to the asphalt that’s already on there,” Michaud said.

“It rained the next night and (it) washed sections of it all off because there’s nothing to bind to.”

To add insult to injury, after they finished, they left beer cans along the driveway and leftover asphalt in his flower bed.

Michaud said he has tried to call the company multiple times. CTV News also tried calling the number Michaud was provided, but it is no longer in service.

“When I called him, he said, ‘Well, we’ll have to come and repair that,’” Michaud said.

“I said, ‘No, you got to remove it. I said, ‘You got to take it all off and it’s got to be done properly.’ And I never heard no more from them. I keep calling, but they keep hanging up because they know what was wrong.”

Michaud said that he chose this company based on their previous work.

“Some of the ones that they’ve already done, they were good,” he said.

“(The same company) did my buddy’s and it was beautiful. But over here, they put this in instead.”

Michaud said he’s frustrated, particularly as a senior.

“It’s bad to take when you get people that are going door to door and they’re Canadians trying to goof Canadians -- seniors at that,” he said.

“I’m 83 years old. They said, ‘Well, that’s why we’re giving you a deal because you’re a senior.’ You know, they didn’t give me a deal.”

Michaud is considering legal action.

“My next step is to get a hold of a lawyer, see if anything can be done to the company, because, I mean, the contract states asphalt paving. That’s what I expect,” he said.

He’s going public to warn others.

“I’m not saying they’re all bad, because like I said, some are good. This one is a bad one,” Michaud said.

Happens every year

Const. Rob Lewis of the West Nipissing OPP said scams involving contractors happen every year.

“Something like paving, redoing the roofs, fixing foundations, fixing decks, taking down trees,” Lewis said.

He said that most scams have similar characteristics.

“There’s usually a need to pay right now or cash up front and that’s where we’re advising the public to be very leery with those types of contractors,” he said.

Lewis said additional tips include researching the company, checking with the Better Business Bureau and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

“Look into these businesses. Look into their names, reputation, get referrals,” he said.

“And at the same time, don’t be shy to get other alternative pricing. We also recommend, if you’re very unsure, take your time.”