It’s always a good sign when a past client calls you for their next job. It’s a sign of trust, an indicator that they know the worth of your services.
That was the case recently for Ital Paving, who were called to complete a paving job at a large cottage property with a very long driveway.
“Another company had done the bottom part of the driveway near the road, but didn’t finish the job before the cottage sold,” explains Niki Pickett, owner of Ital Paving. “The new owner called us immediately to complete the paving project.”
Niki says when they arrived, they found holes in the original paving and ended up patching them up before doing their usual standout job on the rest of the driveway.
“Though I don’t like having to repair other people’s work, I did it because we were finishing the project, so we needed to make it better,” she says. “The other option would be tearing up what was done and then redoing the full driveway, but that would have cost a lot more.”
In this case, the new owner was able to get most of the driveway in good condition after Ital Paving finished and is happy with the result.
The same can’t be said for another couple, neighbours of one of Niki’s clients. They are out $8,000 after hiring a company to pave their driveway and seeing the job go horribly wrong.
“They can’t even use their driveway right now because whatever material the company used isn’t setting,” Niki says. “Either they used an inferior product or didn’t use the right stuff for a residential driveway. Even weeks later, it’s so soft you can squish into the driveway.”
Now, the owners can’t get hold of anyone to address their issues. Ital had quoted on the project, but the owners chose to go with an out-of-town company whose bid was half Ital’s price. Niki says that should have been a red flag.
“Ital Paving is a 40-year-old family-owned and -operated paving business,” she says. “We specialize in our craft. If someone is quoting a project against us and isn’t close to our price, that should be a warning sign.”
Niki also provides itemized quotes, so her clients know exactly what they’re being billed for on the project.
“We’re open and honest with our clients when we give them a quote,” she explains. “We must factor in several costs, including how much material is needed to do the job right, the type of material, how long it will take, plus labour and equipment needed.”
The bottom line, she says, is owners should check references and only choose a qualified, insured, and experienced company for their paving projects.
TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
