Consumer Warning!

 

The Problem

Many unlicensed and uninsured pavement maintenance contractors have been recently spotted peddling their sealcoating scams in the Hunterdon county area. They will typically drive around from house to house trying to sell a quick sealcoating job to the unsuspecting homeowner. The job will usually consist of a sticky oil based sealer called gilsonite. This product is illegal to use in the state of New Jersey. This product is normally spray applied to the pavement surface. These fly by night contractors give all respectable licensed quality contractors a bad name.

The Scam

"Gypsy" contractors will generally stop and knock on doors in order to try to pitch one of the following scams:

 

  1. “We were in the area doing another job and have just enough sealer left in our tank to do yours.”

  2. “We are running a today only special.”

  3. “If we don’t use the sealer in our tank today it will go bad.”

Spotting a Fly By Night Company

  1. No company name on truck.

  2. No written proposal of price and job specifications.

  3. Out of state license plates.

  4. Only gives a cell phone or pager number.

  5. Only excepts cash.

  6. No business cards, or written guarantee.

  7. No NJ HIC. License # on contracts.

  8. Knocking on doors to get business.

  9. Haning plastic signs on telephone poles to attract customers

The Solution

If you are approached by one of these unethical contractors simply decline to do any job with them and immediately phone the local police department to inform them that a sealcoating scam is being run in your neighborhood.  Fly by night contractors are a growing problem in our area and the only way to feel safe about a quality contractor is to do some homework. Find out if the contractor has a NJ HIC license. If any home improvement contractor in NJ. operates without a license, if reported and caught  he will receive from the NJ division of consumer affairs a $ 10,000 fine on the first offense. Any quality established contractor in NJ. Will also probably be a member of the NJ. Better Business Bureau, and should have a clean record. Any asphalt maintenance company that is well established for any significant amount of time should also be NPE certified and have the certificates to prove their on going education in the pavement maintenance field. It is also very important to remember that a big ad doesn’t always guarantee an ethical contractor!  DOUBLE CHECK THEIR RECORD! Some of the biggest ads in local papers belong to companies with a complaint file a mile long. Trust a local contractor with experience, know how, and quality products and application methods that you as a educated consumer deserve! Remember shop long lasting quality and value, not just price.

 

 Before you take a chance on the "low bid" ask yourself if you feel lucky?  Don't fall victim to a scam.