We pride ourselves on providing the best in terms of the quality of our asphalt, workmanship and service to you, our valued customer. We are members of leading industry associations, certified by CM3, and have you covered with workers compensation, public liability and vehicle insurance as well as guaranteeing the full certification of all our workers on your site.Â
Unfortunately, we are in an industry that attracts the kind of operators that are really bad for the good name we have taken care to build.
Worryingly, there are a number of unlicensed asphalt ‘companies’ out there that are ready to overcharge you, provide you with inferior and substandard asphalt and finish, and are known to use standover tactics to scare people into paying more than agreed.
The scam often starts with a ‘friendly’ visit and an enticing offer. The ‘helpful’ operator knocks on your door sharing that they have asphalt or bitumen leftover from a ‘nearby job’ and are happy to sell it to you at a heavily reduced cost. They may ask for a deposit and simply never return to do the work, or they complete the work but, with watered down bitumen which needs additional work to fix. The initial quote is often very low, but then higher payments are demanded for full completion and aggressive tactics to encourage payment can be used.
A Current Affair ran a story about a Brisbane smash repair shops recent experience with one of these unlicensed shoddy operators.
So, how do you ensure a high-quality asphalt product at a competitive price, and not fall prey to these unscrupulous operators?
- Ask and check the company’s certifications before considering a quote. All asphalt companies providing a legitimate offering should be certified and will be happy to provide this information to you. If they’re not, question why not? Asphalt laying services have mandatory government legislated requirements. Ask for copies of certification and Safe Method work statements. At Pothole People we are members of leading industry associations such as AAPA (Australian Asphalt Pavement Association) and the Civil Contractors Federation, we are also certified by CM3 (a world-wide safety and environmental certification agency). We guarantee the full certification of ALL our workers on your site.
- Confirm and ask for proof that the company has public liability, vehicle insurance and workers compensation. As an individual or a company representative accepting work, you are responsible for contractors working on your home or business site. Ensuring that your contractor is appropriately insured, protects you and your home/business. We have you covered with workers compensation, public liability and vehicle insurance.
- Check the company out. How long have they been in business, what do their former customers say about them? We have supplied asphalt services to Southern Qld since 2000. Greg Quince, our Company Director, is the third generation in the construction industry with his grandfather starting in 1927. Our General Manager, Adam Pinkerton has been in the industry since leaving school 23 years ago. A lot of our business is repeat business from very satisfied customers. Check out our testimonials to find out what our customers have to say about us.
How to report any unscrupulous backyard operators
If you are unfortunate enough to be approached by one of these operators, please report any information to The Office of Fair Trading.Â