ComplaintsforSpoon River Blacktop LLC

• Initial Complaint

  10/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had my driveway done last September. I can’t even park my wife’s car on it without making divots. Called to complain and they did a horrible repair to fix divot. *** came by and looked at repair and admitted that it was a terrible repair and would fix after driveway set for one year. Called them up two weeks ago and still have this eyesore in my new drive. Talked directly to *** and he is a big liar. The owner told me they have good enough business they don’t care what my complaint is. Now drive is cracking all over. I WOULD STEER CLEAR OF THESE CROOKS!! My drive cost $8000 and it looks like it should have cost $1000. They also charged for 6” of rock base. But they only put down enough to cover ground. Then when you ask why their dump truck is half full. They lie and say they always bring extra. CROOKS!!!

  Business response

  10/29/2023

  Her statement about the owner isn't true.  As for her statement about rock being misleading,on the face of the contract dated September 3rd 2020 931- 20 it states 14 ton or less as needed for gravel. Almost all of the blacktop laid over owners gravel base homeowner needs to read the terms of the contract. states no guarantee for any labor or material and shall not be liable for any cracking or any other surface defects.
                         Complaint shows we did come out to address the area in question, but were called back again and arrangements were between owner and *** who takes care of repairs and seal coating department.  Blacktop is made up of state approved sand, white rock and oil. heated blacktop asphalt doesn't get as hard as concrete, but with time it gets harder. Tires will make marks or dents on hotter days no matter what company makes the asphalt. *** suggested waiting until the end of the year to let the driveway age. There were several missed days on arrangements because of the weather and one time  spoon river blacktop  was prevented from coming on Saturday because her husband wanted To be present. Around October 19th or 20th the wife called the office yelling and cursing the secretary out. Then the husband called, leaving a profanity filled message on our business voicemail. 
  
  

  Customer response

  10/29/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  The contract does not say 14 ton or less, it says “14 ton gravel as needed” but they did not use 14 ton, however we paid for 14 ton. They even admit in their statement that almost all blacktop laid over owners gravel base. An indent occurred after parking my car on the blacktop many many months later after the owner said don’t park on it for at least a week. We did not park on it for 2 weeks just to give it time to cure. Spoon River sent out a crew to fix a problem area and it was not fixed correctly. Owner notified Spoon River and sent pictures of the issue and *** came back to the home on June 14 at 727 am to meet with the owner.  A video was taken by our ring camera where *** admitted it was not fixed properly. *** stated to wait until it had been down for a year and they would come out in September to fix it and put another seal coat on it. We were in agreement to that. Owner did not hear from Spoon River so owner called on October 6th at 9:07 am with a return call from them the same day at 9:11 am. *** called owner back at 9:46 am stating that he was sorry he thought they had come out to fix it. He said they would come out the next week to fix it and put seal coat on it.  The next week no one showed up and no phone call explaining why.  The weather the following week was between 63 and 79 degrees and the weather the week after that was 55 to 72. When no one from Spoon River came owner called them back on October 20 at 12:33 to express how disappointed owner was. Owner was told by the receptionist she was not sure what was going on even though owner had spoken to the receptionist on several occasions and even sent pictures to the same receptionist. Then the receptionist wanted owner to change plans again and wait for them to show up when they were notorious for not showing up when scheduled appointments were set. This was on October 21st, my husband had to work that day and wife was in Iowa. Owner was angry because of all the lies told by *** to owner on multiple occasions.  Then when owner told them that Saturday would not work they then decided they would just not do the repairs stating they had no more seal coat for the season. The receptionist was not cordial to owner either as she repeatedly told owner that owner was incorrect about statements made by *** to owner in which she was not a part of. Yes owners are furious as owners paid for a job to be done, paid for 14 ton of rock that Spoon River just admitted to not using and then having subpar work completed and continued lies about coming to fix their mistakes. Owner was not asking for anything above and beyond, owner just wants the problem fixed properly after paying $7995 (which included 14 ton of rock that was not used) and another $350. We never asked for the difference in cost for the rock that was not used that we paid for. Of course owner wanted to be home when it was fixed as it was such a bad repair the first time owner wanted to make sure it was fixed properly the second time. 

  
  

  Business response

  11/06/2023

  The homeowner changed the original contract by adding on a grass area that needed some gravel. Our shop is over an hour away. We always bring truck loaded instead of guessing what was under the grass area that is why we state or less. we pay for the truck and the driver no matter how much is in the truck. We do not prorate gravel or blacktop. We state so many square feet of blacktop or less. We get paid by the sum quoted.                                                Our intentions Have always been to come back for the repair. Our shop is closed for the winter our office and  homeowner will have to work out a time that works for both around mid may or June. Can't schedule very far ahead because of weather on that day.   

  Customer response

  11/09/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:  I am rejecting this response because: They they put “some” rock on the grassy part. This is the issue causing the sinking divots on that side. When *** came to look at drive, which I have on my ring camera video. He stated that there needed to be 6” base on the side with grass. They didn’t put 6” of base on that side of drive. I can guarantee if you were to dig down on that side of drive you will only find a few inches of rock.  They have been in business long enough to know how much rock was needed to properly install drive. They quoted 14 ton because they knew what was needed. They skimped out on rock and charged me for 14 ton. It’s not my fault they are so far away from my location. They bid the job and need to follow the contract which I have. This is poor preparation of the base for the grass side of drive. The side which has been the actual drive for over 60 yrs is fine. That is how I know they didn’t prepare the grass side properly. I will not settle for a repair that will not fix the poor base preparation on the grass side. They charged me $3000 for that extra side. Give my $3000 back or tear out that part and fix it correctly. I will also be contacting the Attorney General about this situation. I will not settle until one of the above options are met. 
  
  
  
  

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