Tarmac on the drive

[shomer42]

Someone has just knocked on my door and offered to tarmac my drive for �50. Apparently he works for the council and has just completed some works and has some tarmac left over. Should I accept this offer? I told him I would think about it and for him to come back in about an hour.

[Lonnie]

My advice is no, mainly because there'd be no Guarentee, so if something went wrong, no comeback.

having said that,he may well do a good job, but me personally, I wouldn't.

[paulos66]

Yes take up his kind offer and please post a picture of the results

[beryllium]

That'd be the results of him leggin' it with your 50 squid lol

[shomer42]

He never returned, nice Irish lad though.

[Dee Sa]

usually they are Irish tinkers or gypsies and when they have finished they will ask for a lot more than �50 with menaces and escort you to the cash machine like frog march. Dont you watch any of these "watchdog" type
tv programmes ? pls be careful. Its a big con.

[hippyhoppy]

Don't get me going on this subject...my mum and dad were fleeced of over a grand for cleaning faisias (SP?) and they were terrified... so cross. just say NO!

[Postdog]

This is an old scam. Well, maybe scam is not the proper word, but you will find they are inevitably Irish, and that your other neighbours have been approached too - some may even have accepted.

They work like dogs, and the end result looks OK, but within a short while it will usually start cracking and breaking up, with weeds shooting through everywhere, and there isn't a thing you can do except lump it.

[rabbitygirl]

Years ago I had a contingent of black stuff boys do my front garden. I was getting out of the car onto mud (much as I am doing at this house currently) and gambled that I would at least get a year or twos use out of it.
He charged me �200 I think (but ripped me off with the white chippings). It was the size of 3 parked cars, was a good job, not great, and eventually sunk slightly where my front wheels always rested. I had it refreshed after 10 years by a guy from the paper prior to selling. I took a chance and I was lucky.

[buildersmate]

Its always the same old story - we've finished a job down the road and got some materials over. Implication - you are getting a good deal.
FACT - the success of the eventual job depends on the quality of the sub-surface preparation below. The cost of the top-surface tarmac is chickenfeed compared to the labour / plant cost in preparing the ground below.
We'll look out for you on Watchdog.

[spaudi]

If he insists on laying a 2" wearing course down the hallway make sure he also takes 2" off the bottom of the front door for you.