cost of paved drive

[Robert_in_NY]

The added benifit is that you don't want to walk on the blacktop with bare feet during the summer. They are just looking out for your fathers feet./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[RAllen]

Everyone

I am sure Bird knows the following. I worked in law enforcement in the 1970s and early 80s. Worked fraud/ bunco in the Atlanta Georgia area.

The paving scam, primarily targeting older folks, is a favorite of a strange group of people based in South Carolina. An entire town is populated by these people. Known as the "Travelers", their entire society is based on fraud. Roofing, paving are the current favorites. Arrests have be made in every part of the 48 states, do not know about Alaska and Hawaii.

They are famous among southern law enforcement circles. Sons follow in their father's footsteps.

Rick

 

[Bird]

Rick, I can't remember which of the TV "news magazine" it was; 60 Minutes, I think, that ran a long story on The Travelers a few years ago. I really don't know whether they're still active in the business or not, but probably are./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

 

[RAllen]

Bird

I'm sure they are still active. There are about 30-40 extended families all somewhat interrelated. Several officers from my department went up there to serve warrants. The county was no help, had to get SLED (South Carolina Law Enforcement Div.) to help. They took their swat team even though these guys are mostly non violent. Police are difinitely not liked in the area.

I seized four vehicles including a hot tar truck in my county. The last time I heard the tar truck was now working for the county. Wish I had it up here in Montana.

Rick

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>I seized four vehicles including a hot tar truck in my county</font color=blue>

That's great. Too bad they can't get a well coordinated effort to put them out of business permanently.

 

[MDNY]

Bird, I caught the same (or similar) news show. Might have been Dateline (NBC). But not only are they total scam artists, but they have som very palacial homes, and the footage I saw showed them pairing up their kids for future matrimony. They had girls not in their teens dressed up like, well, 30+ year olds. Dresses, makeup and hair. Just disturbing. I realize that each person can lead their life as they see fit, but criminal behavior and questionable at best attitude towards society and your children is a crime against all of us.

Anyway it would be great if they could round them up and send them all off to jail. For me when we get into the house I will do the home repair as much as I know or can, and then find a good home repair/remodeler company to help me that I can work with for a long term value relationship.

Pay today, get nothing tomorrow is probably their motto, they aren't travlers for nothing.

 

[Bird]

Yep, MDNY, must have been the same show. Different kind of folks; that's for sure. After becoming familiar with so many different con games, I told me wife I believe I could have been rich if I just didn't have a conscience.

 

[MDNY]

Bird, I tell you the best one is their house painting jobs. Whitewash on the building. It looks real bad, real soon. Just can't trust the real low price door to door specials.

Michael

 

[beenthere]

I hope you got your ballpark figure for having the drive paved. You need a solid base to put both the asphalt or concrete on, and it needs to be graded to the shape you want your drive. That may or may not mean you have to remove, add, or leave the gravel as it is.
I have gravel on my drive, and checked this past week on asphalt. I was quoted $.87/sq ft for a drive 600' x 10' wide. It would be higher if it were smaller, as moving the equipment in for one drive is a fixed cost, I would assume. If the asphalt people are already in the area, that can work in your favor as well. I would seek out a local, with some contacts for references. The history of your gravel drive will tell you if you need more base, or are good to go on what you have. Mine has been stable without spring soft spots for 34 years now. I don't plan on doing anything other than taking most of the crown out that I have now. Some work on water management will be necessary, as I don't want to have such a deep ditch on the upper side as I have now. No difference that I have been aware of as far as the local assessment goes, between asphalt, concrete, or gravel. But wouldn't put it past the assessors (controlled by the state) to add something in.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hello, this is a very interesting topic. I have been interested in paving my driveway for a long time and have asked many people about their driveways. One day I came to the ugliest drive I have ever driven on and just had to ask about it, the lady said someone came to her door telling her about such a deal he had for her, they were in and out in no time and she did'nt realize they had only laid an inch of blacktop, her husband discovered this the first time he plowed the drive and caught an edge which ripped a big chunk out of it. Now it looks like a long stretch of broken black chunks. I also discovered that blacktop is considered a liquid and concrete is a perminant structure which is the diff. in taxes, anyone who has parked a motorcycle on blacktop in 100 degree weather for any length of time can tell you it will make a hole.