It sounded like a great deal. Kansas Golf and Turf in Park City needed asphalt on part of its parking lot, and a company just happened to stop by with an offer.
“Their story was they had some extra asphalt and they said we could get about 2,000 square feet out of the product they had,” says employee Andy Barnard.
The deal was 2,000 square feet for $4,000, but when it came time to pay Barnard got a surprise.
“They came to us with a bill of $15,600."
Barnard said he didn’t even think about it.
“That's not going to happen,” he told the contractor.
The Better Business Bureau says be suspicious of the following:
- Claims by a company that they have "extra" asphalt
- Out of state tags
- No physical office location
- No written contract
- Work being done you didn’t agree to
In Kansas Golf and Turf’s case, the company paved much more of the lot than was agreed to and then tried charging the business for the work.
“Don't let anything happen on your property without a written contract,” says Barnard.
And ask questions.
“Ask if they're from the community and have a local address. It's your property and your money that you're spending,” says Robbie Namee with the Better Business Bureau of Kansas.
“If you didn't call them I’d be suspicious.”
