Paving Problems: WBTV viewers reach out after a couple of paving companies left them out thousands of dollars.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The grass poking through the gravel is just an unfortunate reminder of a job Nancy Olsson never wanted. It started with an unexpected knock on her door.

“I had no idea who he was. I had no idea what he did,” Olsson told WBTV.

“He said that he had a load of gravel that he had to get rid of. He did not know what to do with it, could he dump it in my in my driveway?”

Road Worx and owner John Holmes happened to be in the neighborhood and said they were giving away free gravel. halfway through their project they said there was a cost assoctaed with their work.

“He said we want $3000,” Olsson said.

“I don’t have $3000. He said, ‘well, you have any jewelry you have any antique furniture you have’,” Olson said.

She’s not the only person to reach out to us about Road Worx, which recently changed its name to Holmes Asphalt.

“We really noticed problems with grass literally growing up through the driveway within a month,” Tim Hild said.

WBTV talked with Tim Hild who filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office against Road Worx after they left his driveway with grass growing throughout the pavement. Hild said Holmes refused to come back and fix it and he had to pay thousands to get it done right.

“We had to have somebody come out and rip the whole thing up because it was worthless. They found serious issues, in their opinion, in in the quality of workmanship,” Hild said.

We tried reaching out to Road Worx and Holmes but never received a response.

Then WBTV heard about Andrew Smith Paving, owned by Paxton Andrew Smith.

“We leave our stuff on job sites regularly. I mean not so much anymore, but you think it’ll never happen to you, but it does unfortunately,” Aaron Pyler said.

Adison and Aaron Plyler own Plyler Asphalt in Monroe. They had never heard of Smith either until he was charged with stealing their paver and trailer valued at more than $135,000. Smith is now facing a felony theft charge in Mecklenburg County.

“I mean they were here for for over 30 minutes. The camera shows it. They drove the paver all the way from one end of the lot to the other,” Plyler said.

WBTV also spoke with Andrew Smith paving customers who showed pictures and receipts of some of Smith’s work. Smith did not get back to WBTV.

WBTV asked the Plyler brothers what people should be asking potential pavers to make sure they’re hiring the right company.

“Reference sheets, yeah we have got a list of references,” Adison Plyler said.

“Be be mindful of who you’re doing business with and make sure you ask the right questions and ask the hard questions if you have to,” aaron Plyler said.

Hild has some good advice too.

“If there are existing complaints against not only the company name but the people, I think that that’s key and ask for references,” Hild said.

Copyright 2021 WBTV. All rights reserved.