October 2021

With many fly-by-night companies, property owners have this fear of trusting a certain driveway company believing these hookers have sweet words to agree to a contract that is non-existent.

The competition out there is tough, as we know of. And it is quite a challenge to build some trust especially when customers have no idea that your business exists after all. That’s why, due to declining trust rates, some driveway businesses fail and shut down.

But not with Southampton Driveway & Patio Pro. To be able to offer our customers and future clients to keep believing and patronizing our services, we provide tips on hiring the right contractors.

Special questions become metrics when sizing up a driveway company.

So before you hire someone, saying that they have been here for quite some time, it is best to expect the worst and be vigilant on who and what you are getting into.

Someone who knows the ins and outs of home improvement is sometimes used as a mask to pretend that they are legit businesses. But with the following tips, you will be the judge.

Questions to Ask Before Signing a Contract

1. How long have you been serving Southampton and offering driveway and patio contracts?

The years of existence of any business in one location is a measure of the business’ stability. The longer they stay in the industry, the more clients they serve. If a company survives the ups and downs, there is no doubt they will forge a good reputation with their clients, colleagues, potential and old customers.

2. What types of services do you offer?

This is a crucial question. If a salesman cannot offer specific details of their services, you have all the right to doubt.

A business with legit undertakings can easily answer such a question. For example, a potential buyer or customer may ask about technical matters on the offer, such as the materials involved in building a patio or the prices that go along with each material. If they couldn’t furnish a sane answer, cut the engagement ASAP.

3. Can you send me your pricing and other charges?

One thing to fear is when customers refuse to pay because they have been hooked to bogus contractors that impose hidden charges. Hidden charges are a no-no in business because the more a business does that when it comes to requesting payments, customers will leave them right away.

If the contractor you are talking to is going around the bush, then you have the right to suspect that he doesn’t know his craft and is a fake.

4. Who are you working with?

Deceptive contractors cannot immediately have an answer to this question. It is only reasonable to inquire about the team so that you know who you are dealing with. After all, it is you who will be paying. And it can be that the person you are talking to has a team of non-qualified people. 

Finding that the builders you hired for are not certified, you have no way to run after a warranty if there is in a sense. With professional driveway fitters, work with class and do not leave any mess behind. You know it is part of their dedication to clean up and be courteous with the people they are servicing for.

5. Do you have a website or a satellite on-site office?

Check their website, call their numbers, and physical address and ask for more credentials to ensure that the contractor you found has a legit business.

Scammers proliferate the Internet and the ground, so in any way, you can be fooled. Someone who asks for upfront is a doubtful contractor because anytime they can be the no-show people when the scheduled job arrives.

6. Can you present some of your works?

Customers would often ask these, as this will serve as their reference in choosing the right driveway or patio for them. If the contractor has a prepared portfolio or could even invite you to their office, you know you are dealing with the right people.

7. Do you have a contract to which I can sign on?

A contract is a legal tender in closing a deal. This is the ultimate document your future contractor should present.

A legit driveway fitter has a contract to present and is not just a piece of paper that contains vague information but the specifics of the work, warranties, clauses, and other legal statements for the customer to carefully decide before signing.

The contract is binding and superseded all verbal agreements once it is signed.

Contractors who can’t produce a contract after letting you agree to pursue a project are fraudulent operators to earn money. 

In case they were able to build your patio or driveway, the company should still be reachable in case you want to have them polish a substandard work. If they are non-responsive, it means they are fake.

Trust on Southampton Driveway & Patio Pro

If you want someone to trust, come and see for yourself our past installations of patios and driveways. For two decades and counting, our solid reputation in the building industry hasn’t been tarnished by anyone.

At Southampton Driveway & Patio, you can expect excellent driveway jobs and excellent workmanship. You can choose from tarmacs, gravel, resin bound, block paving, or concrete for your driveway surface or patio pavements. 

If you are interested in what we do, check our website or call our representatives on this number: 02381 040245.

The end of the coronavirus pandemic has become pivotal for small businesses; either they thrive or fail. With more closed shops for almost two years in the run since the start of the infamous virus, half of those were able to hold on but accepted their fate with a small return.

As far as the industry rolls, where should we go from here?

Instead of using the lockdown as roadblocks to success, businesses like Southampton Driveways were forced to adapt to the changing times. Besides, their continued service will serve as a flicker of hope with peers to revive the economy. 

With companies open, goods and services made available to them, people will continue buying and patronizing. The same as breathing, nobody should stop. And this is a chain reaction.

Serving as a Silver Lining

Given that many firms closed due to a lack of strength to move forward brought by diminishing funds, others continue operating in different work steups just for the business to keep going. Thus, the work-from-home setup gave birth to many industries to continue operation.

All the more, they find a reason to get up on their sleeves because there’s more to it than just quitting.

In other words, the pandemic and the trivial perseverance of small companies, even the big ones, served as a silver lining to different industries. What are these industries?

Almost every industry.

• We have the food industry embarking on food deliveries in the absence of dine-in options.
• The furniture industry boomed its way to produce and build more office and home furnishings where employees transformed their home into a home office. With more time spent at home, people started discovering what they lack and how they can improve their workplace.
• Some countries that vetted for homeschooling gave way for parents to buy their children what they need: computers, printers, school supplies—though it was never the same while in school, somehow the demand at home became more.
• Remote shared offices and cafes sprouted like beans, finding the need to provide spaces for those who can’t afford to work at home.

What does it have to do with the building and construction industry, such as Southampton Driveways?

Though going to work has become a challenge, even for employees of construction companies, engaging with potential customers and suppliers don’t end. 

Southampton Driveway team and staff are always ready to accept clients for new contracts, connect with them through virtual meetings, and follow health protocols imposed by the government when there is a need to proceed on-site for owner-client interaction to close a deal.

Keeping Up with the Standards

It is the commitment of the Southampton Driveway team to work with a culture of trust and integrity. And part of this moral compass is to adhere to social and health protocols while their builders carry their jobs.

With pandemic or without, business continues, services improved, respect tightened, and excellence met at all times when doing installation or driveway surface repair in any home.

Even if communication has changed its face, which is only temporary, our contractors have more reasons to respect the shift in nature of delivering our services. All the more, our team knows what to do before they arrive at your place.

Customer Gain

How do the pre and post-pandemic affect property owners in the limited offerings of driveway contractors?

They are affected in many ways.

The pre-pandemic is the old normal for property owners to be complacent, assuring themselves that home improvement companies are just arms reached whenever they need them.

On the other hand, the post-pandemic brought more value to home improvers since homeowners saw the need for their services more than they did during the old normal.

A limited workforce that reports for work, scarcity in production of raw materials, and increased costs on materials and labor became the grinding point for driveway companies. Luckily, this struggle has been won, and the higher demand served as a trigger to revive the business.

The ultimate lesson we can get here is that we all can stretch our limits for the good of all. As been said, it is a chain reaction and a domino effect. But right now, so long for the dominoes and say hello to brighter days ahead.

So, if you are one of the homeowners who think someone needs to check your driveways, that’s been put on the back burner to a temporary halt to everything, feel free to ask us.

Our office is open to any planned bookings you have. Reach out to our representatives and discuss how you can improve your place with our various paving offers.

Whether you need a driveway facelift, patio, and paving addition, call the Southampton Driveway & Patio Pro staff anytime at this number: 02381 040245.