Carolina Road And Drive

We contracted with Carolina Road and Drive in October of 2016 to replace our gravel driveway with a smoother surface without loose stone. During Patrick's initial visit to our home, he offered 2 options for the driveway: blacktop or tar and chip. I asked him to explain both options as I wanted to make sure I understood what I was being offered because I am not a paving professional. He explained that blacktop is the very smooth, dark black surface also frequently called asphalt. He quoted me approximately $7000 and indicated it would likely require around $1000 in annual maintenance. He then explained that tar and chip is "like the road" (his words) and referenced the road that our driveway attaches to. I had previously indicated to him that I wanted a surface that my kids could roller skate and skateboard on, something without loose stone. Again he indicated that tar and chip is "like the road" which was an acceptable surface to me. The contract stated that part of their work would involve killing off all of the vegetation currently growing from under our gravel driveway so that it would not come through the new surface. We agreed on price of $4500 and the work began a few days later. Once finished, I was concerned with the amount of loose stone on the surface because that is not "like the road" at all and is not what I was led to believe I was purchasing. I contacted Patrick within 2 weeks about my concerns and he indicated that I needed to give it time, at least 6 months. Additionally, the surface is so thin that when my son used his pogo stick, it broke through the tar. At Patrick's request, I waited 6 months before contacting him again. In April, I reached out with my concerns that there was still a large amount of loose stone as well as copious amounts of grass growing through the driveway, particularly at the edges, so much so that there is no longer a clear edge to the driveway. I was unable to get in touch with him, my call went directly to voicemail, so I left a message asking him to call so I could discuss my concerns. It is now July and although I have been able to make contact with him as well as his associate a few times, we are being pushed to the side in favor of other jobs. We have attempted communication through both phone and email. We have been told multiple times that someone will be out to address the vegetation issue, but no one has come and no one contacted us to let us know it would not happen. We were told specifically by Patrick that someone would be out this past weekend (July 1-2), but then no one came, and no one let us know that no one would be coming. We planned our weekend based on the fact that someone was supposed to come but did not receive the courtesy of a call to let us know it wouldn't be happening. Additionally, CRD's response (when there is one) is focused on vegetation which is actually a very small part of our concern. The larger concern is that we were led to believe that we were purchasing a driveway that is "like the road" (i.e. no loose stone, thick enough to withstand something like a pogo stick, something my kids can roller skate on) but that is not what we have and CRD appears to be in no hurry to address our concerns despite the fact that we paid in full back in October and they offer a 1 year guarantee on their work. We understand that there was a death in the family that Patrick had to deal with that resulted in the company getting behind on some work, but that was months ago. We have been patiently trying to get our issue resolved for 3 full months, but it is a struggle to even get a phone call returned. During that time, I received multiple estimates from other paving contractors who confirmed my suspicions that the road is not tar and chip and that I was lied to and overcharged when I was sold this driveway.