I want to give a 5-star shout out to ABC Stripe, Ramon Martinez, and his crew for the fine job they recently completed at our home. After a mid-summer monsoon rainfall, one of those once-in-a-century downpours which seem to be happening every year, our crusher fine driveway, about 200’ long angling uphill at about 10-15 degrees, became compromised, with cobble gutters on each side breached, and water flowing, not into the ponding area destinations, but, rather, into our street and to our downhill neighbors’ property. Moreover, because of our hilltop “parking lot” area needing re-grading, considerable waters flowed to another area of our property, then down our south slope, forming a mini “Grand Canyon.”
I called ten companies who I thought might be able to assist. Only four responded they could and showed up, but, surprisingly, only two submitted bids. Ramon, unlike many contractors, was consistently responsive, via text, phone, and email. He kept his appointments and notified us anytime there was un-anticipated change in schedule. He has a friendly and professional manner. Because of the unique lay-of-the-land we have on our hilltop, even before accepting his bid, he was willing to make more than one trip, once with his asphalt expert, to discuss options which might help address our situation. Moreover his bid was substantially lower and the warranty period longer. Additionally, he was willing to “throw in” the fix for the south slope mini Grand Canyon, which required a slight bit of asphalt curbing and the wheelbarrow and hand-carried immersion of base course to fill in that 50’ long canyon.
The job was predicted to take 3-4 days, but due to weather and assessment of further modifications, it required an extra day or so. As our gullies would be asphalted as well, the cobble that had been in them would be moved to the ponding areas that already had cobble. This led to some unsightly mounds of dirt and mud being transferred with the moved cobble. Ramon said he would order new cobble to cover the old, and, as a result, the ponding areas never looked so good. Ramon refused to be paid for that extra cobble.
I discovered after the crew left one day that some asphalt curbing had not been extended quite as far as we wanted. The drawing from which the crew worked may not have been as clear and precise as it could have been. Ramon, committed to getting everything “just right for my customers,” ordered another half-ton of asphalt and had his crew extend the curbing. In another class act, he again refused to be paid for the extra time and materials.
We look forward to Ramon and crew’s return next summer when seal coating will be added. If there is any level of complexity with any job, I recommend providing the crew with as much precision as possible. We will not have a “test” of the adequacy of the job until next year’s monsoon season, but I am confident that if any tweaks are necessary then, Ramon will provide the needed follow-up. I would not hesitate to recommend ABC Stripe.
