My personal experience with the owner of this company ( Chris Nickerson )was horrific.
He is not a man of his word and I would advise those that use him to take extra caution. Have a clear contract with all the details and please dont make a payment untill work is satisfactorilly done. He is very persuasive before the job is done but after he gets paid and you call him in to correct his work he turns on you fast. Run run away from this guy and his company.
We used Chris to improve our gravel drive, which is quite sloped and has some issues due to the grade and drainage. Chris initially crowned then surfaced with recycled asphalt. He has performed some annual maintenance since, usually after the spring melt and heavy rains - expected in Maine winters, I am afraid. We have always been more than satisfied with his work, find him to be friendly, business-like and fast, We're happy with the work, and the efficiency of his operation and the cost effectiveness can't be beat. Thanks, Chris.
Rule of thumb is every 6 inches of depositing gravel, compact it. He does not. After 30 days you will notice depressions that pool with water. No slope/ pitch /gradient. This was a bitter PILL.
Had I put this driveway and pad in, as Angelo was insisting, he would have had a bowl instead of driveway. Not only do people hire me for my experience they hire me for good judgment. In the contract which Angelo signed, and on the phone, I told him I would put the driveway in with normal construction practices. If he was not comfortable with that, do not hire me. The review by Angelo is based on a personality conflict and an abrupt emotional response by me, not workmanship. When this erupted I did tell him if he were not satisfied to take it to court, I had the contract, the gravel pit slips, and hundreds of recommendations concerning good work ethics from satisfied customers.
Estimate called for 113 yards of material...I gave him 162... no extra cost.
I used him and his company (the gravel doctor ) to redo my 170ft driveway to grade out 18 inches depth and then fill it with gravel and compact. $4926 later as per the contract and what was promised I did not have a crown on my driveway or even the proper drainage. He did not compact the driveway with every layer of gravel just at the very end. So after its settled there are depressions/ uneven and pooling water in just 3 weeks
Angelo is correct in a couple of these statements in his review: I was rude to Angelo and for that I did apologize.
Angelo assumed 18" in the ground as the standard. It is 18" of material sold by cubic yards.. He had a 2 foot level, placing the level on the lawn every couple of feet bringing it to level and measuring with a tape measure. I tried to explain to him that you needed a standard level point to set a grade correctly. He either did not understand the principal or refused to listen. I used the floor of his garage with a laser level. Good driveway construction sets a driveway in above grade allowing water to run off. You set it in below grade and you have a bowl.
I'm very happy with the work Chris, The Gravel Doctor, did repairing my driveway and putting down reclaimed asphalt. When he came do do my estimate, it was clear he knew what he was talking about, and after comparing his work and prices with a couple other estimates, he won the job hands down. It took his crew half a day to complete the job, and through the entire process, I found him to be very professional. He ended up having to use an additional load beyond the quote he gave me, but kept to the original estimated price. I've recommended his company to several of my friends, and would gladly recommend him to anyone who asks.
I told him I would be back in 2 weeks to fill in holes in the lawn....I was back in two days and hand shoveled loam from the back of dump truck. He was not there at the time. When he called to ask me if I would be returning to fill the holes. I told him I had been there . He called me a liar....it was at this point I was rude. He later admitted in the conversation he saw the loam.
He had promised me that he stood by his work and would fix anything if it was not as per the contract. When I called him today just 3 weeks from the driveway install he was totally rude to me and stated I could take him to court,told me I dont know anything about drive ways and hang up.
I did not follow the contract..it called for 2" screened gravel...I gave him 3" crushed ledge for the same price of gravel. crushed ledge is a better product.
Gravel Doctor is a US General Contractor based in Bangor, Maine. Gravel Doctor is located at 100 Annis Rd, Bangor, ME 04401, USA.
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