Bestway Asphalt Reviews

About this Website

When I was looking for an asphalt paving contractor in the fall of 2021, I stumbled across Bestway Asphalt, based in Columbiaville, Michigan. The company was included in listings of asphalt contractors on YELP, the Real Yellow Pages, Porch, and the Better Business Bureau (note that the company is not accredited by the BBB). Other than providing phone numbers and the address for Bestway, these listings did not provide any additional details about the company or its owner, Richard J. Clapper. Regrettably, there were no customer reviews included in the listings. Had I had access to feedback from Bestway Asphalt's customers, I would never have hired the company. The purpose of this website is to share information and customers' experience with you so you will be better informed than I was in selecting an asphalt contractor.

My Experience

On September 8, 2021, Richard (Rick) Clapper, owner of Bestway Asphalt, quoted a price of $28,500 for the installation of an asphalt driveway at my home. The work was to have started the following week and been completed during the month of September. He required a 50% deposit of $14,250. We gave him a check in that amount, and he cashed it that very afternoon.

Fast forward to the end of October. The weather was getting colder, and November’s forecast was for more of the same. The paving season was drawing to a close. Bestway had not even started the job and had no plans to do so. I told Mr. Clapper I wanted a refund of my deposit. He told me he had used that money to buy materials. If true, these were not materials for our job but materials for someone else’s job - sort of a Ponzi scheme involving asphalt instead of investments. I told him that was not my issue. He had not done any of the work he committed to do and I wanted my money back. He said he needed some checks to clear before he had the funds. He said it might take a few days, but the implication was that I would get my deposit back in a week or so.

Months later, Mr. Clapper is refusing to return my deposit, despite numerous requests that he do so and the fact that he did absolutely nothing to earn any part of it. I am not the only one to have had this experience with Bestway. Read on for additional customer reviews, and information about the company and its owner.

Absence From Business and Industry Listings

Bestway Asphalt claims to be located in Columbiaville, Michigan, yet if you go to the Columbiaville directory of local businesses at the following link, you will not find a listing for the company:

http://columbiaville.org/businesses.htm

Similarly, MLive maintains a listing of two hundred asphalt paving contractors in southeast Michigan. Bestway Asphalt did not make the cut:

https://businessfinder.mlive.com/search?lat=43.156693&long=-83.410505&page=1&place=Columbiaville%2C+MI&q=asphalt+paving

Company Owner Background Check

Richard J. (Rick) Clapper , owner of Bestway Asphalt, is a folksy guy. He is easy to talk to and seems to know what he is doing. I trusted him and now I deeply regret it. I blame myself for not doing due diligence before hiring him, which turned out to be the worst contracting mistake I have ever made.

After being taken for thousands of dollars, I belatedly went to truthfinder.com to get a background check on Mr. Clapper - something I should have done before I hired him. Truth Finder is one of several online subscription services that comb through public records for information on criminal convictions, liens, small claims and civil judgements, evictions, bankruptcies, etc. My advice to anyone who is still considering hiring Richard Clapper and Bestway Asphalt: go to https://www.truthfinder.com/ , search for Richard J. Clapper of Columbiaville, Michigan, and read the report.