Northland Paving Ltd

Paving Contractors
Toronto ON M1E 4Y6
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Northland Paving Ltd
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Reviews for Northland Paving Ltd

Average customer rating:
8.8 10 (126 reviews)

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herbert anderson from Whitby
herbert anderson from Whitby
1 review Whitby, ON
10/10

interlock paving

I would like to thank Giorgio and Dave for the professional way my project was handled.I would most certainly recommend northland paving to my family and friends.a nice looking job.

Approximate cost of services:
$10.00
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

Thank you for your kind words! We are very happy that you would recommend Northland Paving to your family and friends and you have our word that we won't let them down!

Sandra Edmonds from Toronto
Sandra Edmonds from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
5/10

Asphalt driveway replacement

We share a large asphalt driveway with our neighbours who own a seven unit apartment. The driveway was in terrible shape. In August of 2014 we got quotes for excavation and application of new asphalt from four recommended companies. Although Northland Paving was by far the most expensive (almost twice what the other companies asked), we decided to go with them based on previous customers reviews. We agreed with our neighbour that we would split the cost equally, even though their portion of the driveway is larger.
Giorgio sold us a contract for the 'Gold Package'. For a total of $28,656.40 they would - Remove all existing asphalt - Excavate all existing base and earth to a depth of 8" below the finished surface - Supply an 8" base of Crushed stone - and supply and spread Hot Mix Asphalt. The contract that we AND Giorgio signed was worded "Acceptance of this quotation constitutes a binding contract".
Two weeks later the excavation team came. The lead worker started digging up the asphalt while the rest of the team filled the dump trucks. Well into the job we received a phone call from Giorgio (who was not on site) to say that the guy doing the digging (sorry, I don't know his name) had discovered some buried concrete under the asphalt. They hadn't been aware of this when they gave us the quote (obviously, neither were we) and 'it could cost up to another $8,000 to remove and dispose of the concrete!' So much for the 'binding contract'.
Since the team was well into the excavation, we really felt we had no choice but to let them continue. They actually charged us another $6,215 - which we resentfully paid.
Eventually driveway was paved and we are satisfied with the result. However, for the sake of good customer relations, Northland Paving should not have charged us more than we agreed in our contract. Who does business like that?

Approximate cost of services:
$34,871.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

We are happy that you are pleased with your new driveway. Sometimes there are unknown factors that present themselves in any construction project.
The contract we signed with you was actually $24,000 for the asphalt replacement on your contract and it did indeed specify that we would remove and dispose of existing asphalt and 8” of existing base (driveway base materials consist of crushed stone) and underlying earth. We contracted to supply and install 8” of crushed stone.
Unfortunately the previous paving contractor had chosen (for obvious economic reasons) to leave existing deteriorated concrete buried beneath your asphalt surface. It is very costly to remove as the effort is more time consuming to break up and dig out reinforced concrete as opposed to base materials, extra trucking is involved and the concrete must be separated from the rest of the materials for disposal, disposal fees also go up, the depth of the excavation went from 8” to 12” and therefore more materials also had to be trucked in. We also don’t like these surprises because we estimate approximately how long each project should take to complete and when this happens our schedule must change and the other projects we were scheduled for that day had to be cancelled.
We don’t like surprises any more than you do but without bore-hole testing being provided to us we have no way of knowing if concrete is buried (this is certainly not the norm). We estimated it could cost an extra $8,000.00 as we really didn’t know how much it involved until we were knee deep in the excavation. In fact the final tally was $5,500.00 for the extra time, trucking and materials the rest ($715.00) was HST.
We thought it best to complete the project properly and leave you with a well-built solid driveway rather than bury and have the driveway fail like the last contractor did.

Morris W R from Toronto
Morris W R from Toronto
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

driveway asphalt paving, concrete sidewalk/french curb, porch resurfacing/design work

I am very glad we chose Northland Paving. Our main contact person, Giorgio, is a polite and well-spoken individual who is very knowledgeable and really gave 110% to ensure my satisfaction, taking the time to explain to me about paving and concrete materials and how the process works. I tend to ask a lot of questions, and he was very patient and happy to answer them all. Giorgio and the crew foreman also provided me with a clear timeline of when everything was to be done, and the work was indeed done within that time frame. The concrete and paving crew were very experienced ... it was obvious they knew what they were doing ... skilled and methodical ... and the results show. Also, the in-office staff was helpful (and always available) in coordinating convenient scheduling. I highly recommend Northland Paving.

Approximate cost of services:
$25,000.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

Thank you Morris for your kind words. It was a pleasure working with you. We are very proud of all our team at Northland!

Kate from Scarborough
Kate from Scarborough
2 reviews Ajax, ON
10/10

Paving

Northland Paving paved my driveway and I am very happy with the results.  They had to stop my job part way through because the city was working on my street.  Sheila would call regularly for status updates for the construction on the street and when I told her it was finally finished she immediately scheduled the driveway to be finished.

These guys really knew their stuff.  They were amazing to watch, everyone was busy and seemed to know their jobs very well.  They did my patio a few years ago and I was happy with them then, now my driveway is the nicest on the street.

I would highly recommend them.

Approximate cost of services:
$2,000.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

Yes, the city can really play havoc with our scheduling department! We are happy to have you back as a repeat client. Thank you for your positive review.

Michael W.
Michael W.
4 reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

Interlock and Retaining Wall

I recently had an interlock project and retaining wall installed at my home by Northland Paving. The entire project was conducted by professional and courteous Northland employees. The design was perfect for my requirements and the excavating and installation crews were exceptional. Sheila Ireland, the scheduling coordinator, was exemplary! She insured that each phase was scheduled in a timely manner and in accordance with timing that was acceptable to ME! I would recommend Northland without hesitation!

Approximate cost of services:
$20,000.00
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

Thank you for your kind words! We are happy that Northland Paving met your expectations. Our staff really take pride in what they do and it shows, we are very proud of them!

Amanda
Amanda
3 reviews Toronto, ON
0/10

front porch

The salesman was rude and unattentive. The office staff was also rude when I called to find out when work would begin. They swore to me it would be done before winter. The tradesman was beyond rude and then said it was too cold to do the work. Got my deposit back . What a way to run a business

Approximate cost of services:
$3,000.00
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

We apologise "Louise" that we did not meet your expectations. I reviewed your review with all of the staff members that you came into contact with and of the thousands of contracts we have had, they instantly knew who you were even though you are not really "Louise". The challenges they had with our dealings with you were noted in your customer file.
We quoted your project in August and you signed a contract late in the season, October actually. When it was time for your contract to commence (as we had other contracts previously signed to complete first in all fairness to them), the weather had become unseasonably cold.
Our technician felt it was too cold to provide you with the quality installation we could stand behind so he offered you a temporary fix with a promise to complete it in the spring when the weather is more favorable.
Some contractors would have done the job, cashed the cheque and you would have been pleased in the short term. We prefer to be able to stand by our work and earn your repeat business and referrals.
Rather than give you a poor installation we opted to refund your deposit and we stand by our decision to do so. I'm sorry you found our staff to be rude, it is not like them to be less than professional and I am very surprised by your comment although given the notes in your customer file I understand.

Danny T from Toronto
Danny T from Toronto
11 reviews Toronto, ON
3/10

paving

Northland repaved my driveway and added a drain at the garage. When finished not one drop of water flowed toward my new drain and my small puddles were now big ones. Numerous calls and promises later and it still doesn't drain and I am faced with a skating rink every morning.

Review has 1 previous version
Approximate cost of services:
$9,000.00
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

Hi Danny, as you are aware there were major technical challenges with regards to achieving a proper slope for drainage on your property. To some extent that has been achieved, because the slope on your driveway is less than 1% the water does not run fast enough to drain and therefore the water is freezing. We will need to elevate the driveway to achieve proper drainage however, in doing so it will need to be higher than your existing lawn to attain a proper slope for drainage. We will be contacting you in the spring as previously discussed.

Judy Scher Scarborough
Judy Scher Scarborough
5 reviews Scarborough, ON
9/10

Wet basement waterproofing, patiostones and asphalt

We were looking to re-asphalt our old driveway, add some interlock, and at the same time waterproof the basement of our house along the wall underneath the driveway. We were happy to know that Northland did both so as to coordinate the project. They did a great job. Bobby and his crew worked a long dirty day to make sure that the waterproofing and drainage will last for years to come. We immediately noticed a decrease in moisture in our basement. Great job. Sheila is the scheduling coordinator who works hard to ensure work is done in a timely manner. The interlock crew did a great job. They actually came back the next day to replace some stones where the colour was off for us. I would highly recommend this company.

Approximate cost of services:
$19,000.00
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Sandra & Tony from Toronto
Sandra & Tony from Toronto
1 review Scarborough, ON
10/10

Asphalt Driveway Project, Interlocking Stone Patio

We can't thank the staff at Northland enough for their fabulous work at our home. Northland came highly recommended and lived up to its reputation on our complex project. We felt comfortable from our initial consultation, and were impressed by the fanfare of trucks, trailers and machines the crew arrived with to work on our job. The project turned out precisely as described by George during our quotation, and the crew worked diligently to navigate our limited clearance for backyard access. All crews who visited our property were professionals in their trade and even went the extra mile to help us with some odds and ends that were beyond their scope of work. The office staff were pleasant, we found them to be knowledgeable and patient with us whenever we had questions. We will use Northland for our other property and would recommend this company with confidence.

Approximate cost of services:
$40,000.00
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Lana in Scarborough
Lana in Scarborough
4 reviews Scarborough, ON
3/10

Interlocking Brick

While Northland may be good at paving, I would suggest you may wish to consider another supplier for interlocking.
We had our driveway and front patio regraded and new interlocking done almost 4 years ago. Why did it take so long to write a review?? Partly 'who likes to be a complainer and write negative comments and partly because of a visit the salesman made to our home a few weeks ago when we happened to be home and he was showing our driveway off as one of their success stories (he did not bring them up to the top of the driveway where it is heaving). We had previously expressed our displeasure with the final grading and ponding at the bottom of the driveway however this was met with a response of 'nothing we can do'. Now, the interlocking is already heaving in some areas and since the salesman was there to 'show off' our driveway, we took the opportunity to advise him of the disappointment that the interlocking is already heaving. He pointed out it was a very hard winter but added "this is a quick fix" and "I'll speak to the owner and see what we can do. It would be a shame to lose this as a showcase property". That was over 3 weeks ago and we have not heard a word from Northland despite the fact they are in the neighbourhood doing the driveway across the street (asphalt).
Hence the review now and I sincerely apologize to anyone who has had the same difficulties we had during the job for not writing this sooner. Some highlights of the actual work experience by Northland:
* our contract called for a minimum base of 8-10 inches. After they had done the excavating and regrading they left the driveway advising it had to settle before they could put on the limestone. When they left, we dug pilot holes and checked the grading...the largest base in any one area was 4 inches and the grading was already at the final grade (thus no room for limestone). We called Northland, pointed out the lack of compliance to the contract and they sent back to their crew to do it all over again.
* Given the need to have a watchful eye, I took a day off to be home when they were scheduled to come back for the next stage. No phone call and no show. They did come the next day.
* Upon returning home from work, I questioned the foreman about the accent brick they were putting down. He advised me it was the accent brick we had chosen. As he was not willing to listen to our insistence that it was not, we got the very detailed contract and pointed to the name/number of brick on the skids which was clearly not the accent brick we had chosen and paid for. It turns out they didn't have any in stock and were trying to pass this brick off as a substitute. Not a viable option for us so they removed the 'substitutes' and purchased the ones we had contracted for.
These are just a couple highlights of our experience with Northland. This latest suggestion of fixing the heaving and not following through was the final slap in the face and what prompted this review (albeit late).
Despite a hard winter, we do not believe that the interlocking should be heaving AND we believe if a contractor is going to make a suggestion that he will 'see what we can do', he should get back to the customer to explain options and make it right (especially since they are doing another job right across the street).
The lack of commitment to doing what they say they will do without being chased/checked up on is why I would not recommend this company to my friend or family. If you are going to use them, I would strongly suggest a VERY detailed contract and a project manager to keep them to their word.
August 2014 update: the day after posting this review, I received a call from one of the staff at Northland who was quite upset by the review and I received a stern lecture and several excuses for the items listed above. She advised the owner would come out and see us the following Monday.
Sept. 2014 Update: Northland Paving has advised us that the ground in the Bluffs area is clay which makes interlocking brick very challenging. That, combined with the terrible winter accounts for the heaving. Additionally we were advised was that, with interlocking, you need to repair some of the polymeric sand every year and it wasn't possible to do more grading than what we ended with. All of which would have been nice to know IN ADVANCE of the decision to have interlocking versus paving. So, to reiterate my original point, suggest paving versus interlocking and ensure you have a well detailed contract, a project manager if you aren't able to be there when the job is being done and don't forget to check the base before continuing to paving or interlocking to ensure it meets what is required.
Now, does anyone have any suggestions for a reliable supplier who can fix our heaving?

Approximate cost of services:
$40,000.00
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.
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More about Northland Paving Ltd

Northland Paving’s commitment to excellence is the foundation by which the company has grown. Specializing in commercial and residential projects with uncompromising standards, Northland has grown to become one of the most respected paving and interlocking stone contractors in the Toronto area.

CATEGORIES
Paving Contractors, Concrete Contractors, and Interlocking Stone
PRODUCTS
Unilock Authorized Dealer
SERVICES
Interlocking Stone Installations, Asphalt Paving Contractors, Concrete Installation, Concrete Resurfacing
BRANDS
Unilock
STYLES
Residential, Commercial and Industrial Projects
SPECIALITIES
Unilock Authorized Contractor, Unilock Authorized Dealer
WEBSITE
http://www.northlandpaving.com
YEAR ESTABLISHED
1986
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
30
PAYMENT METHOD
Cash, Cheque, Direct Debit, Visa, MasterCard
LICENSES
Toronto, Markham
MEMBERSHIPS
Landscape Ontario, Toronto Construction Association, Better Business Bureau
LIABILITY INSURANCE
Yes
WORKERS COMPENSATION
Yes
BONDED
Yes
WRITTEN CONTRACT
Yes
Company profile information is not moderated by HomeStars. Ask the contractor to verify before hiring.