White Pine man exasperated after contractor stops mid-repair on crumbling driveway

WHITE PINE, Tenn. (WATE) — A homeowner in White Pine continues to wait on improvements to his driveway after paying a contractor more than two years ago.

Dealing with unfinished contract work can be frustrating, especially if you’re waking up each morning to an unfinished job. That’s what Greg Helinske faces when he walks down his driveway , which was paved more than two years ago. He is exasperated with the man who paved his driveway.

“This is the original job he did. This is what he thought I should be satisfied with,” said Helinske.

The deteriorating asphalt in Helinske’s driveway infuriated him, considering the $27,000 he’s spent.

“It’s all gone. It’s all broken up. There is no asphalt at all. It’s down to the rock and the underlay,” said Helinske.

Greg had 300 feet of driveway paved. The contractor was Miser’s Asphalt Paving and Seal Coating out of Morristown.

“He says he’s licensed and insured, he’s not. It ended up being $27,500,” said Helinske. “Yes sir, a lot of money.”

The contract with Miser’s business was signed in May 2022. It came with a three-year warranty. With chunks of asphalt exposed on the driveway last year, 6 News called Rodney Miser about honoring his warranty .

One of the fixes was made in June 2023.

“He patched here, he patched there. He put this border around. He said the water was running under the asphalt so that would alleviate that problem. Then he replaced this. Any place you see the dark binder-type asphalt, he replaced that,” said Helinske.

Still, there are pockmarks throughout the new first layer of paving and, of course, that big hole that Miser forgot to pave.

“When he finished what he did here, he said that he didn’t have any more money. If I would wait until the spring, he would come back and finish it,” said Helinske.

Miser never returned to put down the top layer or make other improvements, but he’s pocketed $27,000. When 6 News called him again, we reached his voicemail and heard a message saying that the mailbox was full.

“It’s been full every time I call him,” said Helinske.

When we reached Miser last September, he reassured Greg he would do the work right. But this is what Greg has gotten for $27,000. A halfway finished driveway with lots of problems.

“It’s breaking up …. it sinking … it’s heaving .. this is just a terrible quality of asphalt,” said Helinske.

Here are questions to ask your driveway contractor before your paving job:

• How long have you been in business?
  • You don’t want a fly-by-night company.
• Are you licensed and insured?
  • Don’t simply accept “Yes” for an answer. Ask to see official paperwork that backs up that claim.
• How long can I expect the surface to last?
  • With proper care, an asphalt driveway can last for around 10 to 15 years. You’ll need to seal-coat it every few years.

“I want him to come back out and finish my driveway,” said Helinske.

Helinske isn’t the only one who wants Miser to return. A couple in Cosby hired Miser to pave their driveway in August 2022. They were charged $45,000 for what they described as substandard quality. They asked him to return to honor his warranty. He didn’t. So, they took Miser to court, won their case, but have not received a dime.

Helinski is contacting the state Department of Commerce and Insurance where you can file a complaint against contractors.

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