Nice Drives in Hockley Heath, Solihull

I've been meaning to write this review for 6 months as I promised Ryan I would as you will see why as you read on.

I commissioned Ryan to do the work which was to dig up the existing drive with a number of trees and lay a tarmac drive with simple 1 stone border. I was told it would take 3 days which I suspected wasn't long enough as the trees were arge and deep rooted and the drive is a fair size but I'm no expert. There were some initial delays where they either didn't turn up or contacted me to explain there was a delay of some sort or other. I started getting uncomfortable about progress and did some research online about Nice Drives.

I read the negative reviews of Nice Drives and Ryan. To say I was now apprehensive was a big understatement. After speaking to Ryan who came round that morning he explained that customers rarely leave positive reviews from the hundreds of drives they have done and that the negative reviews were a handful of customers that he had attempted to put right or was in the process of doing so. He also explained that they have changed tarmac supplier to improve the quality of the product. He told me not to worry and that my drive would look 'a million dollars' as he put it. I was still sceptical as I am by nature but I allowed them to carry on.

There were a couple more minor delays for various reasons but I have to say that the drive does look 'a million dollars'. The end result is extremely impressive and the price I paid was very reasonable. 20% less than the nearest quote I got from alternative suppliers. I'm extremely happy with the result. I do compare my drive with others whilst out walking and personally I think mine looks far better in quality of workmanship.

If I could give prospective customers some advice on how to deal with Ryan/Nice Drives it would be that he/they are extremely busy as they have a lot of work on. Good workmen should be in this situation and it should inspire confidence that they get so much work. I appreciate it can be irritating chasing people and being let down for the odd day here and there but if you end up with a decent result at the end of it for less than competitors charge you should probably accept it. I personally would set my expectations that the job will take longer than you think so you won't be disappointed, If it is advertised as a 2-3 day job then maybe give a week. So long as you expect it to take this long it won't upset you if it does take that long.

So overall I am a happy customer who is delighted with my drive and believe the price I paid excellent value.

I had my driveway done with this company (Nice drives) and had too many problems with it to list here, and also had even more problems with them with trying to get them to honour their guarantee and fix all the drive problems, hence, none materialised, thats if they will even answer your calls, my phone numbers were classed as 'nuisance calls' I think, my calls would just ring and ring. If on the odd chance you get to leave an answer machine message then fine, but nobody ever gets back to you. Strangely when you ring 'Nice drives' for a new quote as a new customer they answer straight away and are very nice, therefore you have to try and use somebody elses phone to sort out problems, but they soon put a stop to answering that new number also. I phoned the office number several times, a lady mostly answered and said she would relay my message to 'the boss' but nobody ever got back to me, she would just say "all I can do is tell the boss the problem, he's not here now, or he is on site" so after about 50 or more attempts I gave up phoning that number. Anyway to cut a very long pain staking story short I thought I would see them at their office to sort this mess out face to face, I was in for an even stranger surprise. Their office address in Box Trees Farm Hockley Heath is a wooden shed thats used for a "mail" drop because its a good post code and "looks good" we were told by a local retailer in one of the small shops there. They said somebody only arrives at the shed once in a while to pick up mail, there was no one present at the shed and looks like no one is ever there. Next I went to the address on 119 Prospect Lane Solihull and realised I was at a hairdressers, I went in and was told to contact the phone number for nice drives because they were only a hairdressers and could not help me in any way, they were very unaccomodating, very bewildered and upset I then went to their address in Birmingham and realised its a p o box number, another mail drop, I found an old address in Hockley Heath in Portmaneau Street and went there, that was a small private house, nobody answered when I knocked about 20 times and it appears to be empty. Hence now I realise this "Shower" have a handfull of company addresses scattered about just to look like a big company but are really a tiny bunch of cowboys that take their customers for mugs, and seem very happy about doing it. If you read this then good luck, I did not realise this type of thing still goes on but this lot are proof it does.

Dispassionate history of my experience - judge for yourselves: I had them complete work in May 2016, done to a poor standard by their own subsequent admission. After a few months of failed return visits and two legal letters from me, they came back and pulled the whole drive up and relaid over a period of a month, to a much higher standard - except the tarmac strip at the front of the block paved driveway, which is crumbling and was reported straightaway. I now can't get them back to replace this as they are not returning calls or messages - so a 3 day job back in May 2016 is still rumbling on.

I too find the reviews on here very suspicious. We had Nice Drives recommended by a friend who had recently had their driveway done to an excellent standard. We couldn't be happier with ours either. Ryan and the team were extremely reliable and always updated us on progress or if they were delayed for any reason. We didn't fully pay until the work was done and we were happy with it. They were always polite and very helpful. Would definitely recommend.

Really pleased with the standard of work by nice drives! I was under no pressure Ryan and his team are really nice, accommodating and patient when my partner and i couldn't make up our mind. When we finally did decide he assured us it would look fab... and it did! He issued us with a contract and i payed upon completion. I have to say i felt very confident with the company & we have had no issues with the company what so ever, They were on time with the job and it was finished to a high standard with no mess! Aftercare is also fabulous, Ryan took the time to call in recently to check all is ok which i really appreciated. Definitely will be recommending NICE DRIVES.

Really REALLY happy with the service from Nice Drives.

I was recommended by a friend of mine and was not disappointed. I struggle to believe some of the poor reviews on here....they really could not help me enough, everybody who came to work on my drive was so pleasant and friendly and most of all very professional - which was rather nice to experience.

I could see the job was not rushed in the slightest, they paid attention to detail and kept me fully informed as to what was being done and when. We changed our mind part the way through the process with regards to the design, i can appreciate that must be a nightmare! but they were really great i didn't feel like i was being too much of a pain.

Just to add i think its great that the payment is taken upon completion with the correct paperwork.

Many thanks to Ryan

I have recently had my drive done in lapworth by nice drives and I don't agree with the previous comments about them they are under new ownership and they did a great job on my drive and have done a couple of my friends drives I have suggested them to a few people they turned up on time they issued me with a contract straight away and was that confident in their work I didn't have to pay anything until job was completed they were pleasant to talk to and their Efforts for the work really showed I am over joyed with my drive and I would recommend them to anyone wanting their drive done thanks for the nice drive And thanks to all the staff.

Dreadful, very shoddy work. Nice drives of Solihull are totally unreliable.
They cut corners with their workmanship whenever they can, and when problems arise, and they do, they never return your calls. They treat their customers with utter contempt. Their guarantee is not worth the paper its written on.
The worst trades people by far i have ever dealt with.

Very dodgy outfit, extremely poor workmanship and absolutely no aftercare. I was also warned off when I contacted nice drives about my block paved driveway which sank after a few months. I made numerous calls to Ryan Mathews but he never returns calls, I realise now that will have to pay for the repairs myself. If you are planning on using this substandard "company" ask to see similar works which have been completed at least one year previously and contact the home owner. My advice is to not go near this company, contact No Rogue Traders, set up in partnership with Trading Standards, its just not worth the anguish to use NOT SO nice drives.