Garden by the Barn Landscaping

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• By Chris

  April 24, 2017

  Grade yard, hydroseed

  Working with this company is difficult at best.

  I started talking with Jeff back in February of '17. I explained that we had a pool installed and that as soon as the concrete was finished I wanted to move forward with the seeding and then with fence installation. He actually suggested that he could grade first, we could have the fence installed, then come back to seed. Perfect! I thought. He said they don't really like to seed before Middle of April, so it was no big hurry.

  I kept in touch, letting him know how the progress on the concrete was going. At the end of February we finally had some dry weather and the concrete guys came and did their digging and set up the forms.

  I had explained to Jeff that we were going to be on vacation the last week of February/First week of March, but other than that, any time he wanted to get together would be fine.

  Upon returning from vacation I found his estimate in a wet mess in my driveway. Apparently he came by when we were on vacation and just left it in the driveway where it lay in a puddle for about a week before I found it.

  We finally got the concrete poured on April 5th and I called to let him know that I was ready. I suggested that perhaps we should meet since I didn't think there would be enough dirt to properly grade the yard. He said there was no problem, we had plenty of dirt back there, and that he would be there before the weekend. I asked him to please call me when he was coming out. I wasn't home much, but with a little bit of notice I could leave work early to meet with him.

  The weekend came and went. Nothing from Jeff. I waited until Wednesday to call him. He said, 'Yeah, I came out on Saturday, you must never be home. There is nowhere near enough dirt out there, you are going to have to get a load of dirt delivered.' Never called me to tell me he was there, just came without telling me, then didn't bother to follow up.

  I explained that is why I wanted to talk with him, BEFORE he came out to do the work. (Incidentally, the forms were in place when he came the first time, so it was obvious where the concrete would be poured.)

  We agreed that he would come on Sunday afternoon (today) to talk and make sure we were on the same page and I was ordering enough top soil. He said he would be over after he finished up on another job. He said he would call late morning to let me know what time he was coming, but it would probably be 12:30. I texted him AND called AND left messages on Saturday night to confirm. No response. He finally replied to a text Sunday morning and said he would call me in a few minutes. I told him, no need as long as he would be here at 12:30. No further text or call.

  It is now 5pm. I have sat here all day waiting. Cancelled plans with my family. Waiting. I have called and texted. Nothing. No call to tell me he was coming, nothing to say he was late, or to tell me he wasn't coming at all. Just silence.

  I own a business myself and hate it when I keep a customer waiting for 5 minutes if I am on a phone call when they come into the office. I can't imagine a business model that would include keeping someone waiting for 5 hours on a Sunday afternoon for me to show up at the job.

  There are other options in this area. I highly suggest you try another one.

  If this is they way he is BEFORE he starts the job, I CAN'T IMAGINE what he is like AFTER if there are any problems.

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