Walter Royal Fouts

Sadly, our HOA decided not to go forward with the project, deeming a complete overhaul to be too expensive. That said, of all the proposals submitted, Walter's was far and away the best.

Did not use

The project went well. I made a few big changes during the project and he was accommodating (I appreciated that). Thank you Walter!

They were very nice, and I liked them. They seemed very very professional, and they didn't seem like they were trying to rip us off. We didn't go with them because we haven't decided to do the job yet.

We were impressed with his design and his knowledge. His prices seemed fair and competitive. He seems to be an honest fellow. After receiving a few estimates and consulting with other landscapers, we decided to go with Walter. Walter listened carefully to what we wanted and gave us a vision for our home. He is a creative soul and loves what he does. Walter had suggestions for our home that we would like to incorporate over time and as our budget allows. Last August Walter replaced broken concrete with a lawn and installed a timer-based sprinkler system. This past WET winter, part of our lawn died. I called Walter in late spring and told him about the lawn. He immediately came by and contacted the sod grower and them come out and inspect the lawn. Walter stood by his work and the product he used. He was about to start replacing part of the lawn, when it looked like it was going to start growing again with the warmer weather. It looks greener every day. Walter assured me that if the lawn did not grow in again, that he would replace it. We are looking forward to working with Walter over several phases to beautify both our front and back yards. This year, we are planning to have Walter install one of his beautiful gates.

Walter was very responsive from the beginning. He locked in on our central concept -- selling a house -- and geared his efforts toward that objective. He made numerous valuable suggestions, above and beyond landscaping issues, that should help us get ready to sell our home. Walter works directly on most of the landscaping tasks himself, assisted by his son (also a hard worker). We were surprised at his speed, since Walter completed everything in about half the time we'd expected. For the jobs less associated with landscaping (such as large tree-trimming and major masonry work), he sub-contracts. We were impressed with that aspect of the work, as well. His stable of contractors in the area are a definite advantage. He's been doing this for a long time, and knows his people. Walter added some very nice trademark touches to our job without increasing the estimate. We'd asked for a mailbox replacement with a simple post, but what we got was a custom-made post with a figure-cut arm that made it more than ordinary. He made a sturdy gate frame without the use of nails or screws. Esthetically pleasing custom-made gates are apparently part of his brand. Walter was always here at the times agreed to, from the initial estimate to the final touch-up. He was invariably professional and courteous, and was a well-spring of knowledge and creativity about all things landscaping. Add to this that he is personable and easy to talk to, and you have a winning combination. I would not hesitate to call him again (and will, just before we sell) or recommend him to others. I'm very pleased with the face-lift he gave to our property.

Walt is a very personable guy and likes to understand your tastes and the way you'll use your newly renovated outdoors before he starts his design. He has been in business for 20 years, and still designs "the old way" with paper and pencil. What he produces is a plan for your property that is much more personalized and thought-out than the cookie-cutter copy-and-paste designs that computer packages can produce. He has to think much more about how the landscape will tie everything together when he does it his way. He takes design cues from your house or property and incorporates those motifs throughout his work. He not only focuses on how the design will look when its brand-new, but how the plants and layout will weather the years of adequate (or inadequate) upkeep, and factors his plant choices based on that. His knowledge from working in the southern california environment for 20 years is encyclopedic, and he has a lot of experience backing up every design choice. In terms of disclosure, Walt is a nearby neighbor, but by being able to spend time with him I've seen the beautiful work that he has done in his career and how it is distinct from a lot of the other services out there. I'm very happy with the plan he produced for my property and I'm looking forward to getting started on it. Walt may not be the cheapest bid out there, but his high quality of work and craftsmanship seems to be a scarcity.