CUSTOM LANDSCAPING

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I'm not one to usually write a review, unless it is exceptionally good service. This work, however, was so badly executed that I could not let it pass. I am sorry to report that there are people who behave like this in the business world. Not only was this company very unprofessional, but they did not perform the task in a timely manner, and they accepted money for work that was not completed, with no reimbursement given. The first week of February 2014, my mother and I asked Custom Landscaping to prune the very large and overgrown fig tree in our back yard. We asked that they cut off every branch or limb that was 4 inches or less in diameter. We explained that not only was the tree encroaching on the neighbor?s yard, but also the fruit was drawing raccoons, and we wanted to be able to either eliminate most of the figs this year, or at least be able to reach them and take them off the tree. The office was to call and let us know when they would be out to do the work. Over three weeks later, we still had received no phone call, but someone from the company came out on February 27-28. They cut off a small pile of pencil-sized twigs and left the property (photo attached). They were at the house for no more than 15 minutes, and never knocked on the door to let us know they were there. We hoped they would be back to finish the job later that day, or on another day, but a week later the tree still remained as they left it. On March 8, 2014, I finally pruned the tree myself, cutting it back as we had requested the landscaper to do. The following week we received a bill from the landscaper for $80 for the pruning, which my mother promptly paid, but noted on the invoice that the work had not been done as we had asked. On March 22, 2014, the owner of Custom Landscaping sent an email to our property owner stating that he returned to finish pruning the tree, saw that the work had been done already, and claimed that whoever had done the extensive pruning had destroyed the tree. He wanted to make it clear to the property owner that he did not do the work, and included a photo of the tree. They again had not given us any notification that they were coming back to do any work, but just entered our back yard and took a photo of the tree. (By the way, the property owner approved of the way I had pruned the tree, as it had been done that way several times in past years. The tree is not destroyed. It is already growing out again.) On March 25, 2014, we received a letter from the owner of Custom Landscaping (dated March 22, 2014) that was extremely unprofessional, childish and rude. The letter begins, ?Thank you for alerting me to the inadequate trimming job on the fig tree by my employees. We came back to try to improve our results, but found that the work had already been done by a well-trained professional. I took a photo, which is included, because I found the workmanship so accomplished! The tree is beautifully balanced, with plenty of low fruiting branches as you requested. This expert did indeed lower the canopy and clear the branches from the neighbor?s fence.? It goes on to state that he is going to send the photo to Sunset Magazine to put on their cover, and attempt to teach his employees how to become such skilled tree trimmers. It continues in this derogatory fashion, and is signed ?Insincerely?. I have attached a copy of the letter in its entirety. The day after receiving this letter, I called Custom Landscaping. They did not answer the phone, so I left a message letting them know that I received the letter, but, since they clearly stated in writing that they had not done the work, they had forgotten to include a reimbursement check for $80. I did not receive any response, and to date, (April 7, 2014) I have not been reimbursed.

Custom Landscaping's prices are very fair. They truly understand with schooled knowledge the trees and plants and how to take care of them. You can see the quality and health of the trees in the park.