California Smartscape

Our goal was for a low maintenance water conservative yard. The result far exceeded our expectations.

From our initial meeting with Andrew, the 3-d design and presentation through excavation and installation went well and as planned. Andrew, the project foreman, and everyone in the crew were always available to answer any questions we had and were an absolute pleasure to work with.

Everyone we had contact with in the company was competent, friendly, clean, and professional. All work was completed on time and on budget. We find ourselves spending a lot more time outside enjoying our new paradise.

This company was the best we have ever worked with.  They gave us a time frame and started the job when they said they would and finished on time.  They worked everyday and were very courteous and professional.  They always cleaned up at the end of the day and if there were any questions or concerns they promptly returned calls and were always there to fix things.  The end result was absolutely beautiful and done exactly how we wanted it.  We would highly recommend this company for all your landscape needs.  They were excellent in price for all that they did!!!!

We could not be more pleased with the design and installation of landscaping by Califoria SmartScape at our home. We moved to more drought-tolerant landscaping front, back and sides of our property. The design phase involved several visits by the designer, as many meetings as we wanted to ask questions and go over revisions, and sensitivity to how we use and enjoy our home and surrounds. The superb design phase was matched by the installation. A general contractor was on site the whole time and the crew sizes flexed depending on the tasks. The most important aspect of the install is this: there were skilled crews here every day until the job was done. A miracle in about three weeks, even through some rain delays. How many of us have worked with contractors and had them leave the work for a day or even more because of ?a problem on another job? somewhere else? That?s not the way California SmartScape conducts business: they stay on the job, day in day out, even one Saturday, until the job is done. Very, very pleased as was the reference we contacted before we engaged the company.

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I felt immediately comfortable with this company and that level of comfort continued throughout the project. Jay put together a plan that met our budget and he and Julia designed a hardscape and landscape plan that is attractive, functional, and is even better than what we expected.
Putting in that plan required a lot of demolition, removal, and innovation, but Leo and Bob and their hard working crew were definitely up to it. They were punctual, courteous, and excellent craftsmen.  
Overall an excellent experience that we will enjoy even more over time. I heartily recommend this company. 

SUMMARY: Don’t let the full page color advertising in Home Decor fool you. Avoid this company. California Smartscape (CA Smartscape) first contact, design, and business development part was great initially. Once the project started, it became clear they were in over their heads, lacked the proper project management skills, did not have the proper subcontractors (they claimed they were their employees) to do some of the work, lacked accountability, and above all, the owners Jay and Richard (we interacted with both) proved to be extremely irresponsible and dishonest when faced with difficult situations/mistakes on their part. In business, the true measure of someone’s character is not when everything goes well, it’s when everything goes wrong. Unfortunately, Jay and Richard failed miserably at this, and that to me is the most disappointing part of this company. So if you believe your project is going to go well, then maybe you’ll be lucky and everything is fine, but we were the unfortunate ones that learned how they operate when things go wrong, and doing the right thing is not their response (see details below). It’s sad because the crew that Bob led had good intentions, a sense of ethics, a heart and knew between right and wrong. The owners should spend more time with the people they subcontract with to do the work to learn quite a bit about accountability, honesty, and righteousness because when you go home to your family at the end of the day, it would be a lot more rewarding to know you did the right thing not what you got away with. ADVICES IF YOU CONSIDER HIRING THIS COMPANY (if they refuse, seriously consider another landscaping company, otherwise, at your own risks): Make sure you review all details in the contract; and insist that all details discussed during the design phase and 3D rendering be specifically detailed (never too much details including exclusions i.e. what it does not include) in your quote. Do not sign the part of the arbitration clause where you give away your rights to discovery in case of litigation (we were comfortable with the arbitration itself, just not that clause), ask for a payment schedule that is based on milestone and not weekly payments (they will charge but not do the work; owners will sing a completely different song, but your choice to believe or not). THE STORY: It took us a while to write this review because we’ve been dealing with many issues even after the project was completed (pavers efflorescence still after 1 year, uneven/separated pavers due to improper base/installation, complete drip system tubing replacement), and we can now report a complete picture of the product we were provided with. We did competitive bidding with 2 other landscape companies. CA Smartscape first contact, responsiveness, and design part was really good initially (it was a significant project). Jesse (landscape architect/designer) was very responsive, listened to our needs and his design was in general in line with our vision so we decided to go with them. Contractual signing process was however tricky as they want you to sign a high level itemized contract that is mostly based on images (3D rendering) without enough details, which made us uncomfortable, but after being reassured that it would match what we discussed/agreed and the 3D rendering (minus the TV and furniture of course), we agreed. We also had an issue with one aspect of the arbitration clause in their contract, specifically the part where you waiver any rights to discovery (i.e. your right to get access to their documentation if anything is suspect) in case of litigation/arbitration. We signed anyway. Jay (one of the owners) also suggested removing the concrete slab (back patio) so it would be all pavers instead of concrete and pavers (esthetically better) but we expressed concerns about costs. He offered that we could use the pavers planned for the installation on one side of the house (as per the bid) for the back patio, so there would be no additional charge for the pavers (except demo of existing slab). We agreed as it was a good idea. Project started really fast, somewhat disorganized, demo staff did not know what to do, trees were taken out where they were not supposed to, and our existing patio structure got damaged. We later found out that most if not all of the crews were subcontractors, although the owners kept insisting they were CA Smartscape employees (wearing a company shirt does not make you an employee!). We also kept asking for the plans as there were a lot of inconsistencies (work already in progress) and we needed to make sure the work reflected our agreed upon contract and design discussions. The plans were finally provided about 4-5 weeks into the project, and needed a lot of adjustments/changes to reflect our contract. One day, Jay informed us that we were short by about 800sf on the paver estimates. Turns out they had made a mistake on the paver calculations, so the apparent no charge for the back patio pavers were now about 4000$. He also indicated that the electrical in the back patio structure (outdoor kitchen) was not included (although it was clearly shown in the plans and was clearly discussed with Jesse during the design phase), that the gates were only for 3 panels (“doors”) although the 3D rendering plans we had clearly showed 3 openings/entryways with a total of 5 panels/doors i.e. 2 double doors, and a single door. Overall, since we were already committed, we split the costs on the pavers, and took the hit (we paid for them) on the electrical and the gates. Other work (repairing patio cover and stucco on house, gates) also started to be dropped out as they either could not do the work and/or had to hire competent people to do the work (it became clear that this job, because of their mistakes, was no longer cost effective for them). We eventually had to hire a contractor to fix the stucco on the house following their failed attempts at repairing it (used the wrong material/technique). We eventually visited the paver supplier show room to select our pavers with Jesse and his assistant, we all decided the best product for our needs, they documented our selection in their notes and on the landscaping plans, and we left the show room with our samples (3 pavers) to help with the selection of material and colors for the rest of the project. During the work, we find out the fire pit gas ring got torn out and shred to pieces (no reason as the contract was for refacing the exterior only), but one of the big item is the fact that they installed the wrong paver color/style. We realized the error, unfortunately at about 75% paver installation, because it rained the night before, which washed clean the pavers and made it obvious that they were the wrong color. When we brought it to the attention of the foreman (Bob), and eventually the owners, this is where things got really interesting. CA Smartscape, represented by Jay and Richard, suddenly had lost all documentation on the pavers (both the assistant notebook and the plans), no one involved (except my wife and I) recalled the exact pavers/name that we selected and refused to accept the fact that we had samples to show them (they actually refused to see them claiming we could have gotten them anywhere – even if the name of the supplier had been printed on the bottom of the sample!). They started the blaming game, accusing us of having voluntarily waited until it’s too late to raise the issue (that makes a lot of sense does it!), so we were the dishonest ones. There were a series of interesting meetings, and at no time did they accept the responsibility for any of their mistakes (Richard even tried to split the costs on the firepit ring that had been shredded without any reasons), and at the end of the day, we kept the paver colors in exchange for a small area of ca 400sf that was supposed to be pavered in the first place anyway (not our choice but we compromised). In the end, 26 weeks into this project (we were promised 15 weeks) we finally decided to delete the remaining items (topsoil, sod, paver sealing, and other things) from the contract, especially given

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I have used
California Smartscape for various projects at my home in Fairbanks
Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, over the past five years. The most recent
project was by far the largest and, involved a contract in the area
of $100,000. We wanted to modernize our landscaping while also
reducing our irrigation water use by 250,000 gallons/year. They once
again did a job which exceeded our expectations for quality and
value. They started with a number of different design ideas from
which we selected the final design. They then developed the plan and
found a number of creative ways of keeping the costs down. For
example, having the large cobble we used a lot of shipped directly
from Arizona to the house and tying in the new drip irrigation system
to our current supply system rather than starting over from scratch.
The crew that did the work was outstanding and well supervised (the
owner even showed up at least once a week to review results to date).
They suggested and implemented appropriate design changes as we went
along and were always responsive to requests we made. I have
recommended California Smartscape to several neighbors who have used
them and been as pleased with the results as we are.

WE LOVE, LOVE, LOVE OUR NEW YARD!!  Our project involved removing all the grass both in front and the backyard, and making the backyard into an outdoor living area. We found it very useful that California Smartscape presented us with a 3D computerized view (with no money down!) of what our new landscape might look like.  It was much easier to make changes at this point before breaking ground.  Our yard looks pretty much exactly like the last iteration we approved. It includes new planters with low maintenance plants, new lighting and drip system, pavers, and a Duralum solid patio structure. The patio cover design accommodated motorized screens, which were contracted with a separate company. The backyard has so much more usable space! It is beautiful and very inviting!

Shout out to Andrew (designer), Jay (owner), Leo (project mgr), the Duralum subcontractors (John and Jaime), and Bob, Marcelino, and their awesome crew for the professional way they managed our project. The workers came on time every day and worked VERY efficiently.  They were a pleasure to interact with and have on our property. Little issues that came up, as you would expect with any construction, were resolved quickly with our input. Also important to mention is that even after the last payment was made, CA Smartscape has been very responsive to come back to correct any issues (all were minor!) that we may have encountered after completion.

Again, we absolutely love the finished look of our yard!  It brings a huge smile to our faces every time we look out the windows and see all the changes.  We are very pleased to recommend CA Smartscape highly to anyone thinking of re-landscaping their yard!

We chose California Smartscape after using them once previously, about 6 years ago, for a project building retaining walls with rock cap.  We were pleased with their quality of work and attention to detail.  Since we had an extensive project this time around, we solicited bids from California Smartscape and 2 other designers/landscapers, one referred from Marrokal, which we used a few years back for an interior remodel.

California Smartscape provided our first design and bid. Their design incorporated elements my wife and I had discussed with them..showing they listened.  The second designer provided "his idea" which wasn't up to par with CS's design.  We gave him a chance to come back with a revised plan, but never heard back.  The third company said they "lost our number"...by then, we'd already decided to go with California Smartscape's plan and team, since we were confident they'd follow through.

Sal and Bob headed our projected.   They and their teams with responsive, on time day after day, and went the extra mile to ensure their work was done properly, even if it wasn't exactly outlined in the plans.  They made suggestions and always arrived with a positive "can do" work ethic.  We never felt like they were rushing to get to the next job...tasks were done correctly, with the appropriate amount of time and high quality materials.

The construction workers (I believe as many as 8) were courteous, and once again, handled the demo, paver layout/install, landscaping, BBQ build, patio cover and lighting install with a high degree of professionalism and attention to detail.  We tipped every one of them.

If you have a chance to work with Bob and Sal, you won't be disappointed.  You many find a cheaper solution, but if you want things done right by experienced contractors who know their stuff and are easy to work, look no further. 

With water conservation mandated in California, we wanted to get rid of our lawns and re-landscape to give a new look while using less water.  After a couple of disappointing designs from other companies, we followed a recommendation to try California Smartscape.  We?re glad we did.
From our very first meeting with Jay, one of the owners, and designer Andrew, we felt at ease and comfortable with their ideas and suggestions.  They listened and worked with us to come up with a design plan we liked.  We were surprised when we were told that the design plan itself did not cost anything because, as Jay put it, their design was a way to prove themselves to us and
earn our business.  Even after the design was finalized, they were flexible enough to augment the plan to replace the
driveway.  Andrew also met with us at a local nursery so we could show him what kinds of plants we liked and for him to
suggest other plants to us.
Shortly after the plan was finalized, work began. The job manager, foreman and crews conducted themselves in a professional manner: they were courteous, easy to communicate with, neat, and cleaned up at the end of each day.  The workers were responsive to the little changes and modifications we sprung on them as time went on.  The overriding attitude demonstrated by the entire team was not only were they doing their best, but they were serving their customer?s needs as well.
 We were extremely pleased with the outcome of our re-landscaping project and would not hesitate to recommend California Smartscape to others or use them again if the need arose.  It was a real pleasure to work with a company that has such integrity and desire to please the customer.

Kudos to Anthony and his crew. Always on time, pleasant, good workers and Anthony added to the experience by providing excellent suggestions.

I was very pleased with California Smartscape (CS). I talked to many other contractors regarding the project. They were all non-responsive taking weeks to give me a quote or return calls. CS was very responsive with all aspects of the project from sales to design to installation. When I called them about the project, Andrew, the sales rep, called me back the next day, came to the house the next day to discuss. Within three days they completed their review, provided a 3D conceptual design and called a meeting to discuss. At that time we met Jay, one of the owners. We then made some changes to the design. Three days later, we had a final price that was fair and reasonable. Jay came to the negotiation and we were able to finalize immediately. CS then provided the construction design documents that fully defined the project including items such as electrical runs, lighting locations, locations of BBQ and fire pit, paver, tile, etc. This design was very helpful to finalize all of our thoughts and discussions. Any verbal discussions were now in writing with no cost changes incurred. We also went to the nursery to pick out the plants. The installation was then started. All was completed on schedule. Leo, the project manager, kept me informed on a daily basis. We encountered only one change order because of the addition of one light. This was possible because of all of the design that had already been thoroughly reviewed. There were still minor items that needed to be discussed. All were completed by Leo at no cost. Numerous times, Leo mentioned that we need you to be completely satisfied. I am completely satisfied with the project and the professional nature of the entire organization. I highly recommend them.

We had searched for a reliable landscaper for 2 years to complete this job. We enjoy entertaining and do so frequently, so it was important for us to find the right team to work with. After several failed attempts to engage various companies because of a series of "no shows" and delayed  responses, we found California  Smartscape.  What a difference, just a wonderful experience , reliable,  accesible,  timely, quality workmanship with a focus on making sure we were happy. Sounds like a fairy tale but really these guys are engineered to deliver the right experience and the right product. Plan to use them again when we do the front of the house.

They were easy to work with, responsive to questions and calls. All the workers were professional, hard-working, and highly skilled. They began and ended the project on time.

California Smartscape was professional and easy to work with, from Richard, who manages everything, to Nick, the talented designer to Leo, the job foreman.  When I wanted some minor changes...no problem.  When a few small plants died outside the warranty period, they were replaced, gratis.  My husband and I have been very happy with this company and will use their services in early 2016 to finish the back yard which will include installing turf and a fire pit as well as retaining walls.
My favorite part of the whole experience, however, was visiting the California Smartscape offices on Carroll Canyon Road.  There, they have several rooms and walls that feature rocks, plants, pavers, fire pits, etc. in a setting that allows the customer to see how parts of the finished project will look.  Richard and Nick were also able to show us how our house will look in a mock-up of the finished project on a TV monitor.
I am happy to recommend this business without reservation!

We really enjoyed working with California Smartscape. From start to finish they were a pleasure to work with. It started out with an appointment with a designer named Andrew who was very helpful in deciding the scope of work and material selection. They were very reasonable when it came down to the numbers and did not feel like we were getting taken advantage of by any means.  Once the work began we were introduced to Leo who managed the crew and all the work.  He was awesome! I wish everyone who worked for us was like Leo, he ever made me feel like a bother and was such a delight to have around the house.  He never forgot anything I told him and always answered his phone when I called.  My kids will miss him he was always so kind to them whenever he was here Aside from the people the craftsmanship of the pavers and stone work was fantastic. Their attention to detail was wonderful!  When people ask about the work we did I say that California Smartscape made it very easy and the process from start to finish was very seamless and there were hardly any surprises which typically come up during construction.

It's almost 2 years later and the workmanship has held up extraordinarily well. The plants have filled in well. The irrigation works well. It is a vast improvement on the look of the house.

This is my third time using California Smartscape since 2011 and I wouldn't use any other company, nor do I solicit bids from other companies anymore. The team at California Smartscape is top notch. In 2011 we demolished my entire backyard and rebuilt it from the ground up to be drought resistant, and it is gorgeous. This time around, when I wanted to remove all my front lawn, I requested the same landscape designer, Andrew Vesey.  Quite simply, Andrew is a highly gifted artist who really understands landscaping and the flow of a landscape. He has an in-depth knowledge of plants, and his designs turn out to be really beautiful.
A design isn't enough, of course; it has to be well-executed. This time, the job manager was Sal Manna and the crew supervisor was Bob, whom I knew from my prior jobs with CS. Sal was great to work with. He was very responsive whenever I texted him, he always came through on the details when I needed to draw his attention to something, he was very helpful and warm to communicate with, and he has a real contractor's understanding of the work -- all this is what you want in the person who oversees the job being done for you.  Bob too is terrific. He also is a true professional, very knowledgeable, extremely nice and friendly, and has an excellent relationship with his work crew.
My experience with California Smartscape is that they aren't satisfied until the customer is satisfied, they believe in the highest quality work, and they are thoughtful and professional as they interact with their customers.

First of all this review is long overdue, the only problem we've had is trying to stop enjoying our backyard long enough to come inside and take the time to write the review!  The project was extensive and we basically gutted our entire front and back existing landscaping.  This clearly would be a large project with lots of moving parts and dollar signs.  We have high expectations with quality, work performance and sticking to a budget.  I personally am a stickler with communication and trust.  With all that said, our expectations were not only met but exceeded by all the professionals at California Smartscape.  When changes came up, which they do as you start to see the design hit the dirt, they were very flexible and reasonable on design changes - we didn't feel locked into original design.  We also had a pool done at the same time and they worked seamlessly with the pool subcontractors.  We've had large projects on past homes and one of the first things we noticed right off the bat - the California Smartscape crew showed up every day, on time, and worked hard the entire time they were here.  We were impressed with the hard work and dedication from day 1  until the project was completed.  Even now, months after the project has been completed, if I have questions or notice something needs a little tweak - they are on it.  Customer service is exceptional.  One last note, our original backyard did not seem that big. After the new landscape design was completed, everyone including us, can't believe how big and spacious it is.  Shows you how the proper design and use of your space can be life changing, we are constantly enjoying every inch of our outdoor space.  Thank you California Smartscape!!!!!

We couldn't be more impressed with California Smartscape.  We had a couple other bids that were lower but I am certain we wouldn't have got the quality and professionalism at the level we did from anyone else.  They come out to your home, measure, take pictures and listen to your design ideas and then come up with a 3-D video of their design ideas.  It helped us visualize what we were getting.  They have a showroom with samples of pavers, bricks etc to help you choose what you like.  We let them pick the plants but they will also schedule a trip to the nursery with you if that's what you want.
The workers were all polite and professional and got the job done in just over 2 weeks.  I had heard nightmares about how long this could take but they had a large team to get things done quickly.  We have noticed a couple slight issues and they were back the next day to fix.  We love our yard!

My backyard needed help! The lay out was not functional and the bench area was in need of a replacement. I had done plenty of research prior to calling California Smartscape as I knew I wanted a low maintenance/low water solution. I also needed access to parts of the hill in my backyard that were difficult to reach. They listened to what I needed and wanted and worked with me to come up with a solution that I was comfortable with. The process itself was pretty painless. We reviewed plans and materials at one location, picked out plants together at a nursery and the crew showed up when they were scheduled. One big advantage with this company is everyone communicates by text! So, things do not get delayed or missed by missing a call etc. I communicated with them daily and always felt like I knew who was going to be at my house and when. Only had one miss step when a delivery showed up and no one was here to tell them where to put the materials, but those things happen. Other than that, it went like clock work. They are excellent on the details. They made sure everything was taken care of to my satisfaction. I noticed a couple of things I wanted "touched up" after the work was finished. They came out and took care of those things even after I had made the final payment. I did have some initial sticker shock :) but I decided to go with them as I realized they were professional, easy to work with (communication again) and reliable. Every one of the guys I worked with was very friendly and willing to spend time with me to be sure I understood how to take care of the plans or work  the watering system. If you want the job done right without losing your mind, go with them!

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I had champagne taste on a beer budget.  Andrew worked with me to accomplish my goals within my budget.  There was a little give and take but Andrew and the team worked with me to come up with a solution that is the envy of my friends.  He truly created a tropical paradise in my backyard.  The crew led by Jose and Leo were great.  They left the job site spotless each day.  We had the work done around the Christmas holidays and the crew went out of their way to ensure that even the though the work wasn't completed (due to rain delays), that I had a usable space to enjoy and entertain.  As always happens with constructions jobs, there were a few surprises.  Some should have been anticipated and others just happen.  The entire team worked with me and didn't nickel and dime me for every "little" thing.   In the end, they delivered everything they said they would for a reasonable price.  I have already recommended them to many friends and will definitely use them again when we start the front yard.
A few other notes:  Other contractors I contacted would not even show me plans until I paid their design fee of $800.   Would not even negotiate some options.  Andrew laid it all out for me before I committed and I liked what I saw and that it was a one stop shop. 
If you have any thoughts of piecing out the work (like electrical, plumbing, etc), be sure you have all your contractors lined up before you start the project.  Otherwise, it will become a coordination night mare and you may end up spending more than you need to.
If you are doing work that includes astro turf, be sure to look up rebate options at SoCalWatersmart.com.  You need to do this before you start work.  It may delay your project so keep that in mind.  We only installed a small patch so it was not significant enough for us to hold up the work.
Thanks to entire team at California Smartscape

Everything went very well on time and according to plan. Very nice

and professional work.