Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape Inc

We hired Black Diamond for a very large project: A complete redo of our front and back yards. Yet not long after beginning our project, we realized our mistake. From the beginning, our project was plagued by an absence of governance, poor quality workmanship and a lack of project management. In hindsight, the warning signs were present even before we signed the paperwork. The contract was poorly written, with ambiguous language, conflicting statements and inappropriate terms. For example, buried deep is language that voids the warranty of the driveway pavers should a vehicle the weight of a typical pickup truck drive on them. We flagged and resolved this and the other issues before we signed, but we wonder how many other customers may have signed the contract and thus agreed to what are in some cases egregious terms heavily biased in Black Diamond's favor. Even after the contract's execution, Black Diamond gave little regard to its terms. For example, we negotiated the pricing of prospective contract modifications and included these details in our contract so that we wouldn't be distracted by this process should we wish to change our scope of work. A modification did come up, but rather than bill us according to the specified terms, Black Diamond billed us according to their normal (higher) rates and terms, thus prompting time-consuming and distracting discussions and negotiations to resolve the issue. When it came to the project buildout itself, we experienced a litany of issues and aggravations from the very beginning through the end. These issues were meaningful, occurred repeatedly, added up to a significant amount of time, and in several cases were material to the project's outcome. A short-list of issues include: removal of the wrong plants on our property that we wanted to keep; garbage and litter strewn throughout the worksite and into the street; poor quality craftsmanship resulting in incorrectly designed and installed items; incorrect drainage design and installation; damaged personal property; use of defective parts and replacement of those defective parts with more defective parts; porta potty door repeatedly left open, despite our repeated requests to keep it closed, leading to toppling and spilling of sewage and chemicals on our property; and on and on. Perhaps the core problem with Black Diamond is that it's hard to know where the "buck stops". Black Diamond subcontracts out the primary on-site work to other landscape construction firms. Thus, we thought that one of Black Diamond's core value-adds would be project management, including managing the subcontractor by undertaking responsibilities such as overseeing their work, double-checking their work quality, and ensuring we received a high-quality deliverable according to specifications. Yet when quality of work issues arose, as they did frequently, it was on our shoulders to identify the problems and bring them to attention. Black Diamond seem to put little effort into quality control. When we brought problems to Black Diamond's attention, it seems their sole action was to simply pass along our words to the subcontractor. That was the apparent extent of their actions. It thus remained on our shoulders to oversee the subcontractor's corrections and to ensure they were actually completed. This made us wonder what it was we were paying for with Black Diamond. It would have saved significant money and perhaps even improved the project execution had we simply hired a subcontractor directly. Since completion, we've repeatedly had problems with plants that were either defective when planted, or planted incorrectly, thereby stunting their growth or killing them. The plants come with a limited duration warranty, so we had them replaced during this window of time. Yet when the replacement plants failed to grow or starting to die off as well, Black Diamond refused to address the underlying cause of this repeated issue, despite the fact that we repeatedly brought it to their attention and sought resolution during the warranty window. We write this review reluctantly. This yard project was the retirement dream of an elderly man. We desperately wanted to love it. But the fact is, dealing with Black Diamond was tedious, exhausting, stressful, and disappointing. It was an eight-month source of anxiety and stress. We hope that our words prompt prospective customers to give more consideration to alternatives to Black Diamond, a suggestion we wish we had received in advance of our selection.

Very happy with the addition of pavers in our driveway and steps leading to our front door. Absolutely improved the appearance of the front of our house. Black Diamond was very professional and did an outstanding job on the installation. Highly recommend!

I highly recommend Black Diamond Paver and Stones Landscape. They designed my front porch, walk way, and drive way earlier this year in Jan. Currently I am re-doing the stucco on the exterior of my home. A top layer a stoop that one of their project managers Rocco designed need to be removed so I could complete the painting in that area. I called Rocco requesting to move on a Friday, Monday he was at my property, the following week the top layer of the stoop was removed, once the painting is completed he is sending someone out to replace it so that it looks like the original job. Their execution was quick and efficient. They are reliable, and very professional. They've exceeded my expectations even more so now that I've had to call them back out to modify work they completed 10 months ago.

Over time, our front and back yards had turned into unsightly brown areas of dead grass and weeds – it was time for a total landscaping make-over. In light of persistent drought conditions, we decided to go with an overall design incorporating a combination of artificial grass, pavers, drought-tolerant plants, and river rocks. We did extensive research on landscaping contractors, artificial grass products, pavers, etc., which included visiting various homes in the neighborhood that recently completed similar landscaping projects. From this research, we compiled a short-list of four landscaping contractors with the highest ratings together with a basic design for our front and back yards. The plan was to contact each short-listed contractor, schedule a preliminary site visit and request a proposal (i.e., basic design with pricing) from each contractor. Based on the proposals and initial meetings, we would then select the contractor for the project. The first landscaping contractor we contacted was Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscaping where we met Rocco Pent, Assistant Regional Manager and Senior Project Design Specialist/Project Manager. During the initial site visit, which lasted 5 hours, we explained our design ideas, preferences, options and requirements. As we walked around the front and back yards, Rocco took detailed measurements of the prospective layout and then helped us think through in the pros and cons of our initial design and landscaping material choices. Rocco helped us refine our initial concept with the design and materials that worked best for our front and back yards, taking into consideration our existing mature landscaping and the look and feel of the rest of our property so everything would be integrated and cohesive. He came up with creative solutions to solve some of the challenges that would be encountered with our overall design. It became immediately clear to us that Rocco (and Black Diamond) had the understanding, knowledge, skill, and experience in all the critical elements of our landscaping project. At the end of the visit, Rocco entered the key data from his survey into his computer and presented us with a detailed rendering of the project. He explained each element of the design – from demolition to site preparation to product installation – together with pricing. More importantly, Rocco established with us a sincere rapport and high level of trust that clearly indicated he – and Black Diamond – would be partners with us to guarantee a successful project. It’s always great to feel like you've developed a positive, trusting relationship with a company that will be working on your home. After we had a signed contract and just prior to beginning the project, Rocco made another site visit with his Crew Foreman, Fernando. They spent nearly two hours inspecting the site with respect to the Final Design Plan. Rocco and Fernando spent additional time with us to discuss several elements to confirm demolition and installation details, with emphasis on a number of critically important elements related to protecting existing plant root systems, water pipes, drainage requirements, etc. We were impressed with their attention to and knowledge of these factors. Rocco also assured us that he would be our point of contact and project leader from beginning to end, which he did very effectively. Rocco stayed in regular communication with Fernando throughout the project to ensure it was implemented according to plan. In turn, Fernando did an excellent job to ensure his crew completed all aspects of the work according to the highest standards. Fernando kept us updated on the progress of work and frequently doubled-checked with us on certain design elements to make sure he accurately translated the design from plan to reality. He also suggested a few minor adjustments that significantly improved the translation from design to reality. Once the project started, Rocco stopped by and checked in every few days to ensure everything was going smoothly and to ensure work was proceeding according to plan and, most important, to our satisfaction. The project (19 July to 07 August 2023) finished on time, and both the process and outcome exceeded our expectation, which we set very high from the outset. The work – from demolition to site preparation to product installation – was completed at the highest level of care and craftsmanship. We were impressed with the high quality of work, particularly the installation of the artificial grass and the pavers. Even before the work was completed, passers-by said how beautiful the front yard looked. Since then, we’ve received many more compliments on our new landscaping. We thank Rocco, Fernando and Black Diamond for an excellent, stress-free experience, and for giving us a functional, impressive, enjoyable front and back yard. We highly recommend Rocco Pent and Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscaping.

I will not use anyone else going forward for my landscaping needs from now on. Black Diamond has set the bar high for me and I'm hanging on to that level of service. The Project Manager, Ryan, was just amazing. My backyard project was not the biggest or the fanciest, I had a budget and wanted to create something for my children to play on. Ryan and Black Diamond worked with me and made everything work out. He didn't make me feel like my project was too small or that I couldn't afford to go all out - he made me feel like my project still mattered to them. I've gotten quotes higher and lower than Black Diamond, but at the end I chose them because they made me feel comfortable. They are not the cheapest or the most expensive, but honestly they are the best I've worked with as I've remodeled my home in different aspects over the years. And that crew that worked with Ryan - Rigo and his team, they were great. Just respectable, on time and overall professional. And they went above and beyond on a lot of things during the project. I've already recommended Black Diamond and Ryan to my neighbor and a few others. And I am not done with my backyard so I'll be contacting them in the future. Thank you again Black Diamond, Ryan, and Rigo & Crew. You all have been amazing and I cannot wait to use the new space you have created for my family.

I am thrilled with the service and the results! I had a small backyard project to install paver stones and a stone bench. The consultant on the project (originally Lacey, then later Matt after Lacey left the company) immediately understood my vision, created the design, and the crew implemented it beautifully, on time, and on budget. They also adapted well to surprises, like finding a bunch of broken concrete under the original grass and wood deck.

My wife and I recently had Brett Eaton and the Black Diamond team put in our backyard patio, walkway and garbage can storage area. They were fantastic and lived up to the quality and service they advertised and sold us on their company. Brett, in particular, was extremely responsive , which my wife said, "I've loved working with Brett because he responds quickly and comes when he says he's going to come and does what he says he's going to do... and that just normally doesn't happen with vendors here in Sacramento!" I couldn't agree more. We love the work they did but having Brett champion and manage our project was what made the experience fantastic. We highly recommend Black Diamond and even more so having Brett be your project manager!

After contacting several companies for our syn lawn install, we decided to go with Black Diamond. This was a wise choice! From the initial consultation with our designer/coordinator, David, we were treated with extreme professionalism (lots of hand holding), attention to detail and complete answers to our many questions. Our project began earlier than promised. It is a complicated process that requires many steps and close coordination. David executed this perfectly! Our large front yard was transformed from a hideously forlorn dead grass gopher farm to a beautiful green showpiece that garners much admiration from passersby. Thank you Black Diamond, David, and his crew!

To complete our home remodel, we chose Black Diamond for our landscaping. The customer experience provided by Jeff Blaisdell, our Project Manager / Designer was excellent. From the initial meeting to discuss our thoughts thru the implementation of our project, Jeff was proactive, organized and ensured we understood the advantages of each option we chose. The installation team was punctual, clean and well organized. The project was delivered on time and within budget. We are now enjoying our new pavers, turf, lighting and irrigation system. I highly recommend Jeff and the Black Diamond team!!! Philip M.

Rocco and Black Diamond did a fabulous job on my backyard patio. It was a pretty big project with some complexities such as figuring out how to install appropriate steps for the doorways. The pavers were all very professionally laid and when I pointed out that a couple were scratched, they were immediately replaced. The guys laying the pavers really worked hard. Working in the backyard required using a Bobcat, necessitating taking down a fence and resulting in breaking a couple of sprinklers. But, the fence was put back in place and the sprinklers were repaired without any problem. Equally important when the job was finished, everything was very nicely cleaned-up. I highly recommend Rocco and Black Diamond and wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Rocco was extremely professional in approach during the initial stages and did not try to push us into anything more than we needed. He worked within the constraints provided and we liked his suggestions. The work itself was executed with efficiency. Rocco and his crew manager (Jose) were able to get us in ahead of time. I am pleased with the output and feel comfortable that I can reach out to Black Diamond for any questions/future projects. Well done.

I highly recommend Black Diamond!! From the start of the process with getting a quote to the final product, everything was handled so professionally. The amazing team who helped us build our dream patio was David Weissenberg (Project Design Specialist), Ingrid (Project Coordinator), and Venturo + his work crew. David is very personable and knowledgeable, and he made sure we were satisfied throughout every step of the project, while Ingrid kept us up-to-date leading up to the start of the project. Venturo and his crew are extremely hard-working and were able to build our massive patio within a week. Their craftsmanship is outstanding; the patio is absolutely gorgeous! Black Diamond also comes with a 27-year warranty, which gives me peace-of-mind knowing that the huge investment I put into the patio will be protected. All in all, Black Diamond is an excellent company to work with because they value their customers and produce high-quality work!

Run away from this company. Our 6 week project is now a 6 month, never-ending saga of ineptitude and sloth. We started early in March - pavers and landscaping- simple job. Its now August and only the first task is complete. We picked BLack Diamond from several bids based on their purported project management capabilities (lies) and size/number of teams (more lies) to finish by the beginning of summer, our most important goal. Black Diamond failed at every opportunity. It was almost comical. Ordering materials in advance for the next phase? Nope. Team available? Nope. Their accounting department couldn't even keep track and bill us at milestones- we had to remind them. Once they finally started, months later, it was a single worker and that was it. No "team". Like one guy. Their operations department is a disaster. Their "schedulers" cannot produce a schedule for you. One "scheduler" chastised me on the phone because I "embarrassed him by calling customer service" to track him down after repeated lack of replies. He claimed we had no options but to use them, after a expletive-laden tirade - because I had asked for our project schedule (he didn't have anything). When we had finished with demo this "scheduler" was absolutely clueless- he had no grasp of the project, what was complete, what wasn't, what was next, etc. Presently we are on hold yet again while they dither, waiting on landscaping- our "scheduler" had two weeks to follow up with us but that didn't occur to him (to respond to repeated inquiries) and now he's on vacation. Apparently no one else can help. This company is a complete joke. They are rip off artists. Don't believe the sales pitch. All lies. The owner, should you escalate, is there to calm you down while, in the meantime nothing actually changes. We are filing complaints with the CA contractors license board. The designers, however, are quite good and responsive - ours is superb. Unfortunately, the designers are tethered to this dysfunctional back office clown operation that is incapable of delivering. Spend your money elsewhere. Take the design perhaps and use it, Don't expect Black Diamond to actually do it in any reasonable amount of time.

Lacy Valenzuela, designer for Black Diamond, showed up on time and was very professional! She looked at my backyard and drew for me the perfect sketch describing where I can plant the flowers and trees I’m interested in. She provided me with a vision and a layout. Very creative, very well spoken and very knowledgeable about what she does. I will refer her without hesitation!! Thank you Lacy!! You are the best!! 😊😊

This feedback is for Lacy. Lacy did an outstanding design for our side and front yard. We have some existing landscaping in place but Lacy took it up to the next level in blending the existing to a completely new space. Her design was so seamless in bringing the outdoor in and taking the indoor out. She exceeded our expectations in blending the line between the inside of our home and the outdoor space. Lacy's design was very well thought through tying different elements together and creating a seamless cohesive space. I highly recommend Lacy. A true professional!

It went great and they were very professional. We have had Lacy and her crew out several times over the past two years. Which ought to tell you something we are repeat customers. They were just as professional now as they were two years ago. Ask for Lacy she is fantastic to work with.

Julie M. (our project manager) was excellent!! She met with us and listened to our ideas and made suggestions, then drew up a plan. Once the project was started she checked in daily in person to make sure everything was going according to plan. The workers were fast and hard working. Julie kept us informed and was always available by text or phone call to address any questions or concerns along the way. After the hardscape was done, she had us go plant shopping with her to pick out what we liked as well as giving us her suggestions about what would look good and grow well in specific areas of the yard. She is very knowledgeable. We are very pleased with our project that Black Diamond did for us and Julie was a pleasure to work with.

Black Diamond Pavers promised high quality work and a team of skilled employees to perform the work. I hired them and paid a premium based on their promises of premium work. The crew that black diamond sent to my house was a random crew of scab workers that changed daily and were not employed by black diamond. I was promised by black diamond that my front yard calstone paver walkways and porch would be competed in 3 days. In reality, the project took over 30 days and the work was the worst I have ever seen. The unprofessional crew spent a month in my front yard chain smoking cigarettes and dropping their cigarette butts all over my yard, with no foreman on-site and zero guidance or direction. The workers left my yard piles of trash amd garbage stuffed in corners every day. They literally caused more damage to my property and made more mistakes than I could explain in this brief review. It has now been 3 months since the project began and the landscape lights and transformer are still not hooked up. I also have low spots in the pavers where water pools every time it rains or anytime I turn the hose on - this is from improper preparation and poor compaction beneath the paver stones. Black diamond does not employ their own crews of workers. What they do is double the actual costs of the project (based on the promise of excellent workmanship) and they send a crew of random Home Depot parking lot workers, whom they pay less than market rate for their work. I saw so many different workers throughout the job, likely due to these being day laborers from the Home Depot parking lot. Most of the guys would show up in old trucks that had other business names on the side (not Black Diamond)- “affordable hauling”, lawn care, etc. I got scammed by black diamond, don't make the same mistake. I will be forced to take them to court in order to recoup money so that I may have my pavers installed by a legitimate contractor.

Excellent! We had a great experience with Black Diamond Landscaping. The entire experience was great. We interviewed a few vendors and were satisfied with the professionalism of Black Diamond. We are equally as happy with the final product. We couldn't be more thrilled with Black Diamond and can't wait to hire for phase 2.

I love my back patio. I have a small area that needed to be updated and from initial consultation with Rocco & from start to finish of project, it was great. They worked with my moving schedule due to some personal reasons and finished the project timely. Rocco was here checking in with me throughout. Joel (crew) was very hard working, polite and courteous. Home projects can be messy, hard, and frustrating. However, You can't go wrong with Black Diamond and Rocco. Thanks for a great experience.

Just wanted to give Michael Martinez, designer/consultant/project manager, and his crew led by Irving & his office assistant Alejandra a great review. This is the second project that they have done for us, and we will surely use them again for any other project we have. They are quick to respond and very easy to work with, willing to take your ideas and make them become a reality. I would highly recommend them for any project, big or small.

I am pleased to recommend Michael Martinez and Black Diamond Pavers to anyone wanting to enhance their property. Michael acted as our designer, consultant and project manager. He was with us and in communication every step of the way. He masterfully designed a beautiful new backyard that also solved our drainage issues. From the day the project began to the final day the polite, efficient, professional, talented and hardworking crew led by Irving excavated our yard and laid pavers with precision. Thank you to everyone who worked on our project. We are extremely satisfied and thrilled with the final result! Five STARS for Michael, Irving & Alejandra are super stars! Evan & Stacey Danville, CA

Far above expectations. All work was very professionally done within the projected timeframe with clear communication and excellent results. Remaining materials were picked up promptly.

We were directly referred to Michael Martinez, as he's done projects for other friends of ours. He consulted us, designed, project managed every single day & went well beyond our expectations! We, even our kids, couldn't be more thankful and excited about the results. Not only is it beyond functional, warrantied, but it also is an investment that adds value to the property far beyond what we spent. Win, win!!! :) We already have friends and neighbors full of compliments and wanting his contact information to create a similar transformation for them. His crew, led by Irving, as well as his office assistant Alejandra, deserve mention too. We wouldn't do a thing to our property without his input. What a great team and experience!

Great experience working with Lacy to design and build our new front patio. The paver stones look amazing and we love it!