Swink's Creations

Didnt go with service; They seem more high end then what i was looking for.... but the Rep was very straightforward.

He never came back. I went with a different contractor

This project went great. We'd heard a lot of horror stories about pool building projects but experienced none of that. We looked at a number of pool contractors but felt very comfortable right away with Mark Swink. We had hired another very good pool designer to design our pool so that we could get comparable quotes. We took that plan to Mark and several other well recommended contractors and he provided a quote that was better than any other quote we received. He was very reasonable during negotiations and helped us select finish materials, explaining the quality vs cost tradeoffs on the various products. We also adjusted the project to make some improvements to the design. One of the important considerations for us was how much time the project would take. He gave us a a two month estimate, which went through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Even with time off for holidays, they finished within a week of the estimate and most of that delay was attributable to rain. We had one glitch when the pre-cast coping came in late and was wrong. Rather than simply "make it work" Mark was concerned that it wouldn't look right and we'd be dissatisfied. We ended using cast in place coping, which after sealing, looks very nice. There was no change in contract price. The only issue we did not expect and was not included in the contracted cost came from the strict LA County code regarding enclosing the pool. We thought our fences and property line walls would be okay but had some concerns so we arranged a meeting in advance with the inspector and learned he wanted the fences and walls higher. Mark's company worked with the inspector to be very clear on what needed to be done and we approved the expenditure. When the inspector came back, the enclosure modifications were approved without a hitch. It was our impression that Swink's honest and non-confrontational approach to dealing with the inspectors is why all the inspections went so smoothly. All throughout the project Mark and his project manager were available by cell phone for any questions we had. His office staff was friendly and professional and we were constantly kept informed about the coming schedule and when workers or inspectors would be at our home. Swink's crew and his subcontractors were always professional, polite and very hardworking. We never really understood why pools cost so much money until we saw how much work goes into building them. The end result looks fantastic and though it's only been full of water for three weeks everything seems great. We're really happy and looking forward to summer!

They used sub-contractors who were VERY efficient....Wow did they work hard. After the project was done there was a leak and the leak specialist spent hours looking, but he found a small leak and it was repaired correctly. A separate company followed up for upkeep and proper maintenance. One hiccup was the LADWP and their rebate program for replacing the pump assembly. The rebate was $500 and it was denied because Swinks name was on the purchase order, not mine. After exchanging letters with the DWP, I finally got the rebate a few days ago!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very professionally done. They listened to our ideas, prepared a plan, adjusted it as needed, and completed the work in a timely manner. The project manager was available to us, listened and adapted when needed, and always available with advice. The individual work crews were wonderful and always did even more than we anticipated. For example, we had some lighting put in the front, but now our property is wired for lighting just about any place we might want it in the future. We are very pleased with the final product as are our neighbors.

While it took a few weeks to get an estimate and get the job started, once they did, they job went very smoothly. The project went exactly as they explained - no extra costs, etc.

Good. Mark Swink personally quotes and supervises. I also had him quote a complete pool redesign which I would have used but city permitting blocked any attempt for me to redisgn which is not Swink's fault, they did good work.

I'm pretty happy at this point. He's facility is better equipped. He holds his stuff on the same day and not sitting out on the street and it was nice. They took out the cement the same day and hauled it out the same day. He has his own truck and that was good. It was a fair price to what we're going to get. He was right in there for what he's doing. He wasn't the highest but he's not the lowest. He's very clean and on time. They were good. They were all professional. It was a good experience.

Price and time estimates overall were pretty accurate. There was occasional delays longer than communicated, but not much. We have had them back twice for some fix up for things that didn't go perfectly - replacing 2 trees that ded, fixing separation between seat and existing island, fixing tiny spots in the pool finish, re sanding some cracks between pavers. Response has been quick and is nearly complete.

If you are looking for an extremely professional, reliable, creative landscape artist who actually listens to your ideas, look no further. Mark Swink, Mike Scott, Cris, Ever and the rest of the sub-contractors and crew performed an amazing transformation in our yard. We had our pool filled in and Swinks created the look of an English garden/park that I had always dreamed about. It is truly beautiful and now all I want to do is spend my time in my own yard. We never had a problem, not a single one that wasn't responded to almost immediately. Swinks is worth every penny and I highly recommend them. Judy Sneed

Initially, I hired Mark Swink's and his crew 10 years ago to install hard scape and landscape (front/back and sides yards) in my new house.They did a fantasic job! Earlier in 2014, I had them come back and redesign the front yard, which I am very happy with and it looks great! Both times the work was completed on time and within budget. I would highly recomend Swink's!

They were fast, efficient and clean at every phase of the job.

It couldn't have gone better. Mark and his team were amazing from start to finish. My husband and I had a vision and to say that Mark fulfilled it is an understatement. Our backyard exceeded our dreams. Swink's creations got every detail right and when something did go wrong, they responded immediately and corrected the problem. I was amazed at the speed and efficiency of the whole operation as well. I would highly recommend Swinks Creations.

It went very well. Because of the cost involved, I procrastinated doing this for a long time. I had been talking to different pool companies for the past few years, so I had a bit of head-start. I remembered talking to Mark before and called him to come out and go over the project again. We made some changes to the original plans, which included the removal of a sidewalk on the far side of the pool and the installation of sheer descents. My wife and I visited Swink's showroom to select the tile, rock and the Pebble-Tec. He has a good selection and was patient in helping us make the best choices. In the end, because the tile we selected on this visit, was out of stock when it came time to install it, we ended up with our original choice, which we did not go with because of cost. Mark gave us the better tile for the same price as the one that was out of stock. I knew that we had made the right choice, when the work started and everything started falling into place like a puzzle. Marks's employees were respectful, left the areas in front of the house clean everyday and it felt as if they had a meeting everyday as to who was going to do what, because when they arrived, without hesitation, everyone started working and there was no standing around talking and wasting time. After the main job was done, a specific individual was brought in to set to pool chemistry, another one to set the equipment and another one to show us how to use it. If we had questions or issues they were answered to our satisfaction. If we had to do it again, Swink would be our only consideration.

He did everything he promised, on time and on budget. If there was a problem, perceived or actual, Mark dealt with it quickly. His crews are guys you would like to have a beer with. They are all work, but with a personality. Nothing but professionalism here. In our previous experience in building a pool, we had delays and excuses from the contractor. Not the case with Swink's. We had such a good experience that we went unhesitatingly back to Mark for a front yard redo. I would not hesitate to recommend Mark Swink for any project.

We had priced 3 contractors. Swink's was the most reasonable, and the most reliable. Out of the 3, Swink's was the only company that showed up on time to the initial meeting and design discussion. They also delivered their quote when they said they would. Process was very interactive, work was done on time and they were very professional and friendly. I will definitely use them again for the next phase of our landscaping.

I reviewed. 6 bids. Requesting both drawing and written quotes. Surprising how many did not provide a drawing of what was to happen. Reduce the selection down base on drawing, scope of work to be preformed and cost. Also based on taking credit card. Selected Mark's company had a few more reviews than signed agreement Crew 1. Handled all demo work and stacked all bricks I wanted to keep. This went very good. Crew was great. For the mess created they tried to keep all as clean as possible Crew 2. Laid out the ground work - digging trenches for gas line for fire pit, electrical lighting, water lines and drain lines. Again this crew worked very hard easy to work with. As with all projects. There is a Lead Person whom we interacted with however the key crew person made corrections as needed. After permit for gas line approved they then laid in ruff retaining walls and formed filled walk up steps on 2 sides of the spa area. Laid stones after cutting to form top of walls. Finally painted stucco walls to match that of house Crew 3. Laid the hard scape. This was sub out. Though they did a good job, two key items were communicate back to mark. They left food and our dogs got into it and left a side gate open. Allowing 1 dog to get out. More supervision was needed. This was the biggest issue I had with the project. So someone needs to be around to review and ensure all is handled right Crew 4. Handled the cutting of stones around the spa and to keep even with sitting wall. The special stones took 2 plus days to cut, fit and lay out. The guys were great and easy to work with. Finally they laid in new sod , trees and plants along with new drip system The project took 3 weeks. Key. Get good drawings, confirm in detail, what is included. Have second set of eyes review project. Can't say all went great, there were some challenges, but we worked them out in a business like manner.

We weren't happy with the first results. He came back recently, drained the pool and fixed the issue. We're happy with the service now.

We had an excellent experience with Swink's. We are thrilled with how our new backyard turned out. We now have an amazing pool, hot tub with a new deck, built in barbecue and about 1000 sq feet of new concrete. I was impressed with the company's responsiveness, speed, professionalism, and focus on quality. What I appreciated most, however, was their honesty. Especially Mark Swink, the owner. He is a straight shooter and I was grateful for his willingness to give us advice that was practical and unbiased, even if it meant less money for him. I always trusted his input, based on his years of experience and his no-nonsense approach. He is not the type of guy who will try to upsell you or talk you into something that does not line up with your budget. Even when we first met, he was up front and said, "you may find that we are a bit more expensive than others out there, but that is because we don't take shortcuts and we are focused on quality first." I was happy to pay a little more for the confidence that our new pool was done right. Also worth noting is the speed with which their team worked. They estimated 6-8 weeks to get the work done, and they delivered. We consistently had people working at our house, with very little lag time between phases of the project (even though I know they had other projects going on). I highly recommend them.

I was very pleased with the entire process, and am thrilled with the final product. Communication was always excellent, and the project proceeded in a timely fashion. The workers were on time, courteous, helpful, and cleaned up after themselves each day. We love spending time in our backyard now more than ever. Thanks Mark!

The did a great job overall. Two years later our house is very attractive and we are proud to come home to it. Mark Swink worked with us on getting some plants swapped out in the front for larger ones so that they would not look small initially. Most experiences when we have a team of people descend on our house have not turned out well. But the workers at Swinks work together, and the customer does not trade one problem for another. The sand in the pavers needed to be redone, and Swinks Creations stood behind their work, bringing this fact to our attention and did that for free.

Mark and his team were professionals from start to finish. We thought the price was fair, the quality of the work very good, and his communication very clear - which is very important when you have people working at your house while you are at work all week. He was flexible and made an effort to be at the house early to meet with us to go over status and was open to making some changes mid-project which we appreciated. We grew to trust Mark's judgment and he even sentd his team back at no charge several months after the project to repair some cracks in the pergola wood structure (a natural occurrence when the wood hasn't dried completely before building). I highly recommend Swink Creations!

The owner Mark gave me the estimates in person. I found his demeanor to be upfront and honest. His estimates were similar to other estimates that I had received. I asked for the full range of options from repair to to replacement of the different items that needed to be taken care of. Knowing that I was working with a tight budget, he helped to guide me in the direction that was most suited to my needs (not just what was going to make him the most money). The information that he provided also helped me to decide what could be deferred and what shouldn't be. The work went as expected. The only exceptions where that I did ask for a small portion of the repair to be re-done. It turned out that the workers were not following his directions in this area. I also asked for another portion to be done differently not because it was substandard but because it was being done better than the pre-existing work. I was afraid that it might stand out. Mark immediately responded to my requests. I did not feel that I was being treated as a small customer (even though I know I was one). On a job that would probably be considered more of a headache than it's worth by most contractors, Swink's Creations came through with flying colors. I have and would continue to recommend them to others. They will be my first stop when it comes time for more and bigger work (upgrades) to be done.

They are small pebble like stones as supposed to the traditional plaster. They had a couple of different types to choose from and they were very knowledgeable. They showed up when they were supposed to and I am thinking of hiring them.

First off Mark (owner) returned my initial call promptly, showed up on time to walk the pool and turned his bid in when he said he would. This was a big deal as no one else did! It was a huge selling point for us because we wanted to have a contactor we could rely on. His price was not the lowest but the service was all there including excellent scheduling, thorough explanations, his guys cleaned up every day and the quality of the work was very good. I had couple comments at the end and Marks guys showed up the next day, no complaints and made the final adjustments. Very happy with Swinks and would highly recommend them. Oh ya, and one other point. Swinks bid was complete! Some of the other bids had half to 75% of the scope and I'm sure those bidders would have either left me in a bind with incomplete work or charged me a big premium to simply complete what I asked for in the first place(including the start up chemicals). Swinks did a great job all the way through