TJ'S LAND CARE, INC

I called per a recommendation from another company I do business and John promptly called me back wanting to come out on a Saturday and also requested a budget amount. I threw out a number. This is not my area of expertise - I'm looking for a quote - Let's talk! But I have not heard from John since. So....looking for another landscaper.

Avoid this service. The owner is unresponsive and the work by his crews is often accompanied by property damage. In the year that I used this service, his crews: - cut down my hydrangea bushes - ran over a 4 foot red bud tree - trampled and ruined clearly marked annuals - failed to complete mulching work for over 2 months - sprayed my yard with weed killer, something that I never asked for and am very much against Running over and killing my tree was the last straw. Given the chance to respond via text, the owner went completely silent. My main regret is giving the service so many chances.

John was hired to cut grass and weed on a weekly basis. Additional work included spring and/or fall cleanup, pruning of numerous bushes, the removal of several shrubs, laying sod where needed, and mulch installation. This review covers a 2-year period from 9/14 to 9/16. Please don’t consider the fact we hired John for 2 years as a sign that TJ’s Land Care was an exceptional company. Far from it!! -- While John was quick to respond to our initial inquiry in 2014, he was less than thorough as he failed to provide us with a complete estimate. It took him over a month to provide us with an estimate to prune bushes and 2 months to provide us with an estimate for mulch installation; by that time, it was too late in the year. And while he did give us an estimate for fall cleanup, his inability to schedule work in a timely manner resulted in this work not being done. Weather was not an issue until the middle of November. Many inquiries went unanswered and when they were answered, it was John apologizing for the delay, stating this was an unusual year, etc. However, with 2 years’ experience with John, it was always an unusual year; there were always unanswered inquiries, slow estimates, and delay after delay after delay. -- Of the 3 invoices we received in 2014, not a single one was correct. We should have known John was of low moral character when the first invoice included a never discussed gas surcharge. John stated the surcharge was due to rising gas prices and only after I told him I could prove gas prices had been declining since 2012 and at what point would he give us a credit for the falling gas prices did he agree to drop the surcharge. Other invoice errors included double-charging for weeding, charging for weeding for a full month (Oct) when weeding was only done 2 out of 5 weeks (paid in full in good faith) and charging for a grass cutting that wasn’t done. (I requested his crew leave our property; grass had stopped growing. I pointed out the need for fall cleanup; we were waiting for John to schedule this; if they weren’t here to do that, they could leave. John said we wouldn’t be charged for this visit, but charged us anyway; this we didn’t pay.) -- When John’s crew didn’t show as scheduled one week in 2014 (no rain during the week), the next day (Sat) hubby began blowing leaves away from the house and out of plant beds onto the grass to mulch. To our surprise, John’s crew showed to cut our grass. Again to our surprise, his crew began blowing the leaves hubby just blew onto the grass back into the plant bed areas. In doing so, they covered a downspout, much to hubby’s dismay. Had we not noticed, it could have caused a problem come snow melting and rain falling and backing up due to a blocked downspout. John explained away this blowing of leaves as his crew does this when fall cleanup is scheduled. But, as previously noted, fall cleanup never happened. -- Despite these issues, and my failure to re-check Angie’s List for reviews (there were no negative reviews when we first hired John, but were subsequently added), we decided to give John another chance to get things right in 2015. After all, we’re reasonable people and John commented there is a learning curve with each new client. Looking back, I don’t see how being a new client factors in to his slow response on estimates, poor scheduling practices, and inaccurate invoices. -- In 2015 we hoped to get things right. We still wanted John to cut our grass and weed on a weekly basis, as well as get mulch installed. In addition, we had fall, uh, now spring cleanup, the removal of some shrubs (one held over from 2014) and the pruning of numerous bushes. -- We heard from John 4/15 asking if we wanted to proceed with spring cleanup and mulch installation. We reminded John we wanted the previously discussed shrubs removed before mulch installation. However, being as we planned on having our deck power-washed/stained, which leaves debris around the deck, it’d be best to hold off on the mulch for now. But, we could proceed with spring cleanup, shrub removal, and bush pruning. -- Spring cleanup began a week later; however, only the front yard was done. Five days later and no word from John, we asked when the job would be completed. Six days later our backyard received spring cleanup. However, spring pruning of bushes and shrub removal didn’t happen until August. That’s right…AUGUST! It would take weeks just to schedule a meeting with John, weeks for him to supply an incomplete estimate (didn’t include the mulch installation), and then weeks for him to actually schedule the work. Only prodding by us would get John to get off his butt. So much time passed that not only was our deck stained (7/2), but we had our trees pruned in the interim. To top it off, we specifically asked John if he would arrive with his crew on the day bush pruning/removal was performed to instruct his crew and John replied he would. However, he failed to show and we had to do his job. -- As annoying as all this was, an even greater problem emerged. -- On 5/1, during the scheduled grass cutting, an herbicide was applied for the first time. When I saw this, I told the worker where we had hostas planted and that I never applied Roundup in those areas until the hostas began to poke through the soil, which they’d yet to do. The worker nodded as if he understood me and I went back to work (I work out of the home). I later observed that same worker spraying in an area where I told him to wait. -- In 2007 and 2008, we spent tens of thousands of dollars having our yard professionally landscaped. I was instructed by the owner of that business how to apply herbicides. First, use an herbicide that lasts 3 to 4 months, preventing new weeds from taking hold. Second, when a weed was in the middle of perennials, apply the herbicide to my hand and rub my hand on the weed, never touching the perennial as the herbicide will kill every plant it touches. Third, use a funnel on the end of the sprayer wand, thereby keeping the herbicide contained when spraying. Fourth, only spray on non-windy days. I used these tips in prior years and never lost a plant - other than the weeds. -- The following week, only a minor amount of weeding was done and they were everywhere. For the next 4 weeks, I observed some minor hand weeding and the application of an herbicide, regardless of wind conditions. Apparently, the herbicide they use is one that has no lasting effect and every time they applied it, they ran the risk of it getting where it shouldn’t. -- Long story short, we began to notice plants that once looked great, now defunct. We began to notice the dead debris was being removed by John’s crew, eliminating the evidence. Unfortunately, during this time, I was having serious health issues that took my time and focus away from our yard, and when I recovered, it was too late for many of our plants. This was brought to John’s attention and I told his crew to stop applying the herbicide (7/24). -- Throughout all of this, we again received invoices with billing errors, being charged twice for spring cleanup in April and May, being charged in June and July for a full month’s weeding when it was done only 2 weeks each month, and being charged in August for weeding when none was done. -- After a much needed vacation in August, we returned to our plant beds overrun with weeds. When I saw Roberto (9/11) with a smidgen of weeds in his hand, I took the opportunity to ask him about our situation. In one plant bed area I asked him to find the rose bushes amongst the weeds and when would he get to this (pictures included). He said he told John he wouldn’t be weeding because he “didn’t have the time”. I directed him to a gate in our fence and showed him the herbicide application across the gate area (pictures included) and explained to him this was just one reason for halting herbicide application. He replied, “We didn’t do that”. Then who did? The Roundup fairy?! I was upset, to say the least, and called John, who never answers his phone, and followed up with an email. We refused payment until a solution was come to resolving our weeding issue and the dead plants due to their negligence. -- Again, long story short, we met with John (9/17) to walk our yard and show him everything. John suggested having a crew come out every other week to weed, to which we had no objection. We provided John with a list of all the dead/sickly plants due to the herbicide, to which he said he would check on their availability. However, 19 days later we had to, again, prod John as we hadn’t heard from him. Five days later John explains he was having trouble getting the plants on our list as it was late in the year (10/11). We agreed to wait until spring, at which time we would also mulch. John gave us an estimate of what it would cost him to get and install the plants; we commented that was nowhere near what we paid and John stated that was standard in the business, charging more than double. John provided us with a letter (27 days later) detailing the plants for which he acknowledged his company was responsible for purchasing and installing due to their negligence. On 10/23, John finally got a crew to come and weed our plant beds. -- To summarize 2015, of the 8 invoices we received, only 3 (April, Sept, Oct) were correct. John delayed us on numerous occasions; 89 days alone were spent waiting for John to reply with estimates, scheduling information, and the aforementioned letter. This doesn’t take into account the delays due to scheduling. Due to these delays, mulch was put off for another year. After discovering John’s employees’ negligence in the application of herbicide, they ceased weeding altogether. Our yard looked like crap. And, once again, no fall cleanup was done, even though it was specified on John’s Spring Letter. But, we were stuck. In order for John to fulfill his obligation, we had to deal with him, again, in 2016. -- Continued below.

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Did a fine job!

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Poorly, from the first service until current (we're finishing out the season with them) the grass is scalped in numerous places and certain sections are never cut due to the service using their large riding mowers to quickly move from one client to the next. The neighbor's grandson put this service to shame, but I've learned after 26 years of marriage what battles to fight and which to avoid and this falls into the latter. My neighbor even commented about the inferior job they were providing and I just shook my head. I would imagine if your property is flat or with only a few slopes this firm does an adequate job, but if your property has slopes and grade changes they are not a company I would recommend.

The cutting went fine, quick response from John, decent quote. First cut was last Monday. They "trimmed" my bushes today but many were only partially trimmed and others were not trimmed at all. There were leaves, grass, sticks and berry mess all over my sidewalks; no wedding was done at all; the spraying if the beds was roundup which I could do myself and done a better job. I had high hopes. Not sure what the bill will come out to as the job was not done to standard. Update: When I contacted John about my issues he apologized and said he would come out personally to see the job. That was on Monday, by Thursday I had yet to hear or see him so I texted him to see when we could expect him to come out. I received no response. I then texted him to inform him I would no longer be using his services. His response: "That is fine with me, have a good day". The lack of professionalism and integrity is why I will not be recommending this company.

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I had called them on 7/23/15 and they said they would be out on 7/25/15 to check my lawn and let me know what type of treatment it would need. Well they never showed up or called me and we waited all day. If this shows the interest they have in their customers I really don't think they are very reliable. I went with the Weedman who showed up right on time and were very knowledgeable.

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I've tried to hire TJ's a few times to do my weekly grass cutting- I tried last year, then I don't know what I was thinking, but I tried again this year. When you can get John to answer his cell phone, or by some strange luck he returns a phone call, don't count on service starting when you're promised. I last called and spoke to John on 6/3/15... It's now 6/19, my grass is over 10" long, and still his crew is nowhere to be found, they know the property, this is as simple as coming and cutting grass. I don't "get" where grass cutting becomes rocket science... Your guys come, they spend 30 minutes cutting grass, they leave, you bill me, I pay you, then repeat.

The service went extremely well and continue to use TJ's. All of their staff (owner, office and service staff are professional, courteous, and ensure all service delivered meets expectations

Reasonable prices for a quality job.

Everything went fine, and we are pleased with the results.

It's $26 a week. It has been fine. They haven't done any mistakes. They do what they're supposed to do.

We hired T.J.'s Land Care initially for a weekly mowing service. Their prices are reasonable, and not only is the quality of service much better than past providers, that we've used, but they are also very professional and friendly. In particular, John, who is the owner, is very nice and personable. Even though he's extremely busy, he usually responds within 48 hours when contacted. We had recently purchased our property which is about a half-acre in size and was so severely over-grown that it was difficult to try and perform the cleanup and upkeep all on our own. After speaking with John and obtaining a quote, we also contracted them to perform several additional landscaping services which included a general spring cleanup comprised of weeding, clearing debris, branches, and dead plant material, and hauling it all away. They also trimmed hedges and pruned trees, cleared out the old mulch and installed new mulch in all of the plant beds, and spade-edged all of the borders. They worked quickly and all projects were completed in a single day. The combined services were very fairly priced for a total of $1300.00, and we've received many compliments from our neighbors and friends.

The workers were very efficient and where they dumped the mulch in our cul-de-sac, they made sure they cleaned the street afterwards. They were generous with the mulch in the beds and the edging looks terrific. Very happy with their work to date.

I am not exactly sure of the exact dates of services. They had quite a lot of work to do. My yard was absolutely overgrown. They did well with what they had to work with. They accidentally broke a window with small pebbles and a weed whacker. However, they paid to replace the window. They absolutely stand behind their work. Their weekly/biweekly clean-up was great. They did a great job, always were on time and their prices are fair. I would hire them again.

The owner is probably one of the nicest people I've ever met because I was in the hospital in April and he just sent me a note to say, "I hope you're recovering. How are you feeling?" He's just a nice guy and if you make the slightest little complaint about anything, he just jumps on the crews immediately to say he's got to fix it. I know several people in Lombard who use him and just think really highly of him. I pay $25.00 weekly for that staff for the mowing and they bag it and they edge every time. The only thing they do now that the grass is so high, there's a $5.00 a month gas surcharge and it just depends every year. I think the mulching and the spring clean up and all the rest of that was maybe around $300.00 but it was 3 cubic yard of mulch and they spread it beautifully around all my plants and they edged again in my beds and so I thought I got a pretty good deal. They're very accommodating and John himself who owns the company comes out and goes through everything with you before they do anything that you can pay your bill online. They have an invoice service that you can send a check. They try to do everything to make it work. If you;re not happy, they'll make adjustments with either the service or the cost. I've been really happy with them. I've used them 2 or 3 times and they have a long list of services. These guys will do anything. They do pretty thorough service. Sometimes, he's a little slow to get back on his emails just simply because he's so incredibly busy.

Work to be scheduled in the coming weeks. Price was good comparatively to what past landscapers estimates for other work. I will update ratings and description after work is complete. Responsiveness was more than likely due to my request being placed at one the the busiest times of the year for them. Other than that minor minor gripe (which really if you expect a quote 1 day after your site visit then you're nutso) isn't really an honoest gripe you should have.

I wasn't even here when they did it. The overall experience was excellent.

Very reliable, quality service for the basics such as mowing and snow removal. Prices seem reasonable as well. However, not as responsive for additional services such as hedge trimming, plant beds, etc. My assumption after several calls is that they have a "minimum spend" threshold before you can get their attention for non-routine services, even for long standing customers. My calls were returned, but there was a lack of follow-through. Even after talking to one of the owners on his cell phone, no one showed up to provide an estimate as promised or followed-up with a subsequent phone call to reschedule.