Moonlight Landscaping

It went well and as we expected.

Did excellent work.

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WORK WAS WELL DONE

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The work was satisfactory.

Moonlight Landscaping came out to my house after I purchased their "Big Deal" through Angie's List. Everything went well except the deal description did not match the actual services provided. The main reason I bought this was because it explains "Coupon provides an on-site consultation and hand-drawn plans for your new landscape design" but the actual service provided was really just a walk around the yard denoting options for plants to put in. I did receive an itemized breakdown estimate but that did not include the hand-drawn plans. I did get some good information out of the consultation so it was an OK value, just not what I expected due to the fine print.

Pleased with assessment, but expected follow-up sketch or concept

very positive

Due to a heavy work load in the busy season there was a lag of several weeks between quote and job start-up but the quality of the work was excellent - worth the wait.

We had contacted Moonlight landscaping in May and they came out and looked at the area which we wanted to put the patio in. Jim Soper (owner) came out to our house and look at the area and said he would work up a plan and return the next week. So the next week Jim came out and presented his plan. We decided on a 15 x 17 ft area and he was going to use stepping stones. I asked him if we could use brick pavers to match the house and he said he would check on it for me. He then called a few days later and said he had found the brick pavers we wanted but that they would be $45 more, so we told him to go ahead with it. Our original estimate was for $2899.50 but since we decided on the other pavers the cost was $2945. Jim said he could not start the job for a couple of weeks so it would be sometime around the middle of June. We said okay that would be fine. Around the 3rd week in June we did not hear from him so I called him and he said he was delayed on another job but would start in about 2 weeks! He did start the patio the 2nd week of July and it took him about a week to complete it. Half way through the job he told me that he needed more of the mesa cap stone because the area was sloped more than he estimated. So he needed to get 50 more, I asked him how much and he said about $400 additional. I had no choice but to agree to this. He did a great job and it looks really nice but I was shocked when he sent me another bill for an additional $725. When I asked him about this he said he also had to get more sand and crushed limestone. He charged an additional labor, fuel and delivery fee for this.I feel that he used poor business practices with us and would tell anyone else to be sure you get everything in the estimate (start date and completion date) and over run charges so that this does not happen to you.

I have been using them for my landscaping for over a year.The job turns out fantastic. We will use them for everything we do outside. They do an excellent job. The owner is Jim Soper and he does alot of the work too as it is only two of them. They do everything great. They clean everything up well. The owner is a religious man and I trust him.

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What I appreciated the most, besides the reasonable price and quality job - is this owner stays on the job and works with his men to ensure a quality job is done. I could tell he was picky about getting the healthiest of plants, and ensured they were properly planted. He listened to my needs and my concerns (poor soil, heavy sun, heavy shade, tons of magnolia leaves dropping all summer for me to contend with..., desire for low maintenance plantings) and suggested options and plants he knew would solve the problems. He came and laid out a professional, nicely drawn plan, and he was not ashamed to tell me his costs and markup so I could understand his fee, which I found to be quite reasonable compared to other bidders for the job. His plan was wonderful - turns out he consults with his wife on the plans and together they brainstorm options - I liked and benefited from having another woman's perspective and input on the plan! The completed work was far more beautiful than any paper plan was capable of showing - neighbors and friends still tell me they can't believe the difference it makes in the front of our house. Once we approved his plan, he and his workers did our job on time, in spite of the terrible heat at the end of a long hot summer, and this job was no small task. Nearly three years later, NONE of the trees, shrubs or plants they put in have died - and we have been thru two drought periods, perhaps are entering our third. I followed the instructions he and his wife gave me to the "t" the first year after the plants were in. The second year I eased up on watering to harden the plants, trees and shrubs a bit. They continue to thrive as we are half thru the third year. My plan was made up of holly trees, periwinkle, varigated lariope, boxwoods of various types and sizes, skip laurel, some accent periennials, and blue spruces. There were 8 left-over varigated liriope plants, and he lef them with me, which was another sign of his honesty (I'd paid for them, after all). An unethical landscaper would have hidden the extras, taken them and tried to get their money back or "sell" them to the next job... We hired another landscaper to do some hardscape work building us a terrace while Moonlight was working - they were not ethical, and I have often wished I had used Moonlight to do that job. Jim is not a college-educated landscape architect, but God knows he is certainly gifted in this area. Jim knows what he is talking about (so listen to him). Only problem I had was sometimes he'd make quips or joking comments that were either odd or perhaps I didn't quite understand. My husband does that all the time - so I overlooked those, and focused on the project - which was what I was after. I will always invite Moonlight to bid in any future landscaping work.