Xtra Care Landscaping & Design INC

In October 2015, we contracted with Xtra Care for new hardscaping and landscaping in the front and back yards of our DC rowhome. ?Both yards are fairly small (600 sq ft in the back and less than 200 sq ft in the front), but have fairly significant grade changes, so retaining walls and other structural details were needed. ?Their estimate was approximately $70,000 (roughly half and half for each the front and back). ?The estimates?did not include electrical work which we were contracting separately. ? Due to PEPCO delays (we were doing a heavy up separately) for the back yard, and permitting delays for the front yard, we did not start the work in the back yard?until February 2016. ?Xtra Care was good about dealing with the PEPCO?delay and helped us schedule their work so that it would not conflict. We qualified for a city rebate to use?pervious pavers, which is how we found Xtra Care (they were on the list of approved contractors by DDOE). ?Unfortunately, that is where we hit the first issue. ?After Xtra Care had already excavated a lot of dirt and was prepared to install the pervious pavers, we found out from DDOE that a permeability test should be completed to make sure the area would actually drain. ?We had to complete that test ourselves and found out that the area would not in fact drain, so our plans for the pavers (and the accompanying rebate) were out the window. ?The alarming thing is that Xtra Care never intended to conduct this test and the pavers were to be installed next to our foundation and basement.? Overall, the quality of Xtra Care's work was good and we're happy with the final product, but we are giving them a B rating because of their process. ? First of all, the owner (Cleber)?who provided the quote basically disappeared after the project started. ?He assigned a manager to the project (Jose) who then assigned another daily manager (Wilfredo). ?Whenever we would have an issue, they would all tell us to talk to someone else and we felt like there was never any one person who was really on top of the details of our project and we had to manage a lot of it ourselves. Whenever we asked for an updated quote or an explanation of their?plans for the landscaping, they would point us to another person, so we ended up tallying up the final total and did the landscaping ourselves. Another issue was with their communication generally. ?They would not tell us what days or times they would be working on the project and some days they would just not show up (without a phone call or text) and some days they wouldn't show up until very late in the morning (like 11am), so the project dragged on. They also had no apparent?general knowledge of the DC regulations that are applicable to these types of projects, including zoning, structural and historic board regulations. ?It turned out that the plans we had discussed?for the front yard violated basically all of those regulations and we couldn't do any of it (as we learned after a lot of time and money). ?You would think that as landscaping professionals in DC they would know this stuff, but apparently not. Our final issue was with the structural engineer that they recommended for the front yard. ?We spent a lot of time trying to work with him and ultimately he was the worst professional engineer, or professional for that matter, that we have ever come across. ?He constantly missed deadlines and details?and ultimately delivered plans that were not acceptable to the DCRA. ?While he did not work for Xtra Care, they did recommend him specifically (saying they work with him all the time)?and they never helped us resolve our issues with him.

The company is extremely professional and reliable. They are very responsive and technologically savvy. They were very thorough and professional. They had a timeline and stuck to it. My demands changed as the project moved along and they were very flexible. They pricing was very reasonable. We had an issues with a mudslide in the middle of the project and they were great about coming up with solutions to fix it. The quality of their work is fantastic, my garden is blooming.

Xtra Care offers a lot of services and executes some of them better than others. I'll describe our experience service by service: Design - We didn't have a specific design in mind, other than something that looked nice year round. We said we did't want/need a lot of flowers/flowering plants and wouldn't mind having natural mosquito repellents. What we ended up with, even after a redesign, is something that looks relatively nice for a few months a year, but otherwise has a lot of deciduous shrubs and bushes. None of the plants are natural mosquito repellents. Masonry - We had Xtra Care extend an existing brick path and it was very well done. My one complaint is that I'd asked if they wouldn't mind securing one loose brick in the existing part of the path since they were there with the mortar. And they did, but charged several hundred dollars for it (which they informed me after the fact). When you are spending close to $30k with a company, it would be nice not to feel nickel and dimed. Carpentry - They built a covered firewood storage shed structure for us. In addition to nails sticking out of the roof and the roof shingles not matching up, it took weeks before they came back to weather-proof the wood. But, the greatest flaw had to do with a more serious construction error that caused the shed damage only weeks after it was built. When I first mentioned the error, I was told that it shouldn't create any problems. Then, later, when I called to report the damage, I was told that they could fix it for an additional $400, despite the error being the fault of the carpenter and not my own. It was not until I threatened to stop using their services that they agreed to fix the error without additional payment. Planting - the guys doing the planting didn't always follow the design and as a result, we have some plants in random locations. We also asked Xtra Care to move two existing shrubs. They said they could not guarantee the survival, but would try. Well, both shrubs died. We've had some other stuff moved recently by another landscaper and everything seems to be thriving. I'm not sure if the issue was the replanting or bad luck, but if they didn't think there was a least a higher than 50% chance of survival, then they really shouldn't have offered to transplant the shrubs for $200 each! Finally, when several new plants didn't survive the winter, they agreed to replace them with something more sturdy, but charged us 30% more than we should have been. When I happened to notice the error, they applied the correct price, but without an apology. Maintenance - They get points for being fast, but not when the quality suffers. I invariably had to do my own weeding after they left every week. They use a weed wacker so they never pull the weeds up from their roots (usually leaving an inch or two), which both looks bad and also means that the weeds return quickly. Finally, we paid the annual maintenance contract through an installment plan, which is very convenient except that they tried to bill us for one additional installment. It wasn't until I provided check numbers associated with the checks that we had sent and they had deposited that they believed me that we had completed our payments. As was the case with the overcharge on the plants, there was no apology. Rereading these comments (and considering I left off a few other complaints for the sake of brevity), I realize that a "C" rating may be generous, but hopefully my description of our experience will be helpful to others.

Like everyone who is about to start a new renovation project, we started our search for a company that will meet our aesthetic taste, budget and time frame. We found all of that and more in Xtra Care Landscaping. We bought our house after it was unoccupied for over a year and landscaping was neglected for many many years. We knew it was going to be a big project. We chose Xtra Care because of the high score they received on Angie's list and frankly because of how beautiful their designs and end product looks like. They certainly delivered with our landscaping work !!! We engaged with them for our front yard design during the Fall of 2015. The process was not just extremely professional, but also pleasant and fun! Starting with the creative landscape designer who really listened to my personal taste through the manager who understood our time restrictions as well as the importance of staying in budget and ending with all the dedicated staff members. Our front yard looks amazing!!! Our neighbors can't stop complimenting and many of them already did some work with Xtra Care. After the success and great experience we had with them on our front yard, right when spring 2016 came, we started another, much bigger, project of our back yard. Since we have a pool that needed renovation too, the landscaping and pool company needed to work together syncing timelines and in full cooperation, and it all went well. The landscaping included not just redesign of beds and plants but also demolition of old concrete and reinstalling new pavers, running pipes for drainage system and building a waterfall. All work was done professionally, beautifully and on time! (even with some weather interruptions). The transformation is indescribable! The back yard is gorgeous! Finally matching our beautiful front yard. It was a pleasure working with every staff member of Xtra Care. Highly recommended. Thank you, Sigal

From the initial phone call, through the proposal, design, and installation phases, we could not have been happier. We received three bids for the work. Xtra Care's quote was competitive but what tipped it for us was the company's exceptional professionalism. The company's owner, Cleber, met with us to discuss options. The company's in-house design team then generated a great plan along with virtualizations that helped to get on the same page from the get go. The installation team worked extremely hard and the end result was truly dazzling. We've already hired Xtra Care for maintenance after our positive experience with the install. We can't recommend them more highly.

Xtra Care was always very professional and on time and they finished in three days. Communication was outstanding. I definitely got bang for the buck and won't hesitate to call them again.

They mow my lawn too. $100 is about the flowing rate around here. I wouldn't stay with them if they don't do a fabulous job. I've been using him for maybe 20 years. We were together in my yard for 9/11. We saw the smokes from the Pentagon and we were like in shock.

My first encounter with Cleber was very positive. He is extremely professional, knowledgable and customer focused. We planed the project together and he listened very attentively to exactly what I wanted. His wife came out the the project and drew up the plans. It was quite complicated as I live on a hill but the team worked very diligently through the process. I am very happy with the results, everyone comments on what a good job they did.

We were extremely pleased with Xtra Care's work from the initial estimate through the completion of the project. We were given a very clear and detailed description of the work to be performed and the cost proposal was significantly lower that of the other estimates we received. They worked with us to make several modifications to the proposal and to ensure our materials preferences were accommodated. The support staff was courteous and responsive throughout the process. The work commenced shortly before the area received several days of heavy rain and was completed afterward, quickly and with surprisingly little disruption. The work crew was professional and extremely attentive to detail. When they were finished they reseeded affected portions of the lawn and replanted and remulched surrounding beds, and they removed every last bit of debris.

Everything went well. Obviously our home needed a lot of work. What was great about Xtra Care was that it was "one stop shopping" for all of the above services. Cleber, the owner, had teams that could do everything and do it well and very professionally. We had used Xtra Care before for some landscaping and felt comfortable and confident in their services. The stonework under the direction of Wilfredo was beautifully done. The workers were very meticulous. We got compliments from neighbors one of whom enlisted their services. The driveway was done by Mauro, a subcontractor. Despite the different teams Xtra Care was responsible for all their workmanship, and Cleber was knowledgeable about and responsive to all aspects of the project. We were very pleased with their work.

XtraCare was excellent. Xtracare was professional, prompt and did a fantastic job. We are looking forward to using them for projects in the spring as well as continuing the service for maintenance. We are happy to have found a company that we can trust for our outdoor needs. I highly recommend them.

Xtra Care was very responsive and professional. The project was not without problems, especially given that the existing wall and driveway were very old and that drainage away from the house was a huge priority. The work crew was well led by an articulate and talented project manager. To a man, the crew was polite, hard working and congenial. They cleaned up very well each evening before they left. We are extremely satisfied with the project and continue to receive compliments from our neighbors and guests to our home.

Subsequent you erroneous review, the provider went to great lengths to contact me both through phone calls and house visits . We have not been able to connect; however we will- and will most likely do business. Provider has been diligent and responsible and cares deeply about their professional reputation. The diligence and consideration deserves support and they will get it from me. Elaine Jones, Washington, DC

It went very well. The crew was on time each day and completed the work on time as scheduled. The walk way and the steps look very good. I've gotten compliments from the neighbors and some even asked for Xtra Care information to contact them.

Workmen arrived a bit "late" in the morning, sometimes after 10am, but often worked until 7pm. Weather was VERY hot. Both of the job supervisors I had contact with seemed anxious to please and were careful of surrounding areas and my neighbor's property. They also trimmed up a few existing bushes for free The main supervisor, Wilfredo, was bi-lingual and could communicate my wishes to the crews .I willingly supplied extra snacks and drink to the crews, who brought their own lunches, but who seemed to wilt by late afternoon. All in all, I felt that an excellent job was done with a difficult situation

Xtra Care was great! They fit us in their schedule in a timely way, did a very nice job, and their quote was about 20% lower than the other one I received.

Very professional installers. They have great attention to detail, from the kitchen design to the installation. I highly recommend them for this service and I would definitely use them again for my future remodeling projects.

They were great. Clever is very knowledgeable and put together a very thoughtful plan to help solve our drainage issues. The price was very reasonable for the amount of work performed compared to what other vendors quoted us. The finished product is thus far working out great. I have already recommended them to a friend.

Xtra care's team was reliable, professionally, pleasant and very talented. They didn't cut any corners or rush things, they were very thorough and did a great job.

He was very nice. I have no idea what the going rate is for this kind of work, but I didn't want to spend that much money. He was very kind and gave me some ideas of what to do myself to ease this problem. I will use them when I decide to do the work. Very informed and helpful

Service was excellent. Completed on schedule and on budget. Staff were very friendly and thoroughly cleaned up after themselves.

It was fantastic. The men were professional, worked efficiently and paid attention to detail.

I paid $100 for the initial clean up and mowing. The price went up from the year before but that was fine with that. I received a bill for cleanup services $100, mowing( $30) , and trimming and weeding ($20). The services were all performed on the same day. How is trimming and weeding different from lawn clean up? I don't have any leaves or trees. I'm not sure what leaves and debris were cleaned. My original estimate for 2015 was $100. I paid $75 for the same service in 2014, according to my records. In addition to this, "XtraCare" received payment for the clean up on April 20th (before I was billed). I actually paid them early based on the estimate. It took 3 weeks for the work to be completed and even then I wasn't given an approximate date the work would be completed. The service has really gone down hill in one year. When I called to inquire about the itemized bill with additional charges, I was greeted by a rude and condescending person. I'll take my money elsewhere thanks.

Excellent. The work completed was exactly what we asked for. The patio, new planter box and walkway turned out beautifully. The workers were hardworking, quick and professional and completed the project in a little under 2 weeks. We were very happy with the job and would definitely use them again. This was one of the best experiences I've had working with contracting companies.

The Xtra Care team was professional and hard working from the start. The task was extremely hard work and they did a great job.