European Landscapes & Design

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I chose this company based on a neighbor's recommendation and after examining the results of her project which was somewhat more complicated than mine. From design to implementation they did a good job and worked with me every step of the way. It was an interactive process. I had a drainage plan which I needed their help to implement. They proposed less expensive design modifications for the drainage system after I had already approved a much more expensive plan. They saved me money and executed my vision as I wanted. I have had zero water in my basement since. On the landscaping part of the project, their original design lacked a few of the requested elements. After a brief email consultation they got back on track and submitted a plan which met all my expectations. They also strove to use existing landscape elements in the new design, therefore saving us more money. "Punctuality" gets a "fair" here, but only because the chief designer's wife gave birth and set the project back about three weeks. We didn't mind that.

Against the advice of friends and neighbors we hired European Landscape Designs to primarily fix our patio after storm damage and install a built in propane grill. Once we started the project we also added on some design improvements to enlarge and enhance our patio space. The project was very expensive and took twice as long as we were told it would, but I was willing to see it through till the end because I trusted what this company said it could do. While they had claimed they had experience installing built in grills, we were definitely part of a learning curve for them. They installed a natural gas grill for a liquid propane hook up and it took them several days to figure out the problem. Once the problem was discovered they neglected to communicate with the the propane installers to secure the correct parts to fix it properly and in a timely manner. At that point I lost all confidence in their abilities and fired them. I was concerned that they might be creating a very dangerous situation for my home and family. I then hired a qualified professional to fix the grill and ensure us that it was safe. The stone work that they completed was attractive but very costly and while I continued to ask them to focus on the grill they were much more interested in the hardscape work. This is clearly their area of interest so I would advise that one should be prepared to be very firm. If the homeowner has specific ideas, European Landscaping also has very specific ideas and they are very aggressive about them. I fired them and did not pay them the outstanding balance as I had to hire a qualified professional to check over the grill, fix the electrical work that was never completed and pay the propane installer for the many extra trips they had to make to complete the job. I received a letter from a lawyer demanding full payment due and while I considered fighting back I chose not to expend any more energy on this problem, pay the balance and write this review instead. From the beginning they displayed a pattern of behavior that shouted unprofessionalism. I should have stopped them as soon as things went off course at the beginning of the project, payed them for what they had done and finished with a qualified professional. They are a young group of guys with some good ideas and I wanted them to do well but in the end I believe they are untrustworthy and unethical. Buyer beware. I wish I had listen to the person who described them to me as "out of control" because that is exactly what they are.

They put a lot of time and effort into the proposal which was of a very high quality, and I appreciated how much work they put into it. They showed me the beautiful stone walls, steps, and paths that they had built at various customer sites. Additionally, they demonstrated a willingness to be flexible with regard to hardscaping design and pricing, and they were willing to accomodate my request to use native plants in the landscaping. I received proposals from a number of different companies. European Landscape and Design was a very close second choice, but I decided to go with another company. The decision was difficult because of European's high quality work.

They are coming back to do more work for us. It was not cheap but I don't remember the price. The guy that runs the company, Dave Gordon is really conscientious and he's got a great crew. The guy who actually did the work was extremely careful and efficient. I know it was a lot of money. Only one time they weren't punctual and that wasn't their fault but the weather was bad.

They did a good job, the new bluestone that they used to patch the holes looks nice, although the grout in the expansion seams is uneven - but still gets the job done. Still, they were willing to do it, and no one else really wanted the job. They are not the cheapest guys around but overall the price was fair. They were flexible and easy to work with and I will definitely use them again.

They provided excellent designs. Their communication with their customers is excellent. They have an excellent craftmanship, and their attention to detail was excellent too.