Almost Perfect Landscaping

Frank Porter was very proactive in contacting me about availability to perform the work needed. I met with him in the nursery and together we selected potential plants that would do well in the sunny location. The next day, he and the crew arrived on time and Frank placed the plants in the beds and together we moved them around until I was happy with the design. The crew did a very good job planting them and cleaned up the area. Frank gave me care information on all the plants so that I knew how and when to prune the perennials. The crew also removed the old fence and replaced it with the new one. They did a very good job and cleaned up the area. I felt very comfortable working with Frank and did not get a second opinion with respect to the cost. I thought it was a bit high, but recognized that some of the shrubs were expensive and the crew had a lot of work to do. Overall, very happy with their work.

Frank always returned phone calls and kept appointments. He submitted his estimate (the lowest) right away after looking at the area. He is easy to work with. The work was completed as planned and on time. I requested that it be done on October 16 and it was done then. I would definitely use Frank again in the future. He is a nice guy and does good work.

Frank came out and I gave him an overview of what I was looking for--replace the current concrete sidewalk with pavers and replace most of our current shrubs to refresh the beds in the front of the house. 30 minutes later, Frank rang the door bell to say he had my estimate. About $15,000 and he would go with us to pick out plants. No additional suggestions over what I had told him. No specifics other than a suggestion that I go look at stones at a particular supplier. And nothing in writing! He called the next morning at 7:15AM to say he had put some shrubs on hold for us. I was not awake yet and told him I would call him back. Then I read the reviews on Angie's list and realized that I would not get an actual proposal. I have called another company and received a written proposal with details of the work to be preformed.

Frank came the next day after contacting and he was very nice and professional. I started lawn maintenance and it was fine. We also decided to completely redo our lawn and regrow/fertilize it. It came out beautifully and i was completely satisfied with the job. Afterward, I asked him to make a raised garden bed for me with stones I had already purchased. The job was started and I had to contact him 2 times because I wasn't sure he was coming. The job was unfinished and a few days later some guys came to finish it. They left a mess behind and I was very unsatisfied with how they left the job, not letting me know it was even finished. I also noticed my lawn was looking messy and decided to discontinue my service. After Frank called me I decided to give him another chance and right away, my lawn was taken care of and I am now happy with the service.

I contacted Almost Perfect via email on a Wednesday; 48 hours later Frank Porter came to inspect our property and discuss what needed to be done. He and his crew came the following Wednesday and left our yard in wonderful shape. I appreciate that he had a couple of different approaches to the soil runoff issue, so I could choose a solution that looked good and fit our budget. Best of all, the invoice matched the estimate. One of the very best contractor experiences we have had.

Excellent work. Efficient and organized.

I called he setup an appointment on Friday never came never called back. Left a message he finally called back said he would come Saturday. waited all day no show I called and told him not to bother to come. His explantation was almost as good as the dog ate my homework.he was sick I said I was sorry but there was no reason somebody couldn't have called me. Don't take chance on these people all you'll get is excuses Salli Strauss

Graded side yard, installed railroad ties and pea gravel to create an attractive pathway. Planted attractive trees and bushes to create a park-like feel to the area. Trimmed exiting trees and mulched area.

We needed to redo the landscaping in our front yard because we were overwhelmed with overgrown landscaping and trees. I called Frank, he returned my call promptly and came the next evening. He was very accomodating and willing to schedule all appointments at our convenience. He had great ideas, was very open about sharing advice and suggested we use some of the existing material on the property. We originally met in July and he explained to us that the best time to move plants would be in September when the weather was cooler. We expected to have to chase him down when September arrived, but he contacted us and was ready to go! We reviewed the project again, agreed on next steps and Frank and his crew were there within the week. On Friday they removed all the unwanted plant material and saved the rest. On Saturday they transplanted an 18 foot tall dogwood tree and a Japanese maple that was 5 feet wide and Frank took us to the nursery to select material based on our taste and his knowledge. This was great as we could see how the different plants blended together and we knew exactly what we were getting. The job was completed to perfection that day. His crew was very professional and they really know what they are doing. I'm a perfectionist and I think they were just as fussy as I am. We are very happy with the results and would recommend this company to anyone. I fret over everything, but Frank made this an easy and enjoyable experience. We are planning to use this company for other work at our home.

I purchased the Landscape Assessment and Analysis for $99.00 on May 7, 2012. To date, I have not received a written estimate or design\plan. Frank Porter came to my house on two occasions, and told me what he would do, and gave a ball park figure. I asked for the design on paper and a written estimate. Frank mentioned that he does not have the capability to create the design and need to have someone else create the document. At this point, I have stopped asking for the documents, and have found someone else to do the work. Frank's pricing was very expensive, and he did not deliver the agreed upon documentation. At this point, I feel that I have lost the $99.00, but feel that I am due a refund. I would not recommend Almost Perfect Landscaping.

They came the same day I called and mowed the lawn.

They knew what they were talking about and they were very professional.? They were pretty straightforward. We ended up going with someone else but I would get a quote from them again.?

He did a very good job, the work looks really nice. They came on time and after I paid him he even asked if there was anything I wanted to redo, making sure I was satisfied. I thought this was honorable.

I'm sorry to say, this was not typical of my experience on Angie's list. It went badly from start to finish. A few days after I paid for the deal, Mr. Portor called me. We set up an appointment for him to come out and see the property. I waited all afternoon on the day of the appointment and he never showed. Around the end of the appointment time, he called me and apologized. He was swamped and had forgotten me. We set up another date for an appointment. Mr. Portor did come to the second appointment. I explained that I was interested in something more creative than a few perennials and impatiens, which had been my simple design up to now. I was perhaps looking for levels. He had lots of ideas about particular plants he would use. Then he explained to me that, while he could get his designer to draw something up, he would be able to design it much better himself, without actually creating a drawing. We could take some pictures of my property and he suggested we go to the nursery together and pick things out. He gave me a verbal estimate for materials (plants) and labor. Well, I wasn't sure about this, because I had already paid for a design and he was moving directly to the implementation phase. But I took the photos and emailed them to him. After I didn't hear from him for a few days, I called and left a message. He called back, and he could not remember anything about my property. He asked me to send some photos, and I had to explain that I already had. But I sent them again, anyway. When he contacted me again, he once again could not remember me or my property. We never went to a nursery, and he never provided anything in writing. At this point, I decided to ask for what was originally offered. He agreed to send a design. About a week later he emailed me a simple design. I was singularly unimpressed. There were no levels; he even omitted a taller plant that he suggested. He used only a couple of plant species. Basically, I realized that I could have done as much on my own. I thanked him and told him I had decided not to proceed with the work.

Frank responded to my inquiry the same day and set up an appointment for the next day. Frank was professional, friendly, helpful and great to deal with. His quote was the most reasonable, but more important, he made me feel more confident the work would be done properly and it was. Even though the crew arrived later than scheduled by Frank, they were polite, professional, thorough and left nothing behind. Frank stopped by to monitor the progress and called later as the crew was nearing completion. In the future, Frank (Almost Perfect Landscaping) will be the first company I call when I need any landscaping work. They will also be the one I contact first when I need other home improvement/repair services they provide. This was a very positive experience and would highly recommend Frank and his company.

I recently contacted Almost Perfect Landscaping for some help with my property. I have a 2 building garden apartment rentals and due to all the rising expenses in NJ had kept landscaping and beautification of the property last on the list. I felt it was time to make my property look like “Wisteria Lane” and Frank Porter came to the rescue. The initial phone contact with his assistant was very pleasant, Frank got in touch with me and came over to assess shortly after. A witty and down to earth man within minutes he was able to point out every flaw, diagnose and then set out a plan of action (being in the medical field, that is the sort of thinking I like). The estimate was excellent for my budget and it included a new lawn, getting rid of all the weeds cutting down all the tree branches hanging on the roof and much more! He even agreed to work with a payment plan. Within the week his employees and did the bulk of the work, we still have a lot planned but I am already excited about the landscaping and decided to recommend Almost Perfect ASAP before he finishes the job and it becomes “perfect” which would be inconsistent with the name of the company.

As I said above, it was a complete disappointment and I did not get what I paid for... not even close!

When will people learn that it is better to call and let your appointment know you are running late or can't make it than to keep them waiting for hours only for them to find out you had no intention of showing up for the appointment? The conversations I had with Mr. Porter on the phone gave me hope that he was a responsible professional. When I contacted him, he agreed to look at my property, but said he had to be out of town for a week and would see me on a Sunday. I waited. And waited. And waited. At 2:40 p.m. I called him and he had obviously forgotten about the appointment, was unapologetic and seemed generally disinterested. I don't know what the quality of his company's work is, but his demeanor leaves a lot to be desired. If you are looking for a landscaper, don't put all your hopes on Mr. Porter; make appointments with other landscapers at the same time -- hopefully one of them will show up.

I had called 4 landscaping services multiple times and Frank (The owner) from Almost Perfect was the only one to get back to me in a timely manor and came out that same day to personally give me an estimate. The quote was for $580 which I thought was reasonable for all the work they would have to do. Frank also gave me some great ideas on what we can do in the future to really make my property stand out. After giving Frank the ok he had a crew of people early the next morning. I wasnt there to see the work being done but when I got home late that day everything looked incredible. They even planted a few flowers in a dead space that really showed off the front area. I didnt ask Frank for that nor did he charge me! In my opinion you dont see that to often. I would definitely recomend Frank and Almost Perfect to anyone who asks.

We reached out to Frank and after some phone tag we had a great conversation about being first time homeowners and what we need to do to get our landscaping in shape. Frank suggested we start off slowly with basic maintenance to keep the grounds in check, and that we can work up to additional services, and must have's such as fertilization when the time comes. I found him to be easy to work with, not pushy, and will be recommending his crew's work to others in our neighborhood if asked. When they say the grass is always greener on the other side, they were talking about our yard.

firstly, let me say that Angie's list recommended this company highly, with a coupon for a $100.00 schematic of our landscaping project. almost perfect took that hundred dollars and never completed a schematic saying, "it's not necessary" well, it was. the work that was done with our lawn was very good, but the patio we had them install for us could have been done as well by myself and my husband. the stones were cut improperly and nothing was fleshed out prior to installing, it was a "see if it fits" kind of job. the stones were not secured and had to be redone. Also, the owner of the company was not on site to oversee the work, didn't know who i was when i phoned, and showed up several hours late on day one. VERY VERY disappointed with this company. Also, was told "no hidden fees" then, after we paid our invoice in full, we received a call saying, "you owe an additional 200. we forgot some things"... hmmmmmm. well needless to say, we didn't pay that. After this experience, i'm not so sure Angie's list is for me.

.Installation work went well and promptly. But subcontractor who did the electrical work for the drain pump would not return when pump broke down

I was informed that they do not do large tree removal but they referred me to someone who does (Bergenfield Tree) and were very responsive and friendly on the phone. The owner even spent time educating me about mulch after I asked a question.

I met Frank Porter of Almost Perfect Landscaping about 4 weeks ago as a result of trying to locate a contractor to beautify my parent’s yard as a Father’s Day present. I called several companies and almost Perfect was the only who responded quickly and promptly. We discussed the scope of the project and then Frank asked me to send him send pictures so we could discuss budget. We went back and forth brain storming the project so I could get the most bang for our buck. The results were spectacular. Let me tell you this, these guys really know their stuff. One day 5 men did what would take us years to do. We suggested that they remove a tree and trim another to which he did not want to do because its severity and suggested that we find a tree removal company. We had trouble finding a company that would be able to remove the tree quickly and at a reasonable price. After telling Frank the issues that I was having he told me not to worry about it he would take care of it. He ended up trimming both trees which opened up the yard. This company goes above and beyond their call of duty. Next week he is planning in returning to customize our deck. I would trust this company with not almost anything I need done, but everything.

I called Almost Perfect and Frank returned my call promptly within a few hours. He then came to our house later that day to see what needed to be done and give us an estimate. 4 days later the work was done which was nice to have it done so quickly! The yard looked nice and tidy and neat and cleaned up. The grass in the back yard has come up nicely. Frank is easy to get a hold of and gets things done quickly. He really wants to work with you and please you which means he will do a great job.