COLORSCAPES

This job was more of an A- than a full A. The end result looks great, and the cost was what we were planning on spending. However, it was painful getting there, partly because Gene and I have different ways of doing things. Gene is very personable and honest. However, he is a bit of free spirit. If you don't have any definite idea in mind for how you want your landscaping to look, he is the guy for you. He will come in, do the job, and it will look great. If you are like me and have some definite ideas of things you want or don't want, you could find the process as frustrating as I did. We had Gene come by the house to talk to us. He spent over an hour with us as we discussed general things that we wanted done. At the end, he gave us a written estimate, as well as list of local properties to view. After talking it over, a week later we told him orally that we wanted him to do the job. I was fully expecting a written contract at this point. Instead, I came home a few days later to find all the old bushes pulled out and half of the lawn gone. When I protested (more lawn was gone than I expected), he said, "Well, we talked about it that day I came out". We had talked about it in general terms, not specifics. When I said that I had been expecting to see at least a sketch, he told me in all honesty that if I had wanted a sketch, I should have hired a different landscaper. Indeed, I probably would have been happier with someone else. While the result looks nice (and was within the original written estimate), it is not quite what I wanted (e.g., it is very hard to get to the faucet). To be fair, I was actually expecting the final bill to be a bit higher, because there were some extensions to the plan, at least as far as Gene was concerned. (Again, if we had had a sketch, we could have been clear from the beginning about what was being included and what was not). As I said, the end result looks great; the neighbors are all impressed. However, I personally would not hire him again.

THIS COMPANY ONLY HAD ONE PROBLEM, HE DIDN'T CLEAR IT WITH US FIRST BEFORE HE CAME. OTHER THAN THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT. WE'LL HAVE THEM BACK AGAIN.