Lewis Landscape Services Inc

From day one until the day Lewis walked off the job site our project was a DISASTER! I will say, after reading this review, if you still decide to choose Lewis, be very wary of the termination for convenience clause in their contract. When things get sideways or don’t work, they move to the next task, leaving the previous task unfinished. When they get far enough that they cannot finish, they will send an email and conveniently demobilize. They will then bill you saying they are almost complete only to find out there are a slew of mistakes that become costly, if not impossible, to fix. Before I get too far, I will say the crews they had onsite were hard working and really nice folks. The PM (Brad) doesn’t spend more than 5-10 mins on site when he even shows up. It was clear the workers had no idea what the vision was or what the final product was to look like. I had to constantly watch over and even print the design plan for them multiple times to keep things on track. They quoted 26 days to completion. After 4 months they walked away at what they claimed was 85% complete (which was more like 50-60%). We had some poured concrete walls (which Lewis subbed out) but the attention to the details and dimensions created long term headaches. They miscalculated the walls which resulted in our steps and upper patio not aligning or steps protruding above the concrete which was never the intent. A solution was never found. They cut away wall foundations and cut slab stairs to make them fit in other locations which could affect long term structural integrity. The control joints in the walls were installed at an angle as the concrete sub had to revise the design intent because Lewis wouldn’t dig the footings per the desire of their sub (they were told they could do it themselves). We requested this entire portion of wall be replaced. They opted to cut a smaller portion as a test knowing we likely wouldn’t approve which now looks completely different and the joint is separating. They walked before it was ever fixed properly. The wall finishes are terrible and inconsistent. They failed to remove skim coating which they ultimately tried to chisel and grind away leaving a terrible result on our feature seating walls. Not to mention the tops of the walls are not consistent or level in most spots. These are all things a PM should oversee to make sure the end product is what the owner is looking for. We have a spillway water feature. The opening they provided didn’t work with the fountain. The fountain basin wasn’t formed deep enough and the water lines through the concrete did not allow the pre-fabricated basin to sit deep enough. And when we turned on the sprinklers the main water connection blew apart from poor installation. There is also no main shutoff for the water without going to my sprinkler main clear across the property. The paver patio they installed looked terrible. Joints do not align (and some of that is on the mfgr tolerances) but the cut lines were horrible which Lewis could control. Pavers and steps are chipped and damaged and multiple pavers had stains do to improper storage of materials. The sprinklers were supposed to be complete but I had to pay another contractor to find and fix plugs/sprinklers that didn’t even work. We had a gas line installed for a fire pit. They didn’t pull a permit and no one would touch the work as it had not been inspected. I had to do a pressure test myself and negotiate with the inspector to get approval and a permit. To cap it all off, I’m sure the owner will respond to this review with nothing but excuses. But he wasn’t even willing to discuss when I called and emailed him multiple times as the project was deteriorating. They just continued to work and try to get as much money out of us as they could before they conveniently walked away. And as the owner will say, only negative reviews like this are posted. But only the good projects are highlighted in their portfolio. I would not recommend this company.

After Maximo left the company sometime at the end of 2019, Lewis Landscaping seriously dropped the ball. First an accounting error that should have taken less than a day took weeks to resolve. Then, I unfortunately had a fraud event on my checking account which required me to supply new ACH information. I submitted it twice via email. No response, but I assumed all was ok. next thing I know, they’ve sent me to collections for $950 — which they never communicated to me about nor mentioned that there was any problem. Even after getting the collection notice, I attempted to contact Lewis three times....no response. I also have no idea if they actually performed the work from January to April because they stopped leaving the hang tag to indicate that they were here and what services were performed (again, after Maximo left). The owner, Jim Lewis, is blaming me and taking no responsibility for anything. That, to me, is the sign of a bad business. They never even attempted to fix the problems — and still don’t care. He’s upset because I’m giving the business bad reviews. Well, that’s what you get when you don’t provide any customer service whatsoever and then trash the customer. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH LEWIS LANDSCAPE.

The pricing for the sod was fair, pricing was substantially higher for the irrigation repair. While the gentleman seemed very knowledgeable, I indicated what areas were of concern to me. I wish they had listened better.

3 fountain bird bath water pump quit working , Was a low volume gentle bird bath amount of water. Called lewis to come and service pump. Original pump was a varible speed, 2000 GPH to 4000 GPH with a remote control. Removed and replaced with a 5000 GPH pump, now bird bath is a 6 to 8 inch high fountain on all 3 , blow the birds away. Lewis charged me $650.00 for the pump plus $383.00 in labor. The same pump sells on-line for $407.98. The original 3 stage, remote control 2000 GPH pump sells on line for $593.99. Complained to Lewis about above, they sent 2nd service guy out finally 2 weeks later, he changed the water inlet control valve, which was also put back together broken by first service guy, did nothing regarding wrong pump or amount origionally charged.

Project required our constant involvement because much of the information we discussed with their landscape architect didn’t get translated into the work the crew did. Crew worked hard, but was hampered by constant communication gaps with our point of contact. There were at least a dozen instances where we asked the crew why something was happening and they replied “no one ever told us.” Examples: - Dimensions of patio didn’t line up with the rendering we agreed to. - Gas line and fire pit were about to be set several feet away from agreed position before we caught it. - The patio edge that we agreed and purchased was never communicated to the work crew. It wasn’t until the mason said, “don’t you guys want any edging on this?” that we knew we had a problem. A couple of dozen new shrubs were put into holes the same diameter as the buckets they came in, with no additional soil or soil prep. This part of the project was done very quickly, and we were told to water heavily for several weeks, which covered up the problem until the rainy season. The following summer, as several plants died, we discovered that the root balls were all in the same shape as the buckets they came in, because there wasn’t any space to grow into the clay soil. We lost several plants, but our plant warranty had expired of course, so we had to dig and replant the remaining shrubs ourselves. 18 months later, the new paver steps leading up to the new patio are coming undone. Crew destroyed several large established plants in the process of digging trenches for gas, lighting and irrigation, and didn’t offer to replace them. There was simply no discussion that it would happen. We have no schemas for lights, water or gas, in case we want future work done. The patio looks good (except for the steps) but the project was not a good experience, considering the expense.

Several times per year, they don't bother maintaining my entire yard, sometimes letting the weeds get six feet high before I complain and they finally do something. This is not difficult terrain, either. They also wake me up early on on Saturdays with their lawnmower noises when I'm scheduled for Fridays. I've had it with these yahoos; I don't know what their problem is (high turnover maybe?) but... I'm done.

Trimmed a 25 foot long Arborvita hedge to the style that I had requested.

They removed leaves in the fall and winter but it took them until late spring to remove all the leaves which caused us to delay getting bark dust for our flower beds. Because of this when the bark dust was blown on it destroyed some of our early plants. The problem with their edging was that they edged so much that the flower beds continued to grow in size. The blowing off of side walks, the patio, and deck was very good; however the flower beds were not so good. Sticks and leaves would pile up against the larger plants and trees. They do a great job of mowing the lawn. They change directions each time they mowed, which is great. However with respect to controlling weeds growing in the lawn is a disaster. Their method of controlling weeds is to carry a squirt bottle of weed killer and they squirt a weed when they see one. As a result our lawn is full of weeds. Originally we had True Green take care of the weeds in the lawn and they did a fantastic job of controlling the weeds, however they do not mow lawns or remove leaves. We cannot afford to employ both companies and the priority goes to leaf removal and lawn mowing. They did fertilize the lawn using a lawn spreader and aerated the lawn each year. When we first hired Lewis Landscaping, they did a great job, however lately their service has declined. Originally their service was great and we decided to upgrade, they would prune and deadhead flowers. The pruning butchered our plants and deadheading flowers was non-existent,

I called them for a quote on the installation of the irrigation system. The project manager came, looked around and promised to email me the estimate. After two weeks of not receiving anything, I called up the company again to follow up. The receptionist sounded very irritated and she said that I just have to be patient and wait. It is now a month past by and still no estimate. I guess they are just too busy, but the customer service is horrible and I will not call them again, nor recommend them to anyone.

It went excellent. The work was done absolutely to our satisfaction, Lewis Landscape communicated with us every step of the way and we always knew what was going on. Our job ran into a few snags (probably more than a few) but they communicated everything with us. They let us know what was going on, why it was happening and what the options were to fix it. Then after the work was done when we identified problems with our sprinkler system (again, multiple times) they repeatedly sent someone out ASAP to make sure all of our new yard and plants were able to get the water they needed. I'd absolutely recommend them to anyone for any job.

Excellently. Once started, they made quick work of it and quality was top notch. One negative was a switch over from the lead who defined and quoted the job to the person in charge when executed (original lead left company, it happens). This resulted in some minor miscommunication that resulted in omission of minor features that had been originally agreed to, but not captured in writing. Not worth pressing the issues and the quality of the work made up for it. Crew was great and went to the extra effort to clean up the entire driveway, not just the section that they added.

The tech was late to our appointment, so I called Lewis (got a voicemail) to cancel and reschedule. Evidently he showed up anyway but what exactly he did I don't know since I wasn't there to discuss with him. I was charged for the visit and when I called to ask why I was charged, they did not offer to have him come back out or call to explain the service or anything that we may need to get the system up and running.

Workers very courteous, work done efficiently, results look beautiful. Plants died and Lewis replaced them, some minor problems with irrigation and they came out to fix that quickly. While we used them for maintenance the yard always looked very beautiful.

The job was completed as promised and Don was great to work with.

We hired Lewis Landscaping to completely redo our backyard. This work included decommissioning a pool and hot tub, removing a couple of small building structures, repairing/replacing siding on the main house related to those structures, hardscape installation (patio and retaining walls), irrigation, lighting, plant selection/installation, installation of two french drains, and construction/installation of several wood structures. The yard turned out great and working with our project lead, Brad, and his crew was fantastic. The job was completed on time in spite of severe weather and other unforeseen difficulties. The crew arrived at the same time each day, stopped work around the same time each day, and cleaned up the job site each day before they left.

The project with Lewis Landscape was very stressful. We had a French Drain installed around half of our house to help with drainage of the garden and keeping water away from the house. Issues: - French drains were not in dimensions as per contract - French drains was not aligned properly - French drains were not graded correctly - Clean up of left-over materials etc was not done satisfactory Running down the list of issues, I had to be constantly at the house, checking in on the crew and have them adjust their work. Luckily we have neighbors, who are in the building business, who pointed out the major issues with their work and advised on the necessary adjustments. In the end all work was adjusted to our satisfaction and within the correct perimeters for a french drain to work properly (e.g. depth, grading, level of stone etc...), this was all to the responsiveness and kindness of the project Manager Donald. He came out multiple times and had his crew adjust the installation of the drain. Fazit: You have to know exactly how it's done right, as otherwise, they'll cut corners and would have installed us a drain, definitely not working properly, which is a bit disappointing. Donald was a good guy and very responsive, but generally I feel they should deliver good work liberally and at the first time.

When they first finished the yard it looked great though the plants they used were very small for the price. After a few weeks, the soil settled around the plantings and showed much of the piping. They came back and added some more dirt and replaced a couple plants that died. They also drained my sprinkler system per our contract. One of my primary goal was to have the yard maintained. I was told by Scott I didn't need a contract yet just call him in February. He also noticed my japanese maple was dead. Well, I emailed him to remind him about the maple got no reply.I emailed him to start yard maintenance, no reply I called the office and asked to have Scott contact me for yard maintenance, no reply. If businesses get backed up I understand. I don't understand not simply returning a contact. I will be using another company and hope I can get the tree replaced. Pipes are showing again after all the rain and weeds are coming up. Not looking like a 8,500 yard upgrade.

I wouldn't be opposed to having a different service. We had an issue with them last year when they came to turn on the system. They say I needed to be home, then when they came here they couldn't turn on the system. The person who use to do the system retired. They came out again it was the same thing. They basically said they were not going to turn on my system because no one was home. I guess it was just more of a miscommunication problem and what they needed to do. Once I got the manager on the phone and had a discussion with him, they sent a person out. He walked through the property, and what they were looking for didn't exist. Their previous person that serviced the house for years and years, they didn't relay that information to the people who were going to take over. I'm not sure where their communication in their office broke down. It wasn't a very pleasant experience.

The French drain works very well. We had a small pond in our back yard during the winter rain, and now it drains perfectly. The grass looks beautiful. Their team worked very well together and took care in protecting cables, and modified the sprinkler system as needed. They did a great job. I hope to hire them again.

They are easy people to work with. They stick to the quoted price. They are on time and clean up well. They work rain or shine

They're punctual, they come every Friday. They do a good job. They get here with their workers and get done quickly. They are more expensive than other places, but they are reliable, they got great customer service. If I have any problems they respond quickly. They have various services not just landscaping. The owner is part of the community which I like. I feel like I'm supporting a local business, and I like that. A lot of people in our neighborhood use them.

It took repeated calls before lawn aeration and fertilization were done. They never did reseeding or lime treatment. The crew often left after spending only 10 or 15 minutes.

My front sod and wall look amazing with the new plants. Back yard grass is starting to grow with a few new plants.There was not enough dirt applied to keep my drip system covered after the first rain. Looked pretty tacky but Scott, my landscape expert, took care of the problem as soon as his schedule allowed. For the money, I thought some of the plants were pretty small

He never got back to me with a quote. I hired someone else.

Unfortunately I can no longer recommend this company. In the last year their service and crew quality deteriorated so much that I had to find another provider. Sometime in the Fall of 2015 we got a new crew who did not work well at all. During the winter the usual pruning work was not done and everything else slipped as well. For example, by late spring our usually neat tree rings were completely over grown with grass, there were numerable 4 foot weeds in our beds (I'm not kidding) and the edging by the fence looked terrible to name but a few things. When we complained the crew said our dogs were causing problems for them in the yard even though the same dogs had been there for 2 years with no issue. Sadly this was one of many instances of the crew being dishonest (our new service's exact words when I asked about the dogs were "they come to say hello and then sit on the porch" which is exactly what my neighbor also told me). The crew's dishonesty made me very uncomfortable about having them on my property. I tried to work with the new manager, Dave, but he seemed unwilling to deal with the crew's dishonesty and lack of workmanship. I had to call him repeatedly to just get him out to come out and look over the yard with me. He also refused to switch us to a different crew. We had many good years working with excellent previous managers (Santiago and Jose) and crews and spent a lot of money with this company in 2015 for the installation of our sprinkler system so I was particularly disappointed with how they treated an 8 year loyal customer.