Alterra

unknown

unknown

Talked with several employees over an extended period of time--6 months--two servicing periods and could not get them to understand they needed to talk to the owner and agreed upon a date for service when the owner knew he would be home. The provider just called, left a message on answering machine that they were coming, came out to house and serviced only the exterior, perhaps, since no one was there to monitor the service and insisted on keeping a quarterly schedule no matter what the owner discussed. So, not satisfied. Finally ended the service. Polite conversations with staff, but no satisfactory result. No real opinion about the product impact. Just unsatisfied with the scheduling and responsiveness to owner's concerns.

The company representative arrived on time, was very professional and polite. It is too soon to tell how effective the initial application is.

After stating we were happy with our current service provider (an Angie's list A+ member), the person still wanted to push conversation. I found the entire event unprofessional. Their approach is too aggressive. I would not recommend them on first impressions alone.

Agressive sales person who acted so suspicious (trying to gain access to homes, walking around the outside of homes, taking notes, etc.) that my neighbor called the police.

We have lived in our house for 20 years. Alterra was the first pest control company we contracted with. Their applications are prompt and the staff is courteous and efficient. However, their product is ineffective at best. In the past, I had used the lawn insect spray found at the hardware store. I also keep an eye out for standing water. Our lawn was gnat-free while our neighbors were swarming with them. However, this year we have more insects than ever. When I looked at my leg and saw a TICK and a MOSQUITO at the same time, I knew we had to make a change. I'm sure the pest control people have a great explanation about how the wet spring combined with the el nino weather pattern on Venus makes for lots of insects, but at the end of the day, the job is not getting done to my standards.

Like another reviewer mentioned, things went fine for the first two or three treatments. But then about 3 weeks ago we noticed a bunch of earwigs, first in the garage, then in several rooms of the house. I called Alterra and told the girl about it, she said she would send somebody out the very next day, between 9 and 2pm. Well, my wife and I were home all day, no one showed up, nobody called. So I called back the next day, got their voice mail and left a message for someone to call me back and get this scheduled. Nothing. A few days ago I called again, another message, again nothing. I am not sure how someone runs a business by completely ignoring customers, but I am done with them. I am looking for another company to take care of this earwig problem, I suggest you look elsewhere. (By the way, this is the FIRST negative review I have ever given on Angie's list, I don't like doing it, but this is no way to treat customers) - Bob Saunders

It took us a couple of years to be ready to have the job done because of family difficulties. they were patient. The cost was considerably higher than the coupon since it was a concrete floor.

This was our first experience and they mostly did what they said they would do. However, they did not spray 3 feet from the foundation as they said they would. Ants are crawling up several areas outside.It is too soon to know how effective the treatment was or how it will go in the future. We have a one year contract. We really didn't want a one year contract but one treatment was too expensive and probably not enough to be effective. We reluctantly agreed to a one year contract rather than no treatment or only one treatment. The door to door salesman were pleasant, seemed professional and knowledgeable. We did not sign a contract until we checked them out on Angies List. We asked them to come back when they finished 'canvasing' our area - which they did. We usually do not hire door to door canvasers, but looked up this company and decided to give them a try. We got the first treatment with no cost (so they said) since we switched from another company. It was $89.00 each for the other 3 treatments. Otherwise the cost would have been $89.00 more for the year. It was mainly because of the lower cost due to switching providers that we signed a contract. Otherwise the cost was more than we would have paid. Would we use this company again? You need to have an option of not sure or? It is too soon for us to know if we will use them again. They have only given us one treatment so far. If I did not answer yes or no about hiring them again, the survey would not submit, so I had to make a choice that is not necessarily accurate. The correct reply is that we don't know yet if we will hire them again. Your survey is too difficult to submit. I keep getting a notice that I have to answer all questions. I answered all that I can and I think that is everything.

It was a good job. since then there has been a lot of rain and the ants and spiders are back. I will be calling them to come before the usual visit in July.

I was satisfied with very first 2 treatments about year ago after signing contract. Three more treatments completed, the one being March 2013. This summer (May, June 2013) is really worst than any other prior years in my living experience, I see bugs, spiders, webs and ants all over my home. What ever I have been paid so far for year long treatment is of no use, I am really not happy with quality of the service.

"We're already working in your neighborhood and since we're here, we can offer you a special deal". Well, I wasn't falling for that one. I explained that I'd just had the house treated a month ago (which is true) so I wasn't in the market for pest control services. He was pretty persistent, i.e., if I wasn't happy would I consider them? So, I asked him for a business card and he said they didn't use them. I consider that 2 strikes against this company and I don't anticipate fishing around for the third. I don't know the cost of their services.

When asked for business card said they didn't hand them out. This experience did not provide a lot of confidence that this is a fine upstanding company. NO THANKS

This was a call-back after the outside had been treated a few days earlier. I first called for a return service on a Thursday. Nobody answered my call, so I called back toward the end of the workday on Friday. Still, there was no answer. Then, on Monday, I completed an on-line request for service, threatening to drop the service if nobody got back to me. They didn't respond to the on-line request but when I called again, someone answered and I scheduled a return appointment. I was told that they had had trouble with their phones for several days and that they did not received my phone messages. On the previous week's service, the technician had been here for the outside treatment for less than 10 minutes. A couple of days later, I found silverfish inside, and called Alterra to return to treat the house interior. The appointment was scheduled for window of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. At 1:30 p.m., Alterra called and said that the technician was running late, and that he would be here by 1:30. At 12:30, I received another call saying that he would be much later. There were several phone calls back and forth, and the technician finally arrived around 5:30 when we were cooking dinner -- not a good time to spray inside, in my opinion. Nonetheless, I covered everything up and let them spray the doorways and window sills. I spoke with a manager for the last two calls that day, and he did apologize for the delay. Puzzled about the change in responsiveness, I asked him whether he was new, or whether he had a new staff. He said that he was not new to the job and that that he would contact me during the next week to "do something" to adjust my quarterly bill because I had waited for most of the day for the technician to arrive. I am still awaiting that call, and don't expect to receive it. With another incident even resembling these events, I won't hesitate to drop the service. Their contract cost to me is currently $89 per quarter. The young woman who sold me the contract door-to-door was extremely pleasant and professional. Otherwise, I would not have changed from the former company as I'd had no problems with that company. The problem described above is the only negative experience with Alterra, but it is inexcusable.

It went well. The technician was clearly experienced and thoughtful. Their approach was judicious, as pest treatment programs can and should be these days.

So far, so good. They usually just come on a quarterly basis, but we did just have them out last month because of big spiders in our garage. Since they've treated the garage, now we only find the occasional dead spider! Jury is still out on the company as a whole, as a competitor came by last week, claiming we had carpenter ants on the property and too many spider webs and spider eggs. I plan to call Alterra about this before jumping to a competitor.

Fine. They arrived on time and so far we are happy with the service.

Initial spray had noticeable results. Months later we had some showing up in the kitchen again. Called the company and they came right out and sprayed the kitchen again without charge or issue. No incidents since and they come out 4 times a year for seasonal treatments.

No problems at all. The called to schedule our quarterly treatment and were very flexible with scheduling. They arrived within 10 minutes of the appointement, treated the areas, address our concerns and looking forward to the spring treatment since they cover the entire property.

We had a serious ant, beetle, and spider problem. We really liked the technician they sent. We bought an annual plan where we are charged per quarter. Then we had to stop them from applying product while it was raining. They did an initial treatment and then another one four weeks later. They have not yet returned. We had hoped that we could find some mosquito abatement advice, but Alterra does not provide that service. It was somewhat successful for the ants. We still have beetles and lots of spiders- shrubs and bushes full of them -very destructive ones. We feel that the jury is still out with us. We could upgrade the review if the service gets better.

Salesman came to the door earlier in the week trying to sign up people on the block. He seemed knowledgeable, spent a lot of time answering all my questions. We had been looking for a new provider, having just dropped our last one in the previous weeks. Because we had bug service with another provider for the past year, Alterra reduced their monthly price and gave us the first treatment for free. I had to show them a copy of our invoice, to prove that we had been treated. Alterra offered a one year contract (initial treatment, and four quarterly exterior treatments). Interior treatments are free, scheduled upon your request. Since we had just had an interior treatment last month with our previous provider, all we wanted Alterra to do was the exterior house treatment, and the wall injections on the interior. Wall injections involve spraying a powder material into the wall sockets. Initial treatment was 8/8/12, scheduled to occur sometime during a 6:20-8:20pm window. The technician arrived promptly at 6:30pm and was done around 7:30pm. Before starting work, he went through the contract with me to ensure that the work he would be doing was what I was expecting, and that it matched what the salesman promised. He did the wall injections, explaining how it worked. He then brushed all the spider webs and other stuff of the exterior of the house, including under the eaves and from under the bottom of our elevated deck. He treated the exterior of the house, the interior of the garage, and the yard. He treated the flower garden areas for stink bugs. Initial treatment: $0, recurring treatments $89 (negotiated, due to previously having service with a competitor), one year contract.

Alterra reduced it's price to match what we were paying another company, and at the same time offered to treat more areas than our previous service provider. Alterra treats the yard, all the way to the street, not just around the exterior of the building. The technician showed up on time and completed his work in a very professional manner.

Their representative was very good; I liked him. They seemed to be pretty good. They are a little expensive. My overall experience with them has been good.

The tech who came out was professional and did a thorough job. Their customer service was also very quick and easy and no hassles to change of appointment.