Olympic Rockeries & Construction

Shinda was great to work with and was able to work us into his schedule quickly. They completed the work as planned and took care of a few extras that came up during the job. The rock walls and steps look great and we are glad we decided to go ahead with the precast concrete steps proposed during the job. The only reason we give him a B on quality is that we found of fare amount of broken concrete in the dirt behind the walls where we put in plants and the site was left a bit rough when they left. They could have spent some additional time leveling and smoothing dirt and rock at the end of the job.

It went very well. Shinda is very knowledgeable about his trade - he immediately assessed the needs - and provided great suggestions, His knowledge, suggestions, and creativeness was key for us to hire him even though his quote was not cheapest. He has good crew and machinary to handle these kind of jobs. His crew was dilligent - he was himslef on the site at least 50% of the time and ensured all the work was done within the time frame and as discussed... He was able to do work in most efficient manner and plus value of our work was most evident as we not only were able to expand our backyard but also our front yard within our budgeted money! We will hire Shinda anytime for such projects - we also would not hesitate to recommend him for any such projects going forward... Lastly even though planting trees completely was not in scope of our work - he as a complimentary gesture went ahead and planted our trees without any extra cost for us - which was big bonus for us! Om

Shinda came out to my home on a Saturday morning! We reviewed a set of pIans I had prepared by a professional landscape designer and we developed a plan to meet our needs and our budget. Shinda is honest, he listens, and works to meet or exceed your expectations. He offered alternatives in design and materials, while considering the project goals and budget. I pursued three bids for this project and Shinda was the lowest and he also illustrated the vision, listening skills, and experience to exceed our expectations. Shinda offered his thoughts on our project based on his experience and our project goals. He is a skilled technician and an artist regarding his work and I gave him significant latitude to help us achieve our goals, which he consistently checked in with me as the project evolved to ensure we were on the same page. My wife and I couldn't be more pleased with the final results. I highly recommend Shinda, Carpino, and Benjamin and the team work they performed for our project with skill and care. They are professionals in every sense of their business and their results clearly illustrate that fact. Olympic Rockeries and Construction, thanks again for another job well done.

Shinda is very professional and responsive. He knows what he is doing and does it well and fast.

It was wonderful to see how they transformed my property. The team worked with me; they had me over to their quarry and I was able to talk about the size, shape, and color of each boulder they were going to deliver to my property. Additionally, they had great ideas on placing these "big rocks" to maximize their impact and create a natural looking hardscape that my wife and I just love. Communication and scheduling was a breeze. I look forward to having them help me again and I am referring them to people already. Great experience!

Initially I spoke with the owner Shinda's on-site worker Ray about the work. Ray was in communication with Shinda and we agreed on the price, the type and size of rock, the height of the rockery and the steps which were to be approximately 7" rise and four feet wide. Ray built the rockery, but part of it had to be rebuilt because even though the first layer of rocks were 2-3 man rocks as agreed, the top layers were mostly smaller rocks. Shinda agreed to place the larger rocks in as originally agreed. Once the work was done I commented that the rockery looked good, but the steps were only about three feet wide but worryingly had rises of 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2 and 10 1/2 inches instead of the agreed 7". And some had a bad slope to them. Ray said he had no other rocks that would work and had to get the equipment to Bellevue to work on another job. I said I'd try to make these steps work. But over the next few days it became evident the rise of these steps was unworkable. Two neighbors who are contractors commented to me that the step rises were much higher than code allows and I'd have to put in a railing if Olympic Rockeries did not redo the steps. The both commented that a rise of 6 1/2 to 7 1/2" were both preferable and required by code. I then contacted Shinda and asked that the steps be redone to the originally agreed upon 7" rise. He said he it was "ridiculous" for me to believe he agreed to a 7" rise. He said I'd have to pay him $450 for equipment movement if I wanted it done, that I should have said something when the job was done. But Ray had said he needed to move the equipment at the time and said he could do no more. .I responded to Shinda that if he didn't want to build the steps to code, he could come pick up his steps, refund me the money for the steps (at $250 each) and I'd find another contractor to finish the job. He said he would do the job but it would be a week or two to get back out to Seattle to do it. And he said that would also give him time to set aside more appropriate step rocks. After four weeks, Ray came out. Shinda had not set aside rock steps, Ray had to scrounge for alternative rocks and did his best to redo the steps. Now the steps have an approximate 7' rise although they are not particularly asthetic and have quite varying run lengths s so look a little odd. Bottom line is Shinda did not do what was agreed to and the work that was done was difficult to get done. I will not use them again.

What can I say? LOTS! Shinda is the single most responsive contractor I've ever worked with. He's very responsive via text AND email, which made it handy for me to make decisions while I was at work and he was at the house working. He gives GREAT advice about how to do things right and unlike many others, will give you honest alternatives to help you get the results you need but save money. You can actually talk with him about your ideas and goals and he'll add a lot of value for different ways to do that and other things that you'd be wise to do at that time that will save you money or headaches in the long run for good, long lasting results. Pricing was very fair, responsiveness was A++, work was well done, crew was friendly and professional, all around A++

While our project has not yet begun and is in the permitting phase, I am compelled to write a review just based on service so far. This is the most attentive, professional subcontractor we have used to date. Extremely knoweldgeable, generous with their time during planning phase and sensitive to budget and time constraints. Can't wait for the project to be done so I can rave about their quality as well, which I expect will match their service.

We originally met with Shinda in February to review our project. At the time, we underestimated the cost and time it would take, so we decided to wait until the fall. Fast forward to the fall - Shinda still remembers meeting me and the project. He came out again, re measured the project, and bid us on the spot. He kept the work within our budget, and was accommodating when we decided to ax part of the project. Bottom line - Shinda knows his stuff. He is very good at what he does, as is his crew. They checked in with me on several occasions to make sure I was happy with the work/progress. I am thrilled with the way our backyard looks and when we have out next $10,000, I will be calling them back to build a retaining wall and extend our patio.

It was amazing that this work was completed in one week, as promised, in spite of a couple of days of inclement weather. The crew of three were prompt, accommodating, and cheerful. The premises were cleaned daily, with no loss of access to or from the small parking area. The site did not have easy access, and the work area was rather steep. The result is functional and aesthetically pleasing. It was a pleasure to work with these people.

Shinda was responsive and worked within our budget. It turned out better than I could have expected. The work was done quickly and it is exactly what we needed.

Olympic Rockeries did a great job. They built exactly what they said they would. Worked quickly. Communicated progress and promptly responded to all communications. The avoided damaging any of the existing landscaping and were patient an polite with a difficult parking situation, making sure not to disturb the neighbors.

They did an incredible job! I cannot say enough good things about them. I had a huge amount of anxiety about this job and have been trying to deal with it for a few months now. I spoke to quite a few landscaping companies about this and nobody could guarantee the results. I spoke with Shinda a number of times before he came out. He finally came out and was able to review the area and felt very confident about the job. I felt great about going with them, they were super professional and gave us great advice on what exactly needed to happen. Everything came to pass and it looks beautiful and I am so much more at peace because it worked out so well.

I can't say enough good about Olympic Rockeries. They are a class act. Very professional.. They did a great job repairing my rockery. I would certainly recommend they.

We called Olympic Rockeries to get an estimate for the installation of rock stairs in two areas of our yard. Shinda was very responsive and came out the same day to take a look at our project. They were able to fit our small project into their schedule within the timeframe we were hoping for. We even added to the scope of the project by having them install rock seating around our existing fire pit. They had rocks to choose from at their yard and adding that to the project was easy. The crew that came out were friendly and professional. They did their best to pat down the grass that was disturbed during the work, and even fixed the bark and gravel at the top of the stairs they installed so it would blend with the existing landscaping. We were very happy with the end result and wouldn't hesitate to hire them again.

All services rendered on schedule and budget.

It has been such a pleasure to work with Shinda and his crew. They arrive on time, complete the work on time and keep on budget. Not to mention extremely flexible if plans change mid project. It is also reassuring when Shinda comes out to check on the progress of each job, to ensure they are to the satisfaction of him and his clients. This is the second time we have worked with Shinda and it won't be the last.

We contacted Olympic Rockeries who gave us a competitive bid, completed the pool removal and installation of new lawn within 3 days, and did the whole job with outstanding professionalism, organization, and attention to detail. Shinda and his team had the right tools for the job and obviously knew how to use them. Everything was well coordinated and done within agreed upon times and dates, and the ability to communicate with Shinda on schedule, questions, etc via email was a real bonus. He was always available and responsive. Throughout, the entire Olympic Rockeries team were personable, concerned, and committed to a great job! We couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome.

Shinda and his crew were great to work with--very responsive, and listened to my wishes. Shinda worked with me to design a useable plan as the project progressed and we encountered issues with the slope and configuration. He had great ideas and broadened my vision for the space. The project was a major redo of a steep back yard with challenging slopes and working conditions. Access was nearly impossible, but they built an access road around the bottom of my property by hauling in many dump truck loads of dirt. That ended up giving me a larger space at the lower end that we were able to add a trampoline to. Behind the house where I formerly had no place to sit, they were able to add 2 lovely patios and a garden area. I'm amazed at how much useable space there is where once was just an overgrown slope! The team worked hard and long every day with great attitudes throughout. They paid close attention to the details. The result is beautiful! The rockwork is attractively done and the flagstone surface has an amazingly close fit. The many stone stairs are impressive and so solid and gorgeous. The Olympic Rockeries crew went above and beyond to give me a yard I will enjoy for a long time to come.

Shinda, Olympic's owner, was responsive, straight-forward, and overall pleasant to deal with. He made extra effort to meet my specific requirements the best he could. Even though we had to import new rock, I wanted to match the look for the repaired section with the existing section. Shinda had me out to his site to look at and choose rock. As well, he made every effort to reuse my original rock to both keep the look consistent and to keep cost down. His crew was extremely prompt and well organized, with two dump trucks both bringing rock and carting away soil. They made sure the site was well controlled in the street and was cleaned completely when finished. In the end, Olympic built a good wall. My neighbors are commenting on its quality. They did at a fair price...even, once done, offering a meaningful discount from the agreed price. A pleasant surprise.

I felt really confident with Shinda. His initial bid was a little higher than others but the quality of work seemed higher and I felt more confident that the work would be done right. It was clear about everything he was talking about, and he caught some discrepancies in the other bid and in the work that the other person didn't catch, like legalities around the front of my property and easements that the other guys did not catch or care to catch. The abundance of great reviews on this site helped my decision as well. He worked with me to help lower the cost and with the combination of some recent promotions on Angie's List and me helping lay the sod we goth the price within my budget. The work took about 2.5 days with much of the first two days being clearing the property of the copious amounts of plants and trees covering the property. His team was surgically precise with the excavator and even delicately removed some larger plants that my neighbors wanted to salvage. Once the property was clear they began re-purposing all the preexisting rocks to build the rockeries that would retain the new leveled lawn. It took about four dump trucks of fill and 2-3 loads of topsoil to get things built up and the rest of the time was spent grading and compacting to get the proper grade for drainage then installing the 1300 sqft of sod. The project morphed over the course of the project and I ended up choosing a gently sloped grade over an additional retaining wall and the team rolled with my requests and took direction well. I'm two weeks into having my new lawn at this point. The sod is still trying to take root so I haven't walked arounda lot on it but I have noted that there are no issues with drainage and the lawn looks like it's always been there! All my neighbors love it, including my neighbor with the green thumb and perfect lawn. A few have asked for his card. All totaled I think the project was a great success and a great value. My kids can't wait to play on their new lawn. I'd work with Shinda and Olympic Rockeries again.

With good contractors - you get what you pay for, not so with Olympic Rockeries - you get .....so much more! I am just delighted with the work Olympic did for me. If you need excavation / grading / hardscaping done, I doubt you'll find anyone to do a better job than Shinda and his crews. Shinda came to my site and listened to what I wanted to do, explained how he would do it, equipment to be used etc, made numerous great suggestions to my notional plans, and provided a good quote. Based on that meeting, and in particular the other stellar reviews on Angies list, as well as other less competitive quotes, we chose Olympic. Shinda adjusted the start date a few times for us based on completion of other contractor work going on (tree removals). Crew showed up on time, and set to work to move a hillside that came within a few feet of our home. 50 yrds of materials removed, and another 30 or so moved to provide a flat level side yard and back yard. Beautifully done excavation work in extremely close proximity to house. In the course of the work, several massive tree stumps uncovered that needed to be removed. Although just one of the things that was outside the scope of the original work intent, Shinda called in some favors (and paid) to get stump grinder on site next morning and work continued. Several onsite rocks were used to provide retaining wall segments on slope. Front yard completely regarded, and top soil added. Shinda is a rarity, he works like it's his own property and stays very conscious of the what the finish will look like even despite the cost constraints. To wit, Shinda and his team went above and beyond the original scope of the effort and spend almost 4 days working on what was originally going to be 2. With Shinda - you'll quickly feel reassured and confident on the work being done to exceed expectations. One doesn't get such a litany of top ratings on Angies List, like Olympic has, without actually being the best in the business. I will definitely be calling Shinda again for my next phase - cosmetic retaining walls, patio paving, etc

Shinda and his team are a pleasure to work with. Professional, punctual, and they deliver quality. It's nice to work with people who understand the results you're trying to achieve and make good suggestions along the way to help you get there. Shinda and his people do that. I highly recommend Olympic Rockeries.

The work performed by Shinda (the owner) and his crew is magnificent?. We couldn?t be more pleased. We relied on his expertise to bring our vision to reality; and were not disappointed. His crew showed promptly each morning ready to get started? Even in the most inclement weather. At the end of the day, all of the equipment was properly stowed and job site cleaned up. We have never worked with a contractor who was more respectful of not just our property, but the impact that a project like this brings to the neighbors. Shinda is easy to work with, takes the time to truly understand the project and never once tried to up-sell more work. For retaining wall and rockery hard scape work, I highly recommend this contractor.

Some of the rocks in my rockery were crumbing or splitting and I was concerned since they hold up a high hill behind my house. When Shinda first came he advised me that I didn't need the whole rockery replaced, just about a fifth of it. He also advised me that I should keep plants growing over it to maximize the life of it. He was able to fit me in right away. His workers came on time and he came shortly after they off loaded their equipment to make sure they knew which rocks to do. They did the job quickly and efficiently with no issues whatsoever and cleaned up really well. The rockery looks much better than before. Not only utilitarian but attractive.