ComplaintsforBaxter Gardens

• Initial Complaint

  06/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The business had us pay for the time it took to move all critters out of mulch beds, move heads out of common ground which they first inappropriately placed, and pay to move other heads that were not moved. They capped off sprinklers to st were suppose to be moved. They left the system off after servicing leaving us without sprinklers while I was 8months pregnant. They spent their time sitting in their cars smoking cigarettes and quoting future work. Another company came out on June 11th to evaluate the situation and found heads still in the mulch berms and located in the common ground we dont own, but are paying to water because of Baxter Gardens placing them there and never moving them out. Baxter wont communicate where existing heads were located OR where the heads are that they capped or turned off. They left us with a damaged system that has to be paid for to repair and I believe they should have to pay for it. Communications about the issues are documented back to February.

  

  Business response

  07/09/2024

  The services we rendered and client was charged for do not coincide with her complaint. 
  
  First and foremost, we installed the original system for Prestige Custom Homes (Hayden ***************** We are not a property surveyor, so the head placement was based on the builders property corner markings.  If there were any disputes over placement of heads on her property, it should have been handled upon the purchase of the home from the former homeowner. 
  
  Secondly, this client has intentionally used Baxter Gardens to draw up designs for landscaping work around her house with no intention of hiring us for the installation.  Our salesman, ***, met her in January 2024 and gave her est. ***** for a screening berm around her rear yard.  She then hired another company to do the installation.  During their installation,they did not move any of her lawn rotors out of the new landscaping bed, which resulted in quite a lot of damage to the existing heads and coverage issues as the existing heads are meant for lawn, not landscape beds.  Several heads were knocked off course during their install, which is not covered under any warranty by Baxter Gardens as the service was done by another company. 
  
  In March 2024, client again called our office to request a bid for burying her gutter downspouts, which our manager, ****, met with her and provided an estimate.  Once again, she did not hire us for this work. 
  
  In May 2024, client again called our office and wanted a design and layout for raised garden beds and planting around a new concrete patio being installed in the rear yard.  I, myself, met her and explained that at this point, we would need to be compensated for our design time as she has had us do several estimates previously.  I informed her that I would work up the design for the price of $500 and that this design fee would be credited back to her at a rate of 10% for any work she hired us to do.  She responded that we were currently working on an irrigation revision and requested this work count towards the hired work.  I told her it would not come close to the $5000 required to have the full design fee credited and she decided not to move forward with the garden bed design. 

  In regards to the work performed on her irrigation system, client was only charged for work we completed.  There are several breaks in her system from the other companies work, some of which were repaired.  However, any remaining damage that needs to be repaired has not been billed.  As everything is billed at Time & Material, there is no credit owed for repairs not yet completed.    
  
  On 3/25/24, client had our technician start up her system and make minor repairs including moving several heads and rotors that were damaged during the other companys landscape bed installation.  See invoice 24-0253.  We then scheduled follow-up repairs for 5/15/24 as that was the soonest open date in our spring startup schedule.  Client had expected our technician to install eighteen (18) new bed sprays for coverage on the landscape work installed by the other company.  Technician informed client that she had only scheduled for the repair punch list to be completed and would need to approve the cost for the eighteen heads so Baxter Gardens could schedule an installation crew to bring a trencher and install.  I provided her with est. ***** for the new head addition as well as putting sleeves under the new concrete patio.  She did not accept the estimate so work was never scheduled. 
  
  When informed that the technician would not be able to install the new zones on 5/15/24, client provided him with a large list of irrigation additions to complete in addition to the repair punch list from her startup. All work completed is listed on invoice 24-1145, including capping heads that she didnt want, installing new drip line that she requested, making repairs from the other companys damage, and starting to move some of the lawn rotors out of the landscape bed into the lawn. This was billed at Time & Material.
  
  On Monday, June 10, client sent me over forty (40) text messages complaining about her system and the fact that it wasnt running.  She accused us of fraud and threatened to post negative comments on social media.  I rearranged my schedule for Tuesday the 11th and met her, her husband, and our technician on site to go through the system.  On site, we first noted that the irrigation controller had been unplugged or lost power for a substantial amount of time to where the dates, programs, etc. had reset to factory defaults.  Our technician said that during the 5/15 appointment, lots of construction debris had been piled up against the controller in the garage, so he suspected it was unplugged by another contractor.  More importantly, upon setting the controller to run, no zones functioned.  I requested to see the water shutoff valve in the basement and confirmed my suspicion that either the homeowner or another contractor had manually shut off the water to the system.  See attached picture.  This was done after the 5/15 appointment and resulted in her system not running. 
  
  After reprogramming her controller and turning the water back on, clients husband, our technician, and myself ran a test program to confirm all zones were working.  Pictures available of all zones functioning (could not fit as attachment on response due to size).  Her husband also confirmed with us on site that everything was functioning.  In regards to her discrepancy on heads that were capped off when she had asked for them to be moved, we explained multiple times that the heads could not be moved to their new location until the new concrete stairs had been poured.  Her husband understood, but she continues to complain on this point.  Once again, we cannot set heads along a new staircase until the staircase itself is built.  If we were to go back and set those heads after the concrete is poured, it would then be billed on the amount of time and material required.  As such, she is not owed any sort of credit for this not being completed.  
  
  Once we confirmed everything was in working order, I informed client that Baxter Gardens was no longer willing to provide any services for her property and she would need to find a new company to complete repairs.  She was not charged for this review appointment. She was also given $260 off her irrigation repair bill due to her incessant complaining.  Once the repair bill was discounted by $260, she paid the balance in full.  As such, we have only billed work we completed and consider this matter closed with the negotiated payment received and no further pending work scheduled to be performed or billed. 
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  i paid for 8 trees with warranty, have been waiting for 2 trees to be replaced for over 6 month

  

  Business response

  05/03/2024

  ******************** originally bought eight arborvitae in April 2023.  We replaced four of them in September 2023.  He called the first part of April 2024 and advised that another one had died.  He was added to the install queue and advised that we were scheduling 6-8 weeks out at that time.  As soon as a crew is available, we will send his replacement tree as requested.  

  Please be advised that as these trees are planted on a berm, they will require more water on a regular basis due to the drainage away from the area.  As more than half the trees have already died, there is most likely an issue with the watering.  This will continue to occur and the replacement trees will also die until sufficient watering is done on a regular basis.  We suggest getting a hand-held moisture meter and checking the dampness of the soil approximately 6" below the surface to ensure the trees are receiving appropriate water.  

  

  Business response

  05/03/2024

  Correction: two trees to be replaced, bringing the total to six replaced out of the eight purchased.  Once again, watering issue.

  Customer response

  05/06/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  05/07/2024

  (2) replacement arborvitae were installed on 5/6/24.  This completes all replacement requests.  Replacement material does not carry a warranty and the original purchase is now outside the 1-year replacement warranty.  

  As six of the eight original trees died, it is highly likely that this was a watering issue.  Please hand water 2-3 times per week, especially the newly planted trees.  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩