ComplaintsforW & S Landscaping Services

• Initial Complaint

  12/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In September of last year I contracted with W&S to redo my lawn. They were to begin work in March of 2021. They assured me they could provide me with the gourmet lawn I wanted. About April they began work. That consisted of removing the old lawn, grading and leveling. This was not done properly. Ben K******* visited on site and admitted it was not correct and would fix the problems. This continued all Summer. Mr. K********* told me repeatedly he would get me the gourmet lawn I wanted. However, that never happened. The lawn looked like a disaster area. My last contact with Mr. K********* was the end of August or early September. At that time Mr. K********* told me he was finished with me. He told me to never call him again and hung up the phone. I've had no contact with him since. I have photographs of my lawn before they started and during the Summer. I have many many more photographs than I've attached. I've included a photograph from their web site, and the promise they would do additional work which was never done.

  Business response

  02/09/2022

  Attached is a copy of the contract.  **** chose Option #1.  I had indicated that fall is the best time to seed because you need to be very diligent with watering especially through the hot summer months if you choose to plant turf in the spring.  He chose to have the work done in the spring.  **** indicated below that I told him that the work would be done in March.  That is not the case as I never install seed prior to Mid-April.  I outline that time frame to each and every customer.  If you seed too early and temperatures drop below freezing, the germinating seed may/will die off.  We performed the initial work on 4/30.  Conditions were wet and, while the work was completed, I had received a complaint from **** regarding the grading of the lawn being uneven.  I met with **** and agreed with him that conditions were too wet and we should have waited for dryer conditions.  On 5/12, we performed the entire lawn re-grade and lawn install as per contract.  After a few weeks, ****** had contacted me and indicated that he was not happy with the results.  I stopped out and met with him.  His complaint was that the seed was not filling in completely, there were weeds and low spots in the lawn.  I also indicated that, with any new lawn installation, that most likely you'll need to re-seed thin areas in the fall for the next year or two.  This was outlined in my original email sent 9/24/20.  Additionally, I told him that it takes at least 2 to 3 weeks before you even see germination with Kentucky Bluegrass as it is the slowest cool season grass to germinate and that he must trust the process.   I indicated that he must be patient, that the new seed/turf takes at least 1   years to completely mature and fill in.  Regardless, I agreed that we would be back out to fill in any low/bare spots with topsoil and re-seed any areas that were not germinating.  I also told him that I would spray to kill weeds but weeds will still grow and that a fertilization and weed control program is recommended to give the lawn the best chance to thrive and fill in.  **** was provided with a lawn care program on 6/10/21.  Additionally, I had indicated that he must thoroughly water daily or minimally every other day to ensure germination.  I had our lawn care specialist out on 6/11 to spray weeds.  **** was very condescending to my employee, *****. I received a phone call from ***** after he applied weed control regarding how **** spoke with him. On 6/18,  myself and a crew were back out again to perform the aforementioned tasks of adding more topsoil, re-seeding, and raking up excess straw that **** complained about.  Typically, we do not remove straw but I went ahead and did it to satisfy ****.  I also again sprayed for weeds.  Overall, at this point the grass was coming in consistently.  Again, after a couple of weeks or so I again received a complaint regarding his dissatisfaction with the seeding work.  The complaints were again the same with regard to weeds, bare spots, etc.  I again met with ****, heard his complaints and again, personally, re-seeded bare spots and sprayed for weeds.  At the same time, I noted that he lost some new seed due to not watering or setting up a sprinkler system while he was on vacation in Tennessee for a week.  Additionally, he indicated that he wasn't watering an area of lawn between the sidewalk and road because he didn't have enough hose to reach that area.  Regardless, I still repaired these areas.  I again reviewed that he needed to trust the process and be patient.  Keep in mind that all of the return service calls were performed without asking for additional monies.  The contract does not indicate a percentage of overall germination nor does it include any weed control or return visits to re-seed.  Again after a few weeks ******* contacted me again with the same complaints.  In his normal condescending tone, he then asked for the $1,500 back that he paid us for the work performed.  Keep in mind that I never did receive the full amount of $1,800.  At that time, I told him that I am done returning to perform any more work and that I was done with him as a customer.  We completed the contract, going above and beyond to try and satisfy ****.  I always acted in a professional manor and always communicated with him.  The bottom line is that **** wanted immediate results as he would have gotten had he chosen to install sod as outlined in Option 2.  Instead he chose Option #1, had us perform the work in a less than ideal time of the year, did not practice patience or consistently follow the watering instructions that were outlined to him.  My only regret is that most of the communication with **** was verbal as conversations were over the phone and in person.  I will be documenting with photos and email communication to avoid a potential future complaint of this nature.  Bottom line - we will not be refunding ****.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Ben K********
  Owner/manager
  __________________________________
  
  W&S Landscape Services
  3100 N. George St.
  Emigsville, PA 17318
  Office:  *****************
  Cell:  ************
  Website:  www.wslandscapeservices.com

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