ComplaintsforL M Wander & Sons Landscaping Inc

• Initial Complaint

  11/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  LM Wander and Sons Landscaping installed a french drain in my backyard at a cost of $2,950 during the summer of 2020 which has never drained any water. Sales & Maintenance Manager **** ******** agreed that "something weird" had occurred with the installation and said they would put extra soil and grass seed on that section of yard, which they did. I paid the company in full after that with the agreement I would monitor the situation and keep them informed. I paid the bill in full on 09/09/20, and notified **** via text in November 2020 that the drain was still not working, and I would contact him after winter to see if the situation had resolved itself. Due to some personal and health issues, I contacted **** again in July 2021 to let him know that the drain continued to be inoperable. I have made a series of attempts to contact him and General Manager ****** ******* via text, email and phone since then with no response. My goal is to have the situation corrected either through their efforts or a refund to pay someone else to fix the problem

  Business response

  02/03/2022

  This letter is in response to the complaint made on 11/21/2021, ** ********** ******** **** ** **** ****** ** **** ******* ****** ***** ** *****. Attached is a reference guide for French Drain Installation by NDS (one of the largest manufacturer/supplier of drainage products). It describes what a French Drain is and how they are installed. Also attached, is the proposal/contract that describes the scope of work to be performed by LM Wander and Sons. 
  As a leader in the landscape industry in Erie, PA and surrounding areas, we have been servicing our community for more than 40 years. In this time, drain installations have become a very common service in our field of practice. We install several French Drains and other drainage systems annually. The French Drain at the ***** property was installed as written on the contract and by the manufacturer's recommendations. 
  In this particular case, the French Drain (as described by NDS, as a ditch/trench filled with stone and a perforated pipe near the bottom) was installed above or near another existing French Drain. So what Ms. ***** is complaining about is gravity (something we cannot control). The existing drain line is lower than the drain line installed by LM Wander and Sons. Therefore, water passes through the stone ditch that is higher and gravity takes the water to the existing lower drainage system. It is possible that when installing our French Drain system, that the existing French drain was cleared open to allow water to run through it, which is a good thing. This, however, does not mean the system installed by LM Wander and Sons is failing. 
  It is my firm belief that this job was completed and installed per contract and specifications. In my opinion, the customer's complaint is unjust and unreasonable. The lay of the land on this property has a slope/hill in the backyard which will naturally direct and collect water at the bottom. Some water coming from the neighbor's property as well, mentioned in discussions with our Sales Manager, ****. Most often the water will come through the hillside in natural springs which typically do not ever dry up completely. 
  It is our goal to have 100% satisfaction with our customers but we realize and understand that some people cannot be pleased. It is unfortunate that Ms. ***** isn't happy but there isn't anything more we are willing or able to do. 
  Thank you.

  Sincerely, 
  
  ****** ******* General Manager 
  

  
  

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