Bad landscaping
 

You say a picture is worth a thousand words, you are correct. We just finished paying Paradise Landscaping $2000 to install a concrete border and stone along with some shrubs. The job as "Gretchen" the owner informed us was to only take at most two days--it took 5 with alot of prodding. We paid her 1/2 upfront and the balance on the last day, but at the last and it looked like they were going to finish the job though LATE into the evening. She asked for final payment, said she was running short of stone for one side of our home, and that "she would be back 1st thing Monday morning to finish--I promise."

Monday- no Paradise or Gretchen, and still another week and no Paradise, so finally I returned to Florida and made seven (7) calls to her firm and her and she failed to return any of our calls. Only when issued a slight threat of enforcement did she finally return my eight call. Now a neighbor of mine that used her and had similar problems with tardiness said "she'll give you every excuse in the book as to why she and her firm can't do something or aren't going to be on time, and the first excuse will be that she just got back from a cruise and hadn't gotten any of your messages, and damn sure if that isn't exactly what she told me first out of her breath on the phone.

I told her that her excuses were falling on deaf ears, and her reputation was beginning to follow her and her firm. I informed her that if my job wasn't finished by this Tuesday at 4pm I'd post information about her firm on the Village Blog and internet, and I have the photos to prove her unfinished work, besides all four of my neighbors will testify to the same in court--so there is NO slander here my Village friends.

If you wish to see the photos of PARADISE LANDSCAPING that remains still to this day undone go to email me at a76@verizon.net and I will send you photos, or better yet.........drive by 356 Rhapsody Path, in Hadley Village to see the undone job for yourselves. See what kind of real trustworthy work that Paradise can do for you....Buyer beware!

PS...
 

to be fair to a firm that wasn't fair to us...if she ever does finish the job which she promised to do, I will posted that she finished the job (even though done very very late with a lot of prodding).

If firms would simply do was promised, they'd have a lot less problems with customers and the law.

CO,

If you have an email address for her...send her a link to this thread...that might spur some response/action.

We don't own in TV, at this point, but I pay attention to how things go there.

Every once in a while I see threads like this and it makes me wonder about how business is done in TV.

Is it standard for contractors to ask for money up front? Half even???? And to want payment before the job is finished????

Don't they use contracts?

To me, such concern over upfront money would scream that the one wanting the money does not have a good working relationship with the suppliers used for materials needed for the job. I would wonder why.

On a custom order for furniture or window treatments or something like that, I understand paying something when the order is placed. I have done that through solid local companies for a written order. But that's for custom stuff.

But for work to be done???? I have never done that. I have signed many a contract though. Of course, I have to say that in my neck of the woods, there are people I know with whom I have done a verbal. But I know them and they know me so that works fine.

Upfront money for work -- I would have to question that.

Is asking for upfront money like that S.O.P. in TV?

This is a serious question. Maybe I live on another planet.

Boomer

contractors
 

Number one rule is ...never pay any money up front, if they are in business and cannot do the job without money up front, they should not be in business. Number two... never give final payment until job is finished to your satifaction. Number three... Always get a release of lein form signed by the princple of the business. sometimes you might pay a little more but it might be worth it. I have had about 20,000 dollars worth of work done in the past 4 years and have always been satisfied. Stop looking for a bargin

DRD

Last July when we moved in a number of folks we met all told us the same thing about contractors, "If they ask for money up front, stay away from them".

It is very easy to post pictures here.....I use photobucket. Concrete edging is one project I want to but have yet to do around my place.

Frank D.

Yes.

she only has a phone number and P.O.Box and that should tell you something.

Paraise lanscaping finally completed the job!!
 

YES...finally after a month and a half, Gretch and her team of Paradise Landscapers FINALLY got around to finishing our yard and placing the rock they they had left undone. It now loooks very nice--the way it should have looked if the job had been completed on time. The job is finally finished.

As to whether you should you any landscaper...1. check them out for references, and 2. NEVER pay her the full amount of money due UNTIl the job is completed. In this way you will never have to wait for Paradise to come back and beg them to do the uncompleted job.

356 Rhapsody Path. The job finally looks nice and is complete a month and a half later.

My General Contractor requires NO UPFRONT money and has done work for me and my neighbors that included everything from simple jobs as Crown Moulding, cabinets and shelving, to complete Lanai expansions and enclosures. All work has been done on-time and with complete satisfaction!!

I would love to here about your lanai expansion! (Or see pictures?)

Paradise is one of the worst companies here in the Villages. They rarely follow through once they receive your final payment. always seem to be running behind because they are always asking for more money during the process of their job. The owner was charged with fraud last year for taking money from customers and not performing the work. They originally had only been installing landscaping however they have branched out on curbing and driveways. If you ever have the opportunity to see one of their driveways, the lack of experience is very obvious and forget about any followup on their so called warranty. :sad::yuck:Buyer beware with this contractor.

I would not hesitate, then, to print out the thread up to this point and mail it to her. A couple of times we had issues with merchants when we first moved in, and applying pressure by explaining about the existence of community blogs--meaning shared info about many things including problems with merchants--certainly helped.

I have to agree with CAL below about Paradise. BUT...THEY FINALLY DID COMPLETE THE JOB 1.5 MONTHS LATE, AND ONLY AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET THEM TO DO WHAT THEY PROMISED. As you can see from her "private" email to be below she is not happy that people tell the truth. But I am happy she finally did what she promisted to do by her contract, even if it was late. Thank God I now actually live full-time in the house so I can see what is going on. Who knows, if my wife and I were there I may never have see the job through to finish.

RKK

Re: Landscaping (from Paradise Landscaping Gretchen) quote:


Well that is really nice of you, can you post anymore? It does not really matter to me, I will be contacting talk of the villages if it is not changed, it has been fixed for almost two weeks. Did you not get the messages about bad mouthing the companies on this site, they are stopping people from posting.


Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyCO
I'll get around to it just like the time it
took you to get around to it. It does look nice now like it should have a month and a half ago. You should expect my timely post shortly.

Robert



Quote: (LasVegas is Paradise Landscaping's handle)
Originally Posted by lasvegas
I thought you were going to post when the stone was done. It has been done for a week.

Sidney You are So right- Good Job Talk of the Village Blog
 

You are 100% correct Sidney!

Landscaping
 

I do not understand what your problem is and why you go on and on about it. I have finished the job and the job has been done. You just keep going on about it and I am sick of it. This site is for I guess nothing but bad mouthing people and I am tired of it. I did a nice job for you at a better price then anyone else would do it for. You did not bother to show the pictures of the back that we did the lanai and everything and redo the curbing that you messed up for free. You failed to mention that. And you only gave me 600.00 not half of the money up front and the job would have been done sooner, but you had to go out of town. Now please leave me alone.

On the contrary, ...
 

... there is a GREAT DEAL MORE available on this site than just contractor recommendations--and which contractors to avoid!

Paradise landscaping
 

They do good work, at low prices. Besides my wife and I for which they did a job (somewhat late), they did do the work finally and in good order.
We are happy with the work Paradise did, and so are some of our neighbors.

R. Knauer

to little to late
 

i am happy it only took you a month and a half to have the work completed. however, bottom line is still it took totv for them to finish. but i guess if they would have though it over( in a true business)a month and a half= 45 days 45 customers gone...

Contractors
 

We had to go to Crimes against Seniors at the Sheriff's office about a General Contractor we hired to close in our lanai. By the time he and his sub contractors got done part of our living room ceiling came down we got mold and the patio they poured all cracked - they cut the phone line the DSL line and the sprinkler system in the back of the house - it was a nightmare for us for months - the people he hired disappeared into the "black hole" somewhere and so didn't he for awhile. The Sheriff told us that everyone that has work done should come and check with them to see if they have a complaint filed with them. Crimes against Seniors work with the Attorney General's office. The General Contractor is still in business and I wonder how many other people have been ripped off by this guy. He had references and all the insurance certificates and the contractors license required to no avail. It was costly and caused us much stress. My husband had to finish alot of the work so we could put our 4 year old house back together. If anyone wants to know the name of this guy I will be happy to tell you. Also, what I was told is that these horrible contractors change the name of their business once they get in trouble and they are never found. So beware of these guys they are out there.

Has anyone successfully used Mansfield Landscaping? They have a wonderful brochure with glowing Testimonials. However, a beautiful 4-page glossy expressing promises and consumer satisfactions doesn't really prove anything. I'm from The North and have been bred to be very cautious.

Did you know you know that any Villager can call The Villages Warranty Department (352-753-6222) and they will give you names of contractors for various services which they recommend. They have vetted these contractors, know they are licensed (when required), insured, etc. They are all contractors who are in "good standing" with The Villages Construction Office, according to a recent article in The Daily Sun. Do not expect to get a real "deal" as these are not always the cheapest - but then you get what you pay for.

I like the people at the Home Warranty Department -- have to deal with them quite a bit and they've never failed me. That being said, I really wouldn't trust any recommendation from any Villages department. An individual who works for TV and has personally used a contractor, yes, but not just because it is a contractor or sub-contractor vetted by TV. Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the contractors pay a fee for the recommendations.

Some of the contractors are truly awesome and deserve every bit of business they get. Some are just okay or so-so at best. Some are downright awful. Many do a good job for TV because it is where most of their money comes from. Individual work is more a sideline for them and the individual rarely gets the same care and attention that TV does.

You don't always get what you pay for.

there are honest landscapers
 

I have used LANDSCULTURE to do my 2 houses in the Villages..they are prompt, do what they say they are going to do ( and MORE !!!) in fact the owner was driving by my house and noticed one of the plants was not doing so well ( because of the severe winter we had) ...she had her crew over that day to change the plant !!! the price was fair and my house did not look like everybody elses !!!

if you want to see for yourself...send me a note and I'll give you my address to drive by...it's worth more than any picture

they have my vote

Paradise Paving and Landscaping
 

1

The Good Guys
 

We had our lani enclosed and used White's Aluminum. Their price was good, they were here when they said they would be and did an excellant job. Very happy with them. We also used Munn's for air conditioning and they were again here on time, made a small error on installation and responded quickly to fix it and even made it better than originally ordered. Again, happy with them and would use them again. Just some good news on contractors.

Paradise did do beautiful job on driveway
 

1

Village Warranty Department- and Dennis the Manager
 

Recently, it came to our attention that the original builder never bothered to caulk and cover the Styrofoam tops above our windows and door headers on our 2 year old home. Wasn't caught on final inspection, and who in the world would get on a 16 foot ladder to check to see if the builder of the home did what they were supposed to do? Nobody would.

So...weather and rain caused leaks and drywall to bubble and crumbed around the windows, and when I went to the WARRANTY Department to speak to Dennis, the manager, and told him about the "latent" defect in workmanship, he did the RIGHT THING, and send the builder back to caulk and paint it, and to re-dryall the damaged areas inside the house. This proves that Dennis and the Warranty Department can do the right thing when needed, and not required the home owner to end up in unnecessary litigation. THANKS DENNIS and HOME WARRANTY DEPARTMENT! That is what good customer service is all about.

Now into another CS note: for all home owners with stucco homes, do yourself a favor both at closing and later if need be to prevent the kind of water damage I have described....GET UP ON A LADDER 18 FOOTER and check for yourself to ensure that all moldings and styrofoam decrorative fittings on the exterior are properly caulked and sealed and if not contact the WARRANTY department immediately to have the builder to it right.

Even top quality builder workers will NOT do what they are supposed to if they think nobody will ever get up on a ladder to inspect what they should have done. If nobody is going to check for proper caultking up hight--they won't do it--so you need to. If you are a female and don't have an able bodied man, hire somebody to get up their and check it out and take photos of it for you, so you can see the proof.

DO NOT RELY ON THE BUILDER TO DO ALL THE THINGS REQUIRED IF YOU CAN'T SEE BUT ONLY AT EYE LEVEL. TRUST NO ONE--but know that the warrany department and Dennis Stradinger will do what is correct when needed.

Navyco
Would you explain what you mean by having caulk above your windows and doors. I assume you mean on the top of the decorative bump outs? If so should that not already be covered by the stucco top coat and and not a problem? Or are you talking about immediately above the windows themselves? If so then the windows were not installed correctly as they are supposed to have a rubber membrane around the opening prior to window placement and stucco and also chaulked. The bump out goes on last and should not allow for water to seep in if the basic stucco job, (ie sealing prior to the stucco coats) is done correctly. Closing in Dec on a stucco home, so I would like to know more. And what kind of house do you have that requires an 18 foot latter to view these things? Or maybe a better question is where are you looking?
Thanks for any more help you can give.

Stucco on decorative bumps above windows
 

Yes...that's exactly what the builder failed to do was put stucco over the "top" of the decorative bump. All you say is what the builder failed to do on our house....just glad that I caught it before the damage got too bad.
Get a ladder out and get on top and check out your "bumps" you may find they have not been properly caulked over and painted as they should. Further, the higher up you got (yes 18 ft) over the arch of the house, you may find lots of uncaulked areas. BUYING A HOUSE HERE? HIRE a reputable QA inspector to get up there and check these least checked issues out....you'll be glad you did. Dont' relie on the Village Developer to do that for you. You get whatever building they assign to you.

NavyCO
Thank you for the info. Plan on checking as you say.
Quill