We hired Andyman to finish a retaining wall project that we had started but were unable to complete due to work demands. Before beginning, Andy told us he was comfortable finishing the project and represented that he had built hundreds of retaining walls. Unfortunately, the finished product fell far short of what we expected based on those representations.
The wall was completed very quickly, but the quality of the workmanship is concerning. The wall is visibly uneven, with inconsistent lines and courses throughout. This is not simply a matter of personal preference or aesthetics; there are also concerns with how the wall was constructed.
When my husband initially raised concerns about the wall not being level, Andy first told him that he did not see the issues he was pointing out. When we continued to question the workmanship, the explanation changed to essentially, "that's how it's supposed to be." After we pointed out other retaining walls in our neighborhood that were level and consistent, Andy suggested that the wall may have settled because it had been sitting for approximately two weeks and that rain could have caused it. When we asked why he continued building on a wall if he believed it had already settled or was not level, we did not receive an answer.
There were also aspects of the construction that did not match what had been discussed beforehand. We specifically have text messages confirming that stone would be incorporated into the wall, yet that was not done as expected. The drainage pipe was also moved approximately 18 inches above the bottom of the wall rather than remaining at the base. We later learned that there was no stone base beneath the blocks and no landscaping fabric separating the soil from the drainage stone behind the wall.
Ultimately, we are left with a retaining wall that is visibly inconsistent and that we have serious concerns about structurally, despite hiring someone who told us he was comfortable completing this type of project. We paid for the labor, lost the original materials we had purchased, and are now faced with the possibility of having to spend additional money to address work that should have been completed correctly in the first place.
What is most disappointing is not simply that we are unhappy with the finished product, but how our concerns were handled when we brought them up. Rather than taking the concerns seriously and working with us to determine what could be done to correct them, the response became argumentative and ultimately placed responsibility on us.
We would strongly recommend that anyone considering hiring Andyman for a retaining wall or similar project understand exactly how the work will be constructed and get the details in writing beforehand. In our experience, the finished product did not meet the quality we expected, and the way our concerns were handled left us extremely disappointed.
We are posting this because we wish we had known what to look for and what questions to ask before hiring someone for this type of project. We hope this helps the next person make a more informed decision. read more