I called Install It Direct to inquire about turf maintenance. I spoke with Jonathan, the…read moreOperations Manager. He explained to me that they only provide this service to clients that they have provided turf for. He then went on to refer me to two landscape companies near my home where we could purchase the infill and the broom to do the maintenance ourselves. He willingly spent about ten minutes helping me, and was so friendly and nice. When we are ready to have more landscape work done, I will definitely be calling Install It Direct.

I am posting this update as a severe safety warning to anyone considering Installing Direct. Since…read moremy initial review, a catastrophic and life-threatening incident has occurred. The fire pit installed by this company exploded into my girlfriend's face. We had an independent professional company come out to inspect the unit and the gas line. Their findings were shocking: the gas connection was completely loose. This negligence allowed gas to build up inside the fire pit structure, which caused it to explode upon ignition. Because of the physical injuries sustained and the absolute gross negligence regarding a gas installation, we are now taking this company to litigation. If you value the safety of your home and your family, stay far away from this business. A "loose connection" on a gas line is not just a mistake--it is a deadly hazard. We are currently in the process of legal action to hold them accountable for the damage and trauma they have caused. Zero stars. Avoid at all costs.

They did an awesome job replacing the old mortar around perimeter of the fireplace where it meets…read moredrywall. I will definitely use them for any future projects I have. They were very clean. They put down tarps and came prepared to put down plastic if needed. The used a huge vacuum to clean up any debris and kept any dust to an absolute minimum. Very friendly!!!!

Manuel came by to give me a quote on refacing my fireplace. He arrived on time, and was able to…read moreexpertly evaluate the situation and explain exactly what he would do to not only build me a new facade, but also protect the integrity of the fireplace. He was honest and thorough, and made a point to show me how I could save on materials, and how he could work with some things I already had on hand. He gave me an incredibly fair proposal with an expedited timeline. Due to some construction issues, I am currently unable to move forward with the project, but he was gracious and kind despite the circumstances. I will absolutely be reaching out to him in the future to get some work done. Thanks Manuel!

My front and back yards are about 10 years old, but still look beautiful due to my diligent…read moremaintenance work. Some things I wish I knew then that I know now might help others when planning their yards. Yes, Smart Landscape does a lovely job. Here's what would have made my upkeep a lot easier. 1. Extra protection ground cover to eliminate weeds. Some yards get no weeds because a super heavy cover has been used. I've spent countless hours pulling weeds since yards were done. 2. Go over what plants are going to be used. If I'd done that, I would've saved money and work to remove those that had needles that made it difficult/dangerous to remove. 3. If the designer had visited front yard, he would have seen the slight slope and the DG pathway would not have been a logical design choice. Rain washes it away and I'll have to eventually figure out a way to close up that space. 4. At that time, I didn't meet with the designer. I should have. Although it's a lovely design, I would have pointed out a change or two I'd have preferred. 5. Gray DG is not readily available and it has been difficult to keep the pathway refreshed. Someone said that he was going to provide it, but never did. Overall, I am glad I hired Smart Landscape. UPDATE: I needed to come back to add another star after carefully considering how wonderful Danny and his team are to work with. I had met with no fewer than nine landscape companies before Smart Landscape and they were nightmares for various reasons. Danny is wonderful to work with and makes sure the customer is happy.

Smart Landscape completely redid our yard from the ground up last year. We now have our own slice…read moreof paradise and are so happy with the quality of the work. They are dependable, honest, and very good people; we trusted them completely with our project. Everyone always comments how much they love our yard!

Minez Concrete did exactly what we needed done. Ozzie and his employees were there early every…read moremorning. Built a retaining wall, leveled the yards, added drains from back yard to the Front yard. Replaced sidewalks, driveway and patio..They were efficient, dependable and finished In such a reasonable amount of time. I would recommend them to family they were so impressive. Thank you Ozzie Connie K

A JOB WELL DONE We…read morehave a long concrete driveway that curves up a hill to our home. The driveway is 47 years old and was in need of repairs to the driveway and to replace a low curved concrete wall on one side of the driveway, which was badly damaged by time and a large truck. From the Yelp website, I selected 3 five-star contractors for bids to repair the driveway. I'm in my late eighties and handicapped, but in my younger days I worked in construction starting back in 1952 as an apprentice carpenter. I have worked on many projects where I built forms to pour concrete for homes, high rise buildings, and underground tunnels. I have also worked on cementing casing in oil wells as deep as two miles and I have personally poured and finished concrete at my own home. So needless to say, I know a lot about concrete and construction in general. Now that I'm too old and crippled up to work, I'm always apprehensive when I have to hire men to work for me. All too often you get people who lack the skill and experience to do a proper job and often, they don't care how the job turns out. Then they leave behind a mess for the homeowner to clean up. When Oswaldo Minez came to look the job over prior to submitting a bid, I was very impressed with his knowledge and attitude. He told me he was the son of a father and son business and that was my background as well until my father's early death at a young age. The bid from Minez Concrete was the lowest bid and I gave them the contract. A few days later they called to say they had an unscheduled delay in their next job and they could begin work at our home. Oswaldo said they would show up at 7 AM and to my surprise the crew arrived right on time and every day thereafter. Oswaldo's father, Ramon is in charge of the actual work and I could tell right from the start that Ramon is an old school craftsman. He has trained his crew to be competent workers. Too often companies in southern California show up with a boss, who doesn't know what he is doing, and untrained men hired to work by the day. Not the Minez Company, their men are professional workers, who know their craft. On several occasions I have hired people and had to stand there all day making sure the job was done right and sometimes pitching in myself to do the job. After watching the Minez crew for a short time, I knew we were in good hands and I went back into the house. Every time I came out to observe progress there was Ramon supervising his men while working beside them to give us a first-rate job. The repairs all turned out beautifully and several people have commented upon how nice the driveway looks. To be honest, I wasn't expecting the work to go so smoothly and quickly. It was such a surprise and relief to be treated so well with a beautiful result. Oswaldo kept us informed regarding progress and his suggestions and those of Ramon contributed greatly to the final outcome. If you want a first-class experience at a fair price then hire Minez Concrete. They know what they are doing and they do the job right for a fair price. In today's world, that is rare.

We saw a neighbors beautiful landscape remodel project that was completed by North County Pavers…read moreand called Ronnie for a quote. He was prompt in responding and came out to see how he could improve our outdoor space. We were interested in pavers, synthetic grass, lighting, and possibly irrigation. Ronni's experience showed right away as he had a vision and offered design suggestions. His price included everything and as we made small changes during the job, he was true to his quote. Once the job started, Pompeyo the foreman lead the crew and installed a beautiful makeover of our yard. I give North County Pavers, owner Ronnie, and foreman Pompeyo my highest recommendation to anyone looking for a quality paver solution!

Ronnie the owner of North County Pavers came out and listened to our ideas, shared some ideas as…read morewell which we incorporated into this successful project. He was always available for questions and calls. Pompeyo,his lead man, was on-site every day to meet and answer questions about the project progress. Excellent work by master craftsmen. Six guys showed up each day on time, work together well, and brought us a whole new driveway, walkway and courtyard. Always professional and courteous. They cleaned up the work area after each day. I would highly recommend this business.

Vindel's Construction did an absolutely amazing job at our home in Scripps Ranch. They demolished…read moreour old concrete and pavers and installed new pavers that turned out beautifully. Berlin's communication was always on point, and he and his team took the time to deliver truly exceptional work at a great price. The attention to detail was impressive, especially when it came to drainage. They went the extra mile by adding two additional drains, including one that I can tie into in the future if needed. They weren't just focused on finishing the job--they thought ahead and really set us up for success long-term. You'll get a great sense of who Berlin is from the moment you meet him. He is clearly an honest, hardworking man and a true gentleman. That character shows in the way he communicates, runs his business, and stands behind his work. I'll be needing more paver and concrete work soon in Valley Center, and I look forward to hiring Berlin and his team again. Berlin is an absolute professional who doesn't miss a step. I highly recommend Vindel's Construction!

What a wonderful man! Polite, helpful, friendly and very knowledgeable! I wasn't able to do my…read moreproject after all, but if I ever do, Vindel's Construction will be doing the work!

RCP has a few locations around San Diego. The Encinitas…read morelocation is probably on the smaller side, but it has a pretty good inventory of pavers, decorative rocks, concrete blocks, and other materials. I appreciated that they have samples of pavers already laid out to help you see how it will look all put together. It helped me narrow down my decisions when we were remodeling our backyard, front patio, and driveway. We also used RCP for turf and rocks. I would say they have pretty competitive prices. This has been our do go place for materials for a few years now.

I had a great experience at RCP Block & Brick in Encinitas thanks to Vanessa Rivers. She went above…read moreand beyond to help me with my order and answered all of my questions with patience and knowledge. Vanessa has such a positive attitude and a wonderful personality that made the whole process easy and enjoyable. Truly outstanding customer service--I highly recommend asking for her if you visit!

I had a lifted up driveway from roots and Mike did a great job with demolition and pouring the new…read moreslabs. His communication is top notch and his prices were very fair. Definitely recommend!!!!

Mike did a small project for me and it worked out great. He is very friendly, flexible, and easy to…read morework with. He responds quickly and finished the job in no time.