I was looking for stone or concrete gutter splash pads, instead of the vinyl or rubber ones most commonly available locally. Online research listed about 10 sources, and I contacted each local one by phone where possible, and also searched online "stores" such as Amazon. It was a MAJOR waste of time in 9 out of the 10 cases. Most of the people at local hardware and other outlets that I could reach by phone didn't even know what I was talking about, so a lot of time was wasted describing my need and then finding a person who could say whether the company could meet it or not. (Alas, a very common experience in all consumer buying research these days. AI said the retailers carried what I wanted, but it takes a human being to verify the truth of that or not.)
I discovered that only ONE of the sources actually had what I was looking for: Castle Group Construction. Not only were they the only source, they had BOTH types!
Layla, the first staffer I dealt with, quickly rounded up samples (20+ pounds each), filled me in on pricing, and concluded the transaction for me in a matter of minutes. If this construction company does all its work with the same attention to accuracy, product quality, customer service, and efficiency, then it is a resource to be called on by anyone who values those things and has need of cast stone work or products. It feels good to know there are still such companies in Orlando. read more