I tend to be a DIY guy, but this year I had a few large outdoor projects that were just too much for me to tackle by myself. Specifically, a section of a chest-high retaining wall was falling down, a gate needed replacement, and I wanted to install a clean gravel path along the side of the house, replacing a bunch of flagstones that were getting lost amid a tangle of stubborn weeds.
My first quote came from a landscaper who'd received good marks on Yelp, but, rather to my surprise, she described the side of the house where I wanted the gravel path as "funky" and noted that my place (an attractive mid-century modern in Redwood Heights) is "not a Piedmont estate." I don't think she intended to sound snarky, but yes, I was offended. Her offhand remarks also made me wonder whether she would take my projects seriously. That's why she didn't get the job.
I found Eder on craigslist. When he came out to give a quote, he spent more time assessing things and talked about how he would engineer the work. No odd little comments from this guy; he took it seriously. He noted all the items in my hardscaping that could be repurposed--a bent toward re-using and recycling that I appreciated. I liked his attitude. His quote was also extremely competitive. Hired!
Eder and his guys did the work over the course of two Saturdays. They arrived EXACTLY on time with all materials at the ready and literally dug right in. They worked hard, fast, and efficiently. To my amazement, one of his guys did that retaining wall almost entirely by himself! He did a rock-solid job and was clearly proud of his work. That was significant: it showed he's a pro who cares about quality, not a hack.
While he did the retaining wall, Eder built the new gate. I could not believe how fast he got it done. It would have taken me several hours; he made it happen in about 45 minutes, tops. And again with the recycling: he used the same hinges and latches from the old gate.
This great experience played itself out again when they returned to install the gravel path. They worked their asses off digging down several inches to create a level path bed in hard clay soil. The finished path looks fantastic. The side of my house is transformed. I really could not be more pleased.
Reliable, fast, capable, professional, and competitively priced? Sounds too good to be true, but true it is. Eder is the man! read more
