This was, without a doubt, the worst experience I've ever had with a company. James from Gladiator Landscaping contacted me after I requested a quote on Yelp. He came across as professional, quoted me $5,000 for a two-day job (Sunday/Monday), and I paid a $2,500 deposit with the clear understanding that all tree trimming, branch removal, and property clean-up (including my pool and the lake area) would be meticulously done.
The disaster began on day one. James immediately started cutting what he wanted, not what we agreed upon. When I tried to discuss this, he became hostile, talked over me, and then demanded an additional $5,000, claiming he needed to rent equipment. To make matters worse, he allowed his employee (his son) to work on my neighbor's property, filling his trailer with their debris and leaving my yard and the cul-de-sac a complete and unsafe mess because he had no space for my property's branches.
When I pointed out the dangerous mess, he suddenly announced this was a 'weekend project' and would take 'multiple weekends' to complete - a detail never disclosed before taking my deposit. He then abandoned the job.
His sister, Mercy, later confirmed they would only work weekends and offered to terminate the contract when I insisted on completion. Minutes later, James trespassed onto my property to retrieve his ladder. They then unilaterally canceled the contract via email, keeping my $2,500 deposit and leaving my property looking like a hurricane hit it.
This company engages in blatant bait-and-switch tactics, leaves dangerous messes, and has no respect for agreed-upon terms or customer property. They are unprofessional, dishonest, and completely untrustworthy. Avoid Gladiator Landscaping at all costs. What I learned is if someone pressures you, demands a huge deposit, lacks reviews, talks down to you, and is money-focused, run. I also felt discriminated against as a woman; I doubt James would have treated a man's project with such disrespect. read more