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Morningstar Landscaping

4.5 (64 reviews)
Open 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Services - Morningstar Landscaping

Disease management - shrubs

Earthmoving or regrading

Insect management - shrubs

Morningstar Landscaping Photos

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Recommended Reviews - Morningstar Landscaping

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red arrow shows the downhill end of channel drain buried in driveway. No outlet!!

From the Washington Post, July 2023 "Those 10,000 5-star reviews are fake. Now they'll also be illegal." "The Federal Trade Comission has proposed new rules that clarify what is and isn't a deceptive online review -- and would give it the power to fine $50,000 for each fake." A few years ago, I won a small claims suit against a tile contractor and while prepping for court, I saw that his online reviews followed similar punctuation, content, and grammar. They were in fact, fake. Jodi Phillips was the worst Austin contractor I've dealt with, and trust me, I've seen a whole bunch of them. I was suckered into using Morningstar because of all the five star reviews. Now get this: Yelp asked me to review Morningstar Landscaping, and I wrote an honest review. After the review was online for a short while, I got a call from Williamson County Detective R. Jenkins, informing me Jodi Phillips had filed (a false) an harassment criminal complaint against me. If I'd wanted to push back, I could have followed up by filing a false charge complaint, her complaint a total fabrication. In fact, I hadn't spoken to her since she walked off my unfinished job. Get down in the mud with a pig, you just get dirty and the pig loves it. Honestly, I just have to wonder why are most Morningstar reviews 5 star, all sound similar. "knocked it out of the park", "nailed it". Decide if YOU think they're legitimately written by different individuals or have too coincidental similarities. Don't make the mistake I did in believing all that flowery prose.

Michel R.

Following our recent new pool and pavilion construction, we hired Jodi and her team at Morningstar Landscaping to transform our backyard into something amazing and she knocked the project out of the park! She built us an outdoor kitchen and fireplace which are truly works of art! Her team also rebuilt the irrigation system, laid new zoysia sod and river rock, and designed flower beds that are outstanding! Jodi's landscaping design is where you see her magic. Her knowledge of plants, trees and shrubs and what combinations will create a beautiful outdoor space is just incredible! We are truly grateful for her expertise and for turning our backyard into an oasis that we will enjoy for years to come!

Entrance steps to pool
Diane A.

So, we bought a home with an existing pool that we knew would need some work. Enter Morningstar Landscaping and the owner, Jodi Phillips. From start to finish, even with the wonky South Texas weather and holidays, our pool was resurfaced beautifully! It looks swanky now instead of like a Motel 6 pool thanks to suggestions made by the owner! We couldn't be more happy, and highly recommend Morningstar Landscaping!

Roofing Co. planted numerous landscape plants on top of nandinas I wanted removed.

Jodi Phillips was, without a doubt, the worst, most dishonest, contractor I've ever had the misfortune to hire. I don't know if she has some kind of disorder, but she blames anyone who criticizes her, saying it's the client's fault, not hers. She was rarely on the job site. She finds someone that has a crew. The crew she hired for my job did stone work and concrete. They didn't know anything about plants, drainage or drip irrigation, which is what I needed done. The stone and concrete work was very good. Everything else was a disaster. I've had to tear out the irrigation and replace it. Same for the drain lines...none of them worked. I found several that were buried in the yard with no outlets. Same for a driveway channel drain, dead ended in the concrete, no outlet. So many dead plants from not following planting directions in the contract. I was talking to a laborer installing plants. He said he was really a roofer and didn't know anything about landscaping. In the end, Jodi refused to return and address the myriad problems. On Angie's List, she attacked my character, accused me of mental illness, stalking her, and more. She said she was in Arizona for the rest of the summer, grieving over a death in the family and couldn't do anything about my complaints. I drove to her house the very next day. There she was in her front yard, beer in hand. She went ballistic when she saw me. I stayed in the roadside, did not trespass, and photographed Lyin' Jodi in her yard. I don't understand the good reviews. I guess even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while A year or more later, I ran into the stone & concrete sub contractor that did my job for Jodi. He told me she had screwed him over and was considering suing her. I have lots of photos documenting the inept work I had to re-do: drain lines buried in the dirt with no outlet; drain lines not connected underground; channel drain in driveway with no outlet; rocks piled in yard (mowing hazard!!); Japanese Aurelia planted on top of nandina; Jodi in her front yard with a brew after claiming she was in Arizona. BEWARE!!

Before
Katina W.

Our sloped and shaded backyard was having erosion problems. The mature trees prevented any grass from growing in this part of our yard. The dirt that was washing down the slope with each rain had clogged a previously installed french drain and was washing up onto our patio. It looked terrible! After other contractors recommended simply covering the slope in rock, Jodi (owner) gave us a comprehensive plan to install retaining walls, repair the drain, and install beautiful landscaping with drip irrigation. The whole project went very well. Her crew had clearly been working with her for a very long time. They showed up when they said they would, worked hard, and cleaned up after themselves. Even after the project was completed, she has been helpful in coaching us through watering. I was especially pleased that she was able to re-use existing materials including stone edging and river rock. The back yard is beautiful and finally functional. We had a lot of rain this week with widespread flooding in Central Texas. The drainage worked beautifully! No erosion at all. Overall, very pleased with this project. I would definitely hire Morningstar again.

Amanda S.

We have now worked with Jodi twice and both times her and her team have been courteous and professional. We are extremely satisfied with her work and would easily recommend her! We first worked with her when we were putting our house on the market. Our backyard was basically just weeds and dirt; she helped us turn it into a selling point in just 2 weeks, for a really reasonable budget. Most recently, at our new place, Jodi installed a gorgeous stone patio, landscape lighting, and some beautiful plants and trees. We love the results and have gotten tons of compliments from friends and neighbors!

New Zoysia sod installed.

I hired Morning Star to replace a large hardscape ground cover with mulch. They also replaced a smaller hardscape area with Zoysia sod. The work involved removing a large quantity of small river rock stones and pulling up the weed cloth beneath it. Irrigation system was expanded to accommodate the additional Zoysia sod. The work went very smoothly. Jodi and her team were both responsive and professional. I was impressed by how hard and fast they worked in removing and hauling away all that river rock and weed cloth - it was grueling work but they pulled it off efficiently and with good spirit. This was the second time I used Jodi and her team, and I will continue to do so should the need arise.

The wall that Morningstar built. Complementary tree shadows.

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Great local company. Professional experience from the initial consult through the final install. Will hire again.

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Review Highlights - Morningstar Landscaping

Jodi struck me as super knowledgeable, actually interested in the botany involved and is environmentally-minded.

Mentioned in 53 reviews

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Sasquatch Deck  - Steel framing with Summit line Deckorators decking

Sasquatch Deck

(106 reviews)

78704 (South Austin)

In a word: Responsive! Chris and team were outstanding to work with. Very effective…read morecommunications. Clear and concise. Listened to what I wanted to accomplish and offered effective suggestions for how best to make it happen! Started the project with a group prayer not only for the project and his team but also for the health and welfare of my family! Not your typical start to a project. Chris and team worked effectively to demo an 800 sq ft deck and rebuild it along a similar footprint in a short 3 weeks. They took great care to treat the place like it was their own and left it cleaner than they found it! Highly recommend this group for great work at an honest price! Chris' dog Rambler was a gentle giant and onsite frequently during the project. He was sweet and friendly while constantly curious!

I'm in the process of remodeling my home, and from this experience of dealing with dozens of…read moredifferent contractors I've received a full spectrum education in their world. Here's the gist of what I learned: about half of the contractors are honest.. they make the process fun and are a real pleasure to deal with; the other half are dishonest... they string you along, make the process a hassle, and are a real pain. Chris (the owner) and his team are a shining example of what great contractors SHOULD be. For starters, Chris is an extremely kind and responsive person. From my first phone call with him (he showed up the same-day, on a SUNDAY) to my projects completion day.. he always responded quickly, was extremely polite, and very thorough. (He never gives you those weak 2-word text responses like lesser contractors). Chris helped me design my deck and pick out the best materials for my needs. He used a 3D rendering software that shows you exactly how your deck is going to look in your backyard. It was actually really cool, and helped me make some tweaks to the design before starting construction. After signing my contract, his crew showed up the very next morning. These guys were absolute studs. They worked their butts off from 8am - 6pm every day until the job was complete... wow! Many days I work from home, so I was able to watch them. They didn't rush their work, they were very calculated and meticulous about doing the job the right way (a marathon not a sprint mentality). This doesn't mean they're slow, it means they care about the details and doing things right. His crew also isn't a bunch of 20 year old rookies playing on their phones either. These guys all look to be in their mid 30's and early 40's. Men with lots of experience.. they have families to feed, work extremely hard, and know what they're doing. The craftsmanship was phenomenal. The engineering very structurally sound. The design is beautiful and actually has my neighbors giving compliments. Anytime there was an issue during the project (and there weren't many), Chris and his crew fixed it immediately like it was no problem at all. Easy peasy. Chris did what he said he was going to do, when he said he was going to do it, and charged me what he said he was going to charge. Actually.. he went above and beyond what he said he was going to do, he made improvements to the project beyond what was promised, and even gave me a discount at the very end because of a few minor details.. which he didn't have to do. I didn't complain and I didn't request a discount...that's just the kind of guy he is. Incredible. I'm going to mention one last thing I was going to leave out but I think it's important. Every morning before work began, Chris gathers his crew and they do a group prayer together. They ask each other what's going on in their personal lives, and what they can pray for each other about. Then they read a short scripture out loud together, and they start their day. Unbelievably cool. Why do they call themselves Sasquatch? Because these guys are freaking beasts. This is one of those rare experiences where I had a feeling it was going to go well, and it turned out even better than I had imagined. There's a reason why they have so many 5 star reviews. If you're looking to have a deck built in Austin I'm going to help you... skip the weak fluff and go with Sasquatch.

Roadrunner Decks by Gueguen - Back deck, top

Roadrunner Decks by Gueguen

(29 reviews)

Byron was great to work with and went above and beyond to make sure he built my family a beautiful…read moredeck. He was very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to answering questions concerning placement and size of the deck and the nuances of working around our septic. His foreman, David, and crew did an amazing job. We absolutely love our deck and would use him again for any future decks or extensions. 10/10 recommend.

We have known Roadrunner Decks since 2013, when we were in need of a major renovation of a large…read moredeck surrounding our 27K gallon swimming pool. We chose them because of their workmanship and details called out in their quote, like support structure. The original deck was built with all Wolmanized wood in 1992. We chose cedar for the renovation. Since then, Roadrunner Decks has also provided refinishing services with their team led by Roberto, who I have found to be very thorough and knowledgeable of the process and products to use. I knew that there was something to the process to obtain a long lasting, beautiful finish from refinishing antique wood with my father. But decks are a different beast due to the exterior elements. The process that Roadrunner Decks uses is simple and clean; all decks need to be free of all items in advance - furniture, plants, etc.: power spray, lightly sand horizontal surfaces, apply two coats penetrating oil stain - color of your choice, allow to dry for 2-3 days to be safe and cure before using. Our latest refinish of three deck sections (front entry, back top, back pool) took two (2) weeks total time. The results of their work can be seen in the pictures below. The finish will last ~2-3 years and will deteriorate depending upon weather conditions, sunlight exposure, and swimming pool water chemical exposure. Some sections that are shaded more can last longer but it is best to refinish the entire deck at once for a consistent color. Big Thank You again to Roberto, and Humberto, Roberto, and Jose for their hard work, beautiful results, and clean up! This was the 5th time it has been refinished by them!

Discount Fence USA

Discount Fence USA

(160 reviews)

78704 (South Austin)

We needed a new fence to replace our old chain link fence. We ended up getting 4 or 5 quotes from…read moredifferent companies. A few didn't even bother sending a quote, but out of those that did Discount Fence was competitive pricing wise. Quote process After doing measurements, Melissa & I walked through what they offered, & quickly came up with a plan for our yard. Once we were done she had a quote to me before she left my driveway, then later followed up to check if I had any questions. Installation Absolutely lightning quick. Melissa & her crew showed up early to get started, I went to drop off my kids at school & they already had my old fence down before I got back (8am). It took them until about 11-11:30 & they were done installing our fence. I was shocked at how quick they worked & the fence looks great. Afterwards Melissa was back to do the inspection & make sure everything was looking good. Long story shorter is that Discount Fence knocked it out of the park at every stage, & what really pushed them over the edge was that they offered a warranty above & beyond anyone else. Last thing I'll say is that Melissa was super nice & great to talk to, if you're looking for a new fence I would recommend putting Discount Fence at the top of your list.

No shows. Scheduled for Friday at 5, spoke with a woman on the phone around 3:30pm the Wednesday…read moreprior. No crew arrived, no call, no one in office. This is the second time. What was a pretty care-free repair is now becoming a stressful situation between my neighbor and I because these clowns don't show up.

512 Outdoor

512 Outdoor

(53 reviews)

New 2-story deck missed the mark across code, Trex guidelines, and aesthetics. Poor planning. Won't…read moremake it right. We lost 5 figures on a 2-man crew that lacks longevity with owner. Hire inspectors before paying final invoice. FYI "Custom Deck and Fence Austin" also has poor reviews on multiple sites noting owner Todd Louis Ratajik of "Good Day Baked Energy Snacks" (Forfeited Existence). Sites now name "Cesar" as owner. Negative reviews disappeared. AFFD has pending lawsuits with Travis County Courts. Unknown AFFD subcontractor alarmingly used my name and address in another client's lawsuit wtf! Standard: Visual consistency. AFFD: Mismatched railing. Todd's words: "It's the same railing but pinched." (A contractor's FB review notes lack of materials to properly complete jobs.) Std: Concrete pad supports stairs. AFFD: Stair stringers hover in air, failing to land on concrete. Todd blatantly texted that stringers would step out (not down) from deck. I refuted the abnormality. Top step was cut off; stringers don't reach concrete. Instead of extending pad or redoing stringers, an ugly post was set. Std: Stairs treads w/o gaps. No overhangs. AFFD: Stringer cuts forgot stairs' fascia; treads weren't 11+". Gaps added to meet code, so stair noses are 1.25+", ie trip hazards. FYI Use rise-to-run guidelines. Std: 42" deck railings. 34-38" stair railings ABOVE boards. AFFD: 44" deck railings. Didn't supply 34" stair railings; boards grossly notched to lower height, which start at 44"! Std: Posts sit on existing FINISHED concrete pads. (LOL) AFFD: Post had no contact with pad (after removing makeshift shams to hide the blunder) ie ZERO deck weight on ground. Todd asked if this was okay [to not deal with]. Post not corrected at start. Rough concrete poured atop pad to meet post. Ew. Std: 16" oc MAX joist spacing (Trex specs). AFFD: 7 of 13 spacings are 16+". No blocking. Add 1 or 2 joists = ~15.5" or 14" spacings. Todd said his ways are "affordable" and "economical". Eek. Best: Competitor contracts: "12-in joist spacings", "blocking", "glulam beam". Std: Trex Cocktail Rail Kit (full-width support, hidden fasteners). AFFD: 5.5" wavy floor boards nailed to 1" rail. Visible screws, rough shavings, corner gaps, no support eg 2x4s to flatten board. No countersunk screws and putty to hide nails. Std: Professional aesthetics. AFFD: Not spraying railing cuts = RUST. No continuity in stairs fascia to meet deck edge. Silver bolts on black railings. Posts unequal distance from deck edges. Cedar's shorter lifespan requires staining / maintenance is inferior to Trex's composite fascia. Std: Disclosure of unforeseen issues. Protocols. Loyal crews. AFFD: Crew wasted a day plotting makeshift repairs after causing roof damage. Licensed roofer was furious about erroneously-cut flashing. Roofers returned after crew again made damaging cuts where told not to. Zero acknowledgement from Todd. AFFD: Crew noted holes in house's ceiling after removing joist nails. No repairmen references. Not-our-problem mentality. AFFD: 15+ days by 2 tired guys: the hire + his actual neighbor. Ditto to reviewer compelled to supervise. Days start late, end after 7pm. My neighbors had 5 deck builders who left by 6pm still jolly. AFFD: Non-recyclables in recycling bin. Concrete and stinky liquid in trash bin. Cigarette butts, nails, and construction debris across yard. AFFD: Crew won't tell owner about gray areas and errors in judgments. One unsure if he'd get paid wth. Std: Professionalism. AFFD: No final walkthroughs. Owner ignores items in emails. Condescending; when I climbed a ladder re an issue (that I called a roofer to fix), Todd muttered that I was "an inspector, eh". Instead of talking measurements, Todd's retort was "I'm the owner of a deck company", as if titles alone grant proficiency. Labor is hired out, crew turnover is high. Workmanship depends on whoever is outsourced, who aren't deck builders so much as guys who "have built decks before". Expect no corrections on what Todd Ratajik deems as "good enough".

I recommend these guys. They replaced a wooden fence for us for a reasonable price, with good…read morequality material, promptly. The workers constructed the fence artfully around some barriers. They accidentally broke an underground sprinkler and very promptly fixed it.

Landmark Fence and Deck

Landmark Fence and Deck

(44 reviews)

Merlin and his team were awesome. Fast, great job, easy to work with and a great fence!! Several…read moreneighbors have commented. Highly recommend!

Merlin and his team SAVED THE DAY! I got about 6 or 7 quotes for my deck back in April. Landmark…read moreFence was one of them. Unfortunately, I ended up going with a different contractor who quickly proved he didn't know what he was doing. After I decided to end that relationship, I immediately called Landmark and one other company back who had given me quotes previously. The other company couldn't find the time to get someone to come out for a re-estimate and then did not return my calls. Merlin was extremely responsive and came to give me another estimate to check out what had already been done. He originally told me mid-July and at this point it was mid to late May. Everyone was booked through July at this point, so I was willing to wait. Merlin ended up starting earlier than planned around the end of June but then I had an issue with my composite boards with Home Depot where they had to reorder my boards and wait another week. Merlin was extremely understanding and worked around the Home Depot mistake. As soon as my boards arrived, they immediately picked them up at Home Depot and finished the job within the next 1-2 days and ended on a Holiday - July 4th. They are a hard working, trustworthy, and professional team and did an absolutely outstanding job! I would definitely use them again for any fence or decking needs. I'm so glad I found them!

Morningstar Landscaping - landscaping - Updated May 2026

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