If I was reviewing the work product alone I would increase my score to maybe 3-4 stars - the general design was beautiful and almost represented what we wanted. There were, however, some avoidable flaws that we now have to live with forever, in addition to repairs and issues with the owner so all together that deserves the lowest rating to serve as a warning. For context, this was a $300k Pool Project (overall) with over $200k of that going to OLG. OLG subs out the pool construction to a pool builder which is fine but he doesnt communicate or coordinate well with anyone which is where the problems come in. The pool contractor never reviewed the design that OLG came up with so we got stuck with a hot tub that was too big and a pool that was too small (both things we asked about before digging and were dismissed), no lighting under/inside the waterfall and a 6" slope on our patio which means our lounge chairs now lay at a reverse angle when flat which essentially means we can't lay them flat - all disappointing details that we have to live with. Additionally, we suffered through repairing a major leak twice just a few weeks after we finally opened the pool. I might add that we had to point out that we thought we had a leak. The grotto/waterfall had not been waterproofed properly - collaboration with the pool contractor could have avoided this but the owner of OLG thinks he already knows everything so he's not likely to collaborate. The first repair wasn't sufficient and so a second effort was needed. After more than a yearlong process, we lost much of the first summer and had to cancel two events at our home due to the leaks and having to drain the pool. We also asked to have lights added under the grotto/waterfall and that has been a nightmare that never ends and they finally told us they were done and wouldn't come back, even though the last installation of replacements (that we hope will last this time) we're not installed properly. We were overly patient with their process to replace the bad lights and now that puts us outside their warranty period so we are on our own. I understand they are tired of coming back and want to move on but it's not our fault that their initial workaround didn't hold up (or that we had leaks, etc.) Were it not for the arrogant and condescending attitude of the owner, we would have easily gotten over honest mistakes but anyone looking to hire OLG should simply be aware that while the owner presents himself as being a very organized and professional businessman, which does show well initially compared to many contractors, there is an arrogant and condescending underside to his professionalism and I found that came out rather quickly. And once it did, he wrote us off. Thankfully the foreman at the time was a great person and very competent (he has since left the company) so we were always able to work well with the on-site team. The owner never talked to us again and never even visited the completed job site to walk through the final outcome with us. This spoke volumes to us in the end. He missed out on an extra $80k in landscaping as we had originally planned to implement his design for the front/side yards and our front gate area. I was not willing to give him any more business at the end of the pool job. Unfortunately you need to consider the owner and his personality as part of your overall consideration when choosing a landscape or pool company. I'm sure there are customers who have had a good experience and for the right (landscaping only) job you might get out without any problems, but based on our overall experience, I would NOT recommend OLG at all, and especially not if you are building a pool. Good luck! read more

I hired Outside Landscape to completely revamp my yard. I wanted a professional look after years of DIY landscaping. My project included planting sod in my backyard, building a grill station, a patio, landing deck, two raised garden beds, installing a gravel driveway, a privacy fence, and planting native plants around my front and side yards. The project manager (Ray) took the time to understand what I wanted and worked with me to come up with a creative design that fit my budget. They completed the project pretty much on schedule and with no surprises on the cost. It was not cheap but everything looked great. It has been a year and I am generally still pleased with the quality of the work. I have lost a few plants which they would not replace without an extra charge but everything still looks good. I would use them again. read more

Tried to contact them on a Saturday. The voice mail message states that due to the high volume of calls they will not be able to call you back for 36-48 hours. WOW! really? what reputable company would not hire enough staff during the busy season to be able to contact you back sooner? Why would you immediately tell customers that you are going to be difficult to contact? No Saturday hours during the busy season? Of course I didn't leave a message, I will look for someone that takes my business seriously and shows that they want it. read more

We asked Adam at Outside Landscape Group to provide us with a landscape plan for our yard as the plants were all at least 20 years old and it was time to update. He gave us a beautiful drawing and included color photos of all of the plantings that he was recommending. Our project was delayed because we had to have a large, diseased oak tree removed prior to beginning but once it got going it was fast. The crew was professional and they worked HARD! The project included installing a fire pit area made of flagstones and reconfiguration of the sprinkler system as well as all of the new plants and trees. It was an expensive project but everything looks great and we could not be more pleased. Hopefully, this HOT weather won't damage any of the new plants! read more

I've used Outside Landscape 3 times and every time has been a solid experience. On all 3 projects, they did a full backyard renovation (stone firepits, pool, land clearing, tree/shrub planting, built back porch, etc). Their work is impressive but what really blew us away is their project management and communication every single step of the way. We would get messages saying "Hi Jeff, due to the rain today our crew will be arriving 2hrs early and more than likely wrapping up at noon to beat the rain," and as a consumer this type of over-communication turned a great experience into a REALLY great experience! Thanks Rick and team for making all our backyard wishes come true! read more

This is the second time we have used Outside Landscape Group and once again, they exceeded our expectations. This latest project was at our new house where we wanted to expand our patio, add a firepit and incorporate a spa into the the landscaping. We didn't want to just have a square spa sitting on the patio, that was not aesthetically pleasing to us. Ray came out and met with us and listened to what we were envisioning and then came back out to present his plan, the breakdown of the process and the set costs and the few items that may or may not add to the cost. We reviewed the plan, requested a few more details and before you knew it, we were off and running. The crew was efficient, conscious of our schedules and our pups that missed their back yard. They cleaned up after themselves and left equipment in a way that would not interfere with letting the dogs run in the backyard. They communicated with us and assisted us with coordinating the installation of our spa with the spa company and the electrician. It was a smooth and seamless process! It was a learning curve for us and them with a free-standing spa, but Ray worked diligently with us to still accomplish our requests and needs and not compromising the overall design we were going for. Rick even came out and gave us some advice on dealing with an uncomfortable grade as you entered our backyard from the driveway. He presented his vision and showed us how it would improve the ability to reach the backyard comfortably and safely. We asked him to to add the hardscape and plantings and now we affectionately refer to it as Ricky's Ridge! We absolutely LOVE our new backyard and enjoy our time with family and friends. We are excited to see it this spring in all its glory as the project was completed in October while the leaves were falling. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and thank Ray and Rick and the entire Outside Landscape Group team! read more

We paid over $50,000 to have our backyard drainage issue corrected with new sod and 2 dry laid flagstone patio areas. He basically reused the drawings we already had. The contract stated they would put sand under the patios which they did not do. Then they came back and lifted the stones and put sand under them instead of redoing it properly. The new pipes he replaced have not solved the drainage problem at all. Our yard is constantly soaked with fungus and gets flooded like a lake and are unable to use it. We have contacted Rick several times and he continues to deny that there is anything wrong and refuses to correct the issue. read more

BE VERY CAREFUL!!! Rick is focused on charging the customer a premium on a promise and has a unique practice of trying to lock customers up in a psuedo contract prior to an estimate being complete. Other competitors in the market that bid on pool + landscaping work were focused on providing a complete estimate with no commitment vs Outside Landscape Group who appears to be focused on charging the customer uprfront in order to apply leverage when a partial bid arrives that is not only overpriced and incomplete but focused on the wrong thing!! I dont agree with their business practices and would hate to see others get wrapped up in their questionable methods.... read more

The surface of our 25 year old pool was crumbling. So, we needed to have the pool and pool deck resurfaced. Our pool renovation company told us that if we needed any major landscape work done that might vibrate the ground (tree removal, land grading, demolition, etc.) that we should get that done first. We needed an architectural design and implementation for our backyard to include hardscapes, (rock retaining wall, fire pit, boulders, dry creek river rock bed, concrete patio and walkway extensions), land grading, drainage, plantings (numerous trees, plants, flowers, and sod), irrigation, and outdoor lighting. They recommended Outside Landscape Group, a landscape company with whom they had worked on projects with in the past. After meeting with Rick (the owner), he went back to his team and came up with a beautiful design for our backyard. We agreed to hire them and they put us on their schedule. They just finished 2 days ago and our backyard has been completely transformed in just a little over 2 weeks. The project started when they told us it would start and they met with us the day before to go over the entire project timeline. They even had a portable restroom delivered the day before for the workers to use. Adam (Landscape Architect/Project Director) and Sean (Operations Manager) are very customer focused, always kept us informed on a daily basis, stayed on top of every aspect of the project, and promptly got back to us by telephone or email if we had any concerns or questions. William (Site supervisor) and his crew of workers were just amazing. They were a very friendly and hard working group of guys. They showed up every day at 7:30AM and worked nonstop (with breaks of course) until 5PM. They even cleaned up the site as best they could before they left. Every evening I would walk back there and could not believe how much work they had accomplished in one day. On the final day, the team did a very thorough cleaning of the site and pressure washed. Adam met with us that day for the final walk through and went over every detail (plant care, maintenance, pruning, watering schedules, how to use the new irrigation system, how to use the lighting system, etc...., etc...) and he answered all of our questions. He even presented us with a nice gift basket to thank us for our business. When we walk out into the backyard now, the first thing we say is "WOW! I can't believe this is our yard!". It is absolutely beautiful and turned out even better than expected. We could not be happier! We will definitely use Outside Landscape Group again and highly recommend them to anyone needing a top-notch landscape design firm. read more

Diseased plants and poorly designed irrigation. I paid $20,000 for landscaping a small yard. I was happy to pay the price because I thought it would be a full service quality job. I could have done it myself for a fraction but thought I would save my time and energy for other parts of the yard. I'm getting older and don't want to injure myself doing something I could hire someone for. They mortared what was supposed to be a stacked stone border. The foreman said Rick never told them, but I showed him the pictures from Rick's plan. I should have had them redo it. I just told the foreman to dig out as much mortar as possible. A poor decision on my part to settle since it was my favorite part of the design. They installed diseased plants. Yes, obviously diseased the day planted. The day they were planted, I told Rick that the coneflowers didn't look good. He said a little water would perk them up. After a week I researched the black spots and withered stalks to find that it is a disease that coneflowers particularly susceptible. I can't imagine any landscaper taking one look and not recognizing the disease. I have a slope so steep it is impossible to climb. Rick talked me into removing the existing steps and installing a drip line so I never have to go up there. I thought it was a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, the drip line is 2 feet too far from one bush and it died. My hose can't reach to water it, even when I climbed part of the slope. The first week, the drip line popped a tap out creating a waterfall at the top of the slope. After falling on the slope several times, I was able to climb it using the fence to pull me up. I had to pull up and move the drip line because it was so close to the tap, at the wrong angle, that it was impossible to attach the hose. I sent them an email five days ago along with the pictures they requested. I got no response, but did receive a nice gift basket. I would rather have someone climb the slope and remove the dead bush and replace the diseased flowers. The arrangement of plants was nice and the quality of the flagstone driveway border is beautiful. read more