WARNING! Another promised job by BL Landscapes that was never delivered! $26K+ deposit, 14 months,…read moreno project, no refund! Lack of communication, broken promises, no proof that he has a valid contractor's license, bonding or insurance and then admitting that he lacked the funds to reimburse me when I terminated the work. I am warning others to be careful and do your homework when dealing with this company!
I echo Dave B.'s experience (Posted on Yelp - August, 2026) with Brian Linson at BL Landscapes. Being a past client of this company back in 2017 and continuing to follow him on social media, I knew the quality, designs and possibilities that Brian could create. His talent is not what is in question here. It is his poor communication and business ethics. I signed up with him in July 2025 and was told he was 8 months out in getting to my project. I was willing to wait, knowing what he could accomplish. I was truly excited to see how he could change my yard. Yet, as the 12-month mark approached and I could not nail down a start date, had poor responses from Brian, and did research on his questionable standing with L&I (Labor & Industries Dept. of Washington State), I decided to cancel my job on June 3, 2026. I sent texts, an email and a certified letter to confirm my intention.
Brian responded by email and relayed that he was sorry for his lack of communication, siting that he doesn't have any office staff and he has to handle all communication by himself. He also acknowledged that he had significant medical issues that he was dealing with. Plus, he attempted to explain that he had changed from a sole proprietor business to an LLC and that "the transition of status had caused overlap and confusion in the system". I understand these types of issues can happen and how it can slow a business down. He asked for another chance to complete my project and what could be done to make that happen. I agreed, with the following parameters:
- proof of current contractor's license (general or specialty) which is required by Washington State Law based on the work he provides
- proof of insurance and bonding (something I require of a person or company I hire. These were active when I first signed up with Brian in 2025)
- provide a sketch/drawing of proposed design of my property so I could go over it and make adjustments as needed
- commence work no later than August 7th and be completed by August 31, 2026
Brian responded to my requests in writing and promised proof of licensing, insurance & bonding requirements, a sketch and a guarantee that he could meet my timeline for start-up and completion of my project. His response was sent June 8, 2026. NONE of these things have been done and the timeline to begin work has come and gone. In fact, Brian posted photos of a new project his company had started at someone else's home, the same day he had promised to be working at mine. He provided no communication that he wasn't able to work at my home as promised, despite two reminders that I had sent to him the week prior. It was at that point I was convinced that he does not stand up for what he says or promises. I lost total trust and that was the final straw for me in deciding whether to continue with him.
I am now in the process of legal action to try and get my deposit money back. Brian claims he cannot return my money since a good portion of it went towards buying materials. He has not produced any invoices or evidence of such purchases specific to my job. And, he has gone silent again.
People only have so much patience and can only wait so long. Social media posts and websites only provide a portion of what a company is like. This was going to be a significant investment in my home and I am left with nothing done and out a substantial amount of money. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend BL Landscapes or vote for them for 'Best of Whidbey'!