Total Land and Tree Service was hired to remove plants from a large flower bed, trim hedges that were 10-12 feet from the ground, and trim a couple of trees. They returned my call on a Saturday to set up an appointment for an estimate. I told them Monday would work, but they said they were available to come out that day. That should have been my the first red flag. Looking back, I think they were out to make some quick money during a slow season right before the holidays.
Chad came out that Saturday afternoon to give me a quote. He seemed to be knowledgeable and talked about how OCD he is, how he always makes sure his guys do a good job, being insured, having workman's comp, etc. The main job that needed to be done was trimming the hedges that are 10-12 ft off the ground. He assured me that they would not ruin my yard with heavy machinery. I also inquired about having plants, with very deep roots, removed from the flowerbed and a couple of trees trimmed/manicured.
The guys did a great job removing the plants and roots from the flowerbed. However, the 10-12 feet hedges did not look professionally done. There was not enough taken of the top and they were not cut evenly (shaped properly).
What I am most upset about is the removal of one of my trees. I only wanted that area trimmed, but Chad told me that the tree was growing vines that would eventually choke out other plants. I think this was a dishonest attempt to make more money. My yard guy even agreed that it just needed to be trimmed and not removed. The area was not trimmed/manicured, instead it was BUTCHERED. An area that was once peaceful and serene has an empty spot, which allows the sun to glare on the backyard. It looked so awful that my neighbor even said to them, "I can't imagine she wanted that done."
When Chad came back to inspect the work, he said, "If it were my house, I would have done the exact same thing." I find this hard to believe, because it looked horrible. They also left several tire tracks on my lawn from a lift.
When the job was complete, they sent a text message asking if I was satisfied. I responded, "The flowerbed looks great. However, I'm disappointed with the tree removal. I wanted the area trimmed, but it looks butchered. The hedges needed more off the top and could have been more manicured. My yard also has tire marks." No one ever responded to this text.
I rated the company 2 stars, because the guys worked really hard on the flowerbed. Chad is a fast talker and does not take responsibility for his actions. This has bothered me so much and it is a constant reminder when I look out at my backyard. read more