Ware designed and built a berm in our yard with a variety of trees and plants. We could not be happier! Every person we worked with was knowledgeable , personable, and patient. Greg, Head of Sales, visited our yard and listened to what I needed. He even walked with me to a yard in our neighborhood that had a berm I liked. His design is beautiful! Gabby and Di are two employees who worked with us on scheduling and other various office tasks. They were very patient and personable. Aaron and Geronimo, two landscaping managers visited our home repeatedly checking on final plans and during the installation. And the crew was fantastic! They went above and beyond. Every step of the way this company made sure we were happy with the project. The cost was very reasonable. We highly recommend Ware Landscaping! read more

UPDATE - October 19, 2026: Still No Follow-Through Following my original review, Jerry from Ware Landscaping contacted me and arranged for Fran to inspect the ongoing drainage problems at my property. I appreciated the response and was initially encouraged. Fran acknowledged that the excessive mud and water retention were not acceptable. He identified compacted soil, uneven grading, and excessive shade as contributing factors and proposed removing the existing sod, improving the soil, correcting the grading, and installing shade-tolerant sod. Fran indicated that he would return to complete the corrective work. Unfortunately, that has not happened. On October 7, I emailed both Michael and Linda requesting an update and a confirmed schedule for the repairs. As of October 19, neither has responded. What is particularly frustrating is that this is becoming a recurring pattern. Ware responds when concerns are made public, acknowledges the problem, promises corrective action, and then fails to follow through. I spent significant on this drainage system nearly a year ago, specifically to resolve the water retention issues in my backyard. The original problem remains unresolved despite Ware's advertised 10-year drainage guarantee. I have been patient, cooperative, and have made repeated attempts to resolve this privately. I am not asking for anything beyond what was originally promised--a properly functioning drainage solution. I would gladly update this review positively if Ware Landscaping follows through and resolves the problem. However, their continued lack of communication and accountability after such a significant investment is extremely disappointing. A warranty is only as valuable as the company's willingness to honor it. read more

If you don't mind minimal and ineffective communication, pressure to sign, and having to be a project manager, this is the company for you. The red flags started from the beginning. Mike (the owner) called both my husband and I every day for a week until we signed the contract. We told him we needed time to think and we'd get back to him. He then dropped the price in order for us to sign immediately. We were told the project would start in spring 2026 pending a permit and scheduling (it actually started Sep 21, 2026). Our project included a new retaining wall and sod in our backyard (sod added months after original signing) The permit process took months. We ended up having to find our own structural engineer because Ware's contacts were all unavailable. Then scheduling began. We were told they were weeks out and they would call me. I waited a few more weeks, called them back, and was told the same story. This went on for months. Once we were finally scheduled, we were rescheduled twice due to other project delays yet were not directly told until I called the office and asked if the project was still happening. The problems continued once the project started, I never knew that day or time the crew would be at our property. I wasn't automatically given the project manager's contact information. The crew then built the wall incorrectly and did not pass inspection. Due to the height of our wall, we needed a mesh grid on every level of unilock to keep everything together. The crew didn't originally do that step so they had to demolish and re-build the wall. I had to discover that mistake on my own. Ware never called me to give me an update, plan, or what to expect. The whole project took 14 days (Sep 21-Oct 13) when we were estimated 7-8 days. There was a delay due to weather so 2 of the extra days were not their fault. My only saving grace was the inspector from the city. He explained how everything worked and how it should look in the end. He also updated me on inspections before Ware, that is if Ware even updated me at all. The workers themselves did beautiful work in the end, the wall looks fantastic and we're very happy to have grass again in the backyard. That being said, I will never use Ware Landscaping again and I will warn others about using them at all. read more

Horrible. Paid for professional work and as you can see, got random sections of shotty plastic edging, exposed metal edging with sharp corners, and areas with no perimeter at all. Multiple sharp corners and spikes exposed. The worst part is how they handled it. I've called and texted repeatedly for over two months. Initially they sent somebody out and even ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEMS, since then they have disappeared. That was over a month and a half ago and nothing has been done. Don't use Ware Landscaping read more

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Similar to many of the below reviews - the post sales service and support has been sub-par. We've seen more water build up than prior to the French drain installation and despite constant outreach - cannot seem to get anyone to review or fix the issues. For the money spent - very unimpressed with the post sales service and support. I'd be very cautious using this company. read more

Ware Landscaping & Snow Removal - Landscaping Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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We signed our contract with Ware on April 1 and paid a $5,000 deposit on April 3. Work did not begin until August 10, and our property has now been left substantially in the condition shown in these photos for more than four weeks. The project remains unfinished while significant problems with Ware's drainage design remain unresolved, with no apparent urgency in bringing the project to resolution. During this process, we have experienced substantial delays, missed commitments, tree damage, safety concerns from the unfinished worksite, and difficulty obtaining a firm plan and timeline for resolution. This is directly alongside our driveway and the walkway to our home, so we are reminded of the unfinished state of the project every time we enter or leave our home. The attached photos show the current condition of our property. We have extensively documented the project and are continuing to pursue resolution through the appropriate channels. I will update this review as the situation develops or if the project is resolved. read more

Ware Landscaping & Snow Removal - Landscaping Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

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i called for an estimate to bury my sump pump. They told me any job like that is a $4000 minimum. wow! Found a licensed plumber and licensed in drains to do it for less (he charges $42 per foot). Not sure why they charge so much without seeing the job read more

DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE. They failed to pay us for the services we rendered, despite our team successfully completing 100% of the agreed-upon work. What's especially disappointing is that they were very responsive and consistent in following up while the contract was still in progress. However, once the work was completed, they suddenly started ignoring our emails and stopped communicating. Based on our experience, I strongly advise others to be cautious before doing business with them. Please response to Jazz email for heaven sake and pay what you owe! read more

Update: I'm happy that Ware has made an earnest attempt to rectify the situation. From the recent work they did, I would give them a higher rating than 3 stars but we have to wait to finish the job and I hope at that time to provide a 5 star rating. At this time it seems likely. Thanks Ware for stepping up. read more

Horrible company run by people without knowledge of the systems they install. They tell you that you have a 10 year warranty. Yeah right, they just ignore you until you give up on calling. Our basement flooded because these morons could not figure out the problem with the pumps they installed. They came out 3 times to assess the problem, never fixed it until too late, then they made up some crap about the GFI circuit. I spent the money on a real contractor to come out and fix our problem. These guys are ruthless, super nice when you are signing the contract, ignore you when you need help. STAY AWAY, DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THESE GUYS read more

POOR COMMUNICATION! The project consisted of a French drain and then laying down sod. After I signed the contract I was told the lead time was 9-12 weeks and someone will be in contact with me for an estimated date for the project to begin. No communication with the planner. I wasn't even sure my project was scheduled. I contacted them multiple times between weeks 10-12 with finally a response from the assistant that the planner would respond... surprise no response. After more requested information finally the planner said they would be out a week later. Great I had a week to get some of rocks and other landscaping things out I had done myself to try to fix the drainage problem. The very next day I received a call on my way to work that their team is ready and can do it today. I told them that's great but I want the rocks and other landscaping items set aside as I wanted to use them for something else. I get home and they are almost done French drain looks good but no rocks or other materials were set aside. The project manager didn't know what to do. At final walk through the contract stated that the sod would be laid 5 feet beyond the patio, in some areas it's only 1 foot. I was told that they didn't need to go out that far due to the French drain only needed that much space. Now the sod has sunk and has an ankle breaking hole/line between the new sod and the existing grass. I have contacted them multiple times stating the problem with no response. Customer service is horrible, go with a different company. read more

BEWARE!!BEWARE!!!!!  Installed a retention under contract.  A huge portion had sunk needed to come back after numerous calls and no responses (25 calls) finally  came back to fill and replace grass that sunk (4feet by 200feet). Six months later called again ground split, they came out to look at it said they would be back in two weeks.  To date have not come back and again will not return phone calls.  All of this was under their "one-year warranty guarantee".  We ended up having to get 10+ wheel barrels to fill the gapping ground split no telling how far down the wall is breaking away. THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED. WOULD LIKE TO ADD PHOTOS. read more

I want to say that the team that did my drainage and sod were great. They worked so hard, They worked in the rain the first day. By the third day I had new drainage and new sod. Thanks again. read more

So after posting my review of this company back in December 2024 and multiple emails requesting a solution. I was finally contacted on Dec 31st. by one of the work team supervisors telling me they were available on the Dec 31st to come and address the issues with their previous work. I have added before and after photos for review. As you can see, the yard looks much better after shaming them on social media. Never once did Michael Ware, who was the person who originally came out and sold me on HIS service, ever contact me to offer assistance. Instead, he chose to hide behind his customer service and production people. While I am now more satisfied with how my yard looks, I would probably look elsewhere for this type of service, knowing how they act after they have your money. read more

Ware Landscaping & Snow Removal - New sod and more back fill added on Jan 31,2024 this picture taken April 29, 2025 - Landscaping Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

Snow removal performed illegally during morning hours (4am), disrespectful truck driver would not turn off siren and dragged sledge against street in reverse for maximum noise and disturbance. read more

Over 50k job was horrible! Will never recommend this company, even though three neighbors asked for recommendation. First, as another reviewer stated, Mike Ware will bend over backwards to get your money but once the contract is signed, you will never see him again. He never comes by to see if the customer is getting what they want. The workers do what they want to do not what the CUSTOMER asked for, despite giving them many pictures of what you want. The project start was delayed by 2 months. Never a call to let us know. It was entirely up to us to contact them. They said it was due to ice raids, and they lost their staff. I can understand that, but not to let your customers know of this leaves them wondering and gives you a bad reputation rather than coming forth and letting your customer know what's going on. While the project was being done, I was told that a supervisor would be at my house every day to check on the project and to talk with me to make sure everything was getting done properly. This was not so. Instead, I had to go out and micromanage these workers who, by the way, did not speak any English so communication was a huge problem. You always have to call the office in order to get a supervisor to come out to your house to answer your questions and make sure things are getting done right. Half the time they don't even answer the damn phone. when I did get a supervisor over here, I told him I was to be consulted before the lighting was installed. One day I came home to find them putting all the lighting in without even talking to me about it. I called the office once again and they said due to a change of phone systems, they never got any of my messages. So now I have a yard that looks like a landing path for a freaking airport. No one in their right mind would ever light up a house as much as these idiots did. Lighting is supposed to be subtle and effective not a "look at me" type of lighting. I had to make another appointment for Mike Ware to come out to my house to discuss this lighting issue with him, along with checking my sprinkler system, to make sure they didn't cut any lines. I got an addendum to my contract, saying they would be out in the spring to fix these issue. Now it is August and I have not heard from anyone. (This project was done last November). Unfortunately, this is a breach of contract, and I am going to have to resort to the Better Business Bureau and private legal advice on this project. NEVER NEVER NEVER use this company! read more

We were looking for a designer to freshen up our yard, not just someone who would just trim or plant something we might have picked out. Ware looked at what we had and spent time right then to reimagine a new look. We agreed on the spot. Ware had a free day open and came the next day to give our yard a new look. We are very pleased! Thank you! Yelp thinks we are in FL but we are in Aurora, IL. read more

I needed to remove a sand pit from my backyard, which included also removing step stones, rocks, a wooden frame but primarily the sand pit which had become an eye sore and not usable. After that, we wanted new grass/sod installed to increase the usable size of our yard. Mike came out the next day after I requested a quote, provided me a quote on-site within a few minutes and offered me a great price. He was personable, understanding of my needs, and gave me confidence that his team could handle this. A few days later, his team came out and started the project. The following day they completed the entire project. I was not home upon completion, but they did a great job and sent a follow up email with instructions on how to take care of my new sod. My neighbors were all impressed too with the quality of work, having seen the crew at work and the end product. The only thing I'd prefer in the future is a call from a project manager or similar to confirm everything went smoothly and if I had any follow up questions. read more

Very kind workers recognized someone in need of help with a flat tire on a green Trails dr. Their staff provided the kind assistance needed to get back on the road. God bless! read more

WARNING: AVOID THIS SNOW REMOVAL SCAM AT ALL COSTS. This company's practices are nothing short of predatory and borderline criminal. Their entire operation is a shameless grift designed to trap you in an 18-month contract that's impossible to escape without hemorrhaging cash. Once you're locked in, they'll relentlessly salt your driveway at the slightest hint of a snowflake--whether it's a fleeting flurry or a dusting that melts on contact. Each time? A $40 hit to your wallet. They don't care if the forecast screams 35°F with zero accumulation. They'll salt. They don't care if the snow's already gone by morning. They'll salt again. It's not about service; it's about milking you dry. I burned THOUSANDS on their useless, obsessive salting--money flushed down the drain on a service that's as effective as throwing table salt at a sunny day. This isn't a business; it's a racket. Save your money, your sanity, and your driveway from this exploitative nightmare. Steer clear or regret it. read more

We worked with Ware Landscaping to convert our Asphalt driveway into our dream driveway. We sat down with Michael Ware and showed him our cobblestone inspired Driveway Design. My wife Amy and I had a short but decisive design session of what the driveway should look like and she chose a chick european cobblestone pattern that you can see successfully executed in the pictures. Mike took our design/color directions and followed them closely with his crew. His crew had copies of the design drawings that we have made in our first meeting and made the design COME TO LIFE in a few days of install!! They even made the design cleaner with suggesting slight cleaner professional adjustments in the field to touch up the design. Their foreman Charlie was a pleasure to work with too, he drove the field adjustments and improvements to make it all better. Regarding robustness, the surrounding of the driveway has plenty of gravel/paver compacted base (a foot, maybe more), strong paver edging plus a poured concrete border to make it last. They filled up surrounding gaps (minimal gaps given their know-how) with soil and sod to make it seamless. The installation crew was a pleasure to watch working, they were hard working, clean, left everything in place every day. No surrounding areas were damaged or sunk by the machinery. Just look at the pictures!! (not professional pictures nor photo-shop nor a sunny pretty day but still looks great) We recommend Ware Landscape for your hardscape ideas and designs, they will make your investment worth every dollar. read more

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We hired Ware Landscaping again for this summer. They came out and did an awesome spring cleanup using high quality mulch. We loved their service and their great team took care of us. We are so happy with their professionalism and diligence. We continue to be happy repeat customers. read more

Should have read the reviews more closely. The requirement to pre-salt (non-negotiable) led to over 25 applications at $39/per despite having to clear snow for just 11 snow events ( 4 of which are on successive days (see invoice attached). They even salted before snow events which were immediately preceded by rainfall. Talk about a waste of money. It has cost me nearly $2000 when the total snowfall here has been lass than 15 inches. Shame on me. read more

Ware Landscaping & Snow Removal - My February invoice showing how many times salting and snow clearing occurred in just a few days with very little snowfall. - Landscaping Near Me - Naperville, Illinois

Mike and his entire Ware Landscaping team are nothing but experts and super professional! Since we moved to the burbs a year ago we have been so happy with the broad service Ware can provide. From top notch weekly lawn care, to french drain, to continuously improve our beautiful vegetation. I highly recommend Ware to anyone looking to really turn their home into a stunning curb appeal! read more

Updated Review- 8/18/2025-8/20/2025 Downers Grove and Chicago metro in general experienced multiple storms that produced flash flooding. We had NO water in our yard and NO water in the basement. AMAZING. Was it an expensive project. Sure. But it has saved us (when many of our neighbors got water) and has given us piece of mind! Thanks Ware Landscaping :) read more

Ware is one of the best companies I have used. Customers come first here! They have all different kinds of packages to choose from. they are professional and friendly. They really try to work with their customers to find the best that works for them. If you are in the market for snow removal or landscaping, I recommend them to anyone! read more

I contacted the company to replace much of my existing landscape and add two trees. I had to light a fire under them to get them to get out here, they finally arrived two months after I gave them a $2000 deposit. They installed some pathetic looking, almost dead plants and left a garden that I wanted removed with old flowers and bushes, untouched. I wanted it replaced with sod. They also dug up much of my almost new Invisible Fence. They did not have one of the trees on the plan but "gave me one for free", which I did appreciate, however it was requested initially and never made it to the plan. Less than two weeks later weeds and several of the plants I had them remove were popping back up. When I called, emailed and texted my complaint about the plants that were in such bad shape, I heard nothing from the company. Finally, after 2 weeks of hounding them my salesman called and came out. He agreed with me and sent a crew out to remove the weeds and the sad looking bushes and add mulch and to finish the unfinished sod. The foreman did not see the sod portion of the job on the plan, it was not in the actual place on the plan where it was in the yard. That was about ten days ago and again no one will return my calls or emails or texts to finish the job. If you want a good job done on your landscaping, do not call Ware Landscaping, all they really care about is your money. I spent $8,000, they wouldn't even listen to my problem and I got a shoddy, incomplete job. Greg called, apologized and came over and a week later, got the job done and even gave me another tree for no charge. Greg stayed at the job during the process, even though he is a salesman, to make sure it got done right. I was satisfied in the end. read more

We had a major drainage problem with our backyard and water disintegrating the sill plate and destroying the foundation of the back corner of our garage. Ware Landscaping was fantastic. This was not a small job, and they rose to the occasion. The company and all associates were attentive, professional, finished in a timely manner and gave us our moneys worth. We couldn't be more pleased with the quality of our new backyard and our dry garage. Thank you Ware Landscaping and family. Special shoutout to Wendy in the office and Charlie the crew chief. They were fantastic and there for us any time we had a concern or questions. Would definitely recommend this company for your drainage and landscaping needs. read more

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Hired Ware Landscaping for spring clean up in 2024 - they did an amazing job despite scorching temperatures. I was previously using seperate companies for lawn fertilizer treatments, moving/trimming, and landscaping. It was difficult to find one company that offered the full scope of services that Ware offered. Also, lot of companies quote hourly rates, which usually exceeded any esimate prior to the project. Signed up for their monthly lawn maintaence program for 2025. Very competitive on price given the scope of services they offer, and no surprises on the final bill. Not to mention great customer service. Very transparent, easy to get in touch with. Looking forward to working with them for the next several years. read more

I hired Ware Landscaping to install a french drain and downspout collection for my home. The team was professional and transparent throughout the entire process from the initial meeting with Mike, through execution with Charlie and his team. It seemed like a relatively large job, but the crew took care of it in two and a half days, and delivered results that are beyond my expectations. For those that are toying with the idea of DIY, save yourself the time and trouble and call Ware. They did a better job than I ever could have, and the turnaround time was outstanding. And for those that have researched potential yard drain projects, the Ware team uses French Drain Man drainage pipe, so you know it is built to last. Great experience all around, highly recommended. read more

Earlier I left a bad review for Ware because I felt I was over Served and over charged on snow shoveling. They investigated and decided I was right and refunded me a Correct amount. For me, this takes them back to the top of the list and I will use them in the future. read more

DO NOT use this company. They charge $250 to get you "set-up" in their system. How hard is that? Type my address into a computer. They will come out and pretend to salt, even when there is no threat of snow or ice. They just want more money. I could not get out of my contract for 60 days and they made sure to gouge me during that time. They are unethical and completely unreasonable. Just so everyone that reads this knows...they charged me a total of $1500 for December and January, we got about 5 inches of snow during that period. Such a rip-off, tell everyone to stay away. read more

We had a serious drainage problem in our back yard due to compacted clay soil and poor grading. The Ware team installed 120+ feet of french drain (high octane drain tile, the good stuff!) along with 9 catch basins and 4 downspouts tied into the system. Over 200 feet of pipe total tied into the storm sewer all permitted and approved by the village. The crew did amazing work, all crew members were incredibly hard working and professional. They far exceeded my expectations. The price was also very good! Sometimes people dont realize how much actually goes into this kind of work and they can't understand the price tag, I assure you this is not a DIY project. I highly recommend hiring Mike and his team if you have drainage issues on your property. I am a huge lawn nerd so I can not wait until next summer when I no longer have panic attacks every time I see a heavy thunderstorm on the radar. Its hard to keep a beautiful lawn when its constantly soaked! read more

Our backyard had some SERIOUS drainage issues, so we hired Ware to fix it and I cannot say enough good things about the crew that fixed our pool/swamp/duck habitat. They were quick, clean, and did a beautiful job. And they were not alarmed when the 165 pound Great Dane wandered out to check out their work while his mom had on her noise cancelling headphones.... just let him lean on them and gave him rubs and love . read more

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I should have read the reviews, the same thing happened to me.... Quoted us on having some drainage done in my yard, in less than 30 minutes, over $15,000 but don't worry Mike had a special deal running so it would only be $12,000 or so. Mike said he had all of the items in stock and no special orders or anything would need to be made. I gave the 6k deposit and he said it would be about 4-6 weeks for completion. I had a buddy over a week later and he took a hose shoved it down one of my downspouts and we very quickly realized that the drain tile was just clogged/collapse. I let Mike know right away and asked if we could pivot so we didn't have to dig up my entire lawn as the problem seemed much smaller than what HE originally thought. Mike ignored me for a week or so, so when my landscaper was over to do some other work, he just replaced that ground tile wrapped it in cloth and gravel and extended it to a really nice receptacle for drainage ($1200.00). Mike finally got back to me after it was already completed and said no lets just do the massive messy plan that costs around $12,000 and was going to take another 5 weeks to get around to. Mike tricked me and kept the $6000.00 ish down payment for doing nothing. He said he would keep 25 percent for cost accrued (keep in mind he pulled no permits said that he had all the parts already in stock and had no labor into this job) the only work he had into it was the free quote he gave us it included no trouble shooting or investigation just taking measurements. He didn't refund the other 25 percent he just kept it, so for a free quote he took me for around 6,000 dollars. read more

Our back yard is beautiful but flooded after any rain. The previous owners did not reroute the gutters away from the house. The Ware's placed a large system of drain tiles and a French drain system in our 1/2 acre, wooded, backyard. They were ahead of schedule, UNDER budget, and kept us updated every step of the way. My father in law is a retired sewer and water contractor and, fwiw, approved of their plans and quality of work. I HIGHLY recommend their services. read more

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We had Mike out to estimate our backyard drainage issues. He was personable and knowledgeable, but he misled us - a huge red flag. He indicated he could tie our drainage into city service because there was a manhole in our front yard (40 yards away). The manhole is for water service, not drainage. Doh. He never took any measurements, indicating he was super busy and his iPad was charging in the car. According to him, he sees "8 yards like this a day" and so knew exactly what we needed just by eyeballing it and taking a quick video. Lol, ok. A ridiculous 10k off-the-cuff estimate emailed minutes after he left leads me to believe he either didn't want our business or indeed was busy enough not to need it. Regardless, the nonchalant attitude and misleading statements are more than enough for us to steer clear. We've since gotten additional estimates from different companies that are much more honest and forthright with their estimation process. Ware was underwhelming and possibly untrustworthy - not recommended. read more

I called to cancel my service because I am old of work and have to surgery on my shoulder. I let them know I was receiving $ but I had to save $ wherever I could. I received a call back saying that they would stop billing me but continue to do my driveway. When I explained that I was going to be off for 10 or more months and I really Needed them to not do the driveway I was told to just call whenever I did go back to work. They were going to continue to do my driveway and that billing won't start until I went back.....I can't say thank you enough. Wonderful service and truly old fashion compassion for people. I am very grateful and will be a client for life. read more

Fraudulent snow removal practices. I contracted them in 2023-2024 for snow removal at my parent's home. They repeatedly invoiced me for snow / ice removal when there was no precipitation. I was at my parent's home on several occasions that coincided with their invoiced dates. Several times they charged for removal on sunny 45 degree days. I also cancelled my contract according to the terms of the contract and they have not honored it. i have reported them to the Better Business Bureau read more

These guys care more about their contract and getting the 50% *non-refundable deposit* than they care about you or your yard. And if they screw up any part of the job or don't deliver as promised they will do next to nothing to make it right. read more