Denise & Scott - 8/16/23

What city/town are you in?

Glendale, California

How did you find out about us? Was it difficult finding a good company?

Google search for local landscape contractors

How did you like our website, Instagram, etc?

I loved it. After spending quite a bit of time reading about your business, reading employee profiles, reviews, and looking at gallery photos, I went directly to your questionnaire and didn't bother looking at or considering any other companies. Great website and at least in my case, a great marketing tool. 

How did you feel about that long contact form at the beginning of the process?

I enjoyed that also. I'm extremely verbal and was excited to answer very specific questions about a project very important to my wife and I. I can understand how some might not want to be bothered by this part of the process but to me it seemed like it's primary function was to cut to the chase, share tons of information up front, and help both parties, business and customer find out if they are a good match. 

Did you receive our daily educational videos? How did you like them?

Yes, we did receive them and watched most of them. Some didn't really apply to us so we passed over them but otherwise they were useful. I personally liked the ones that visited job sites where the work was in progress. The process can be brutal. The destruction can be unnerving to some if they don't have a good understanding up front of what is actually required. The customer's world will initially look WAY worse before it looks better and I think this is an important element to pass on to potential customers. Showing only completed work and not the process getting there can sugar coat what's required. I would suggest being transparent and when showing before and after shots, maybe also reveal some process shots of demolition, paver installation, or DG work. Just a thought...

How was your initial interview with your consultant? Did you get help with design ideas, material suggestions, etc?

Yes, we did get help and suggestions. We had a plan fortunately which was pretty much in alignment with Cody's view of what Droughtscape does and what materials would work best. I understand how the creation of a drawing and the design process in general can be cumbersome and time consuming but we did this work in advance mostly for our own peace of mind. Trying to convey all the details our drawing provided verbally would have simply stressed me out. I would have constantly been worrying that something would be missed. But for the most part I knew it was on the drawing and I could always reference that if I felt something was being overlooked. But certainly having this in hand before the initial consultation helped to expedite the process. 

What were you looking to accomplish with this project? Did we accomplish that?

We had just completed a new patio cover across the back of our house and we wanted to eliminate an old lawn that we purposefully let die when water became so scarce. The new patio cover was over an old homemade concrete patio that was on two levels creating a trip hazard and we wanted to eliminate that as well. So, we wanted a new patio, decomposed granite paths where old grass used to be, and a couple of small grass areas for our dog. It sounds simple but getting these things was an enormous task. And yes, Droughtscape accomplished all those things for us. 

What activities can you do now that you couldn't or didn't want to do before?

Our new patio prompted the purchase of a new larger outdoor dining room set where we are likely to eat most meals and have more frequent guests during the many warm months of the year. Our new patio has a space specifically designed for a future hot tub as well as space for casual seating areas. The new DG paths, larger planting areas, and new small turf areas are much more pleasant to look at than a dead lawn so we'll likely be spending WAY more time outside in general. 

Are your family and friends impressed with the changes?

Yes, the transformation has been significant and everyone has been impressed with the many photos I send out. 

How was our overall speed of service and communication from when you first reached out to us all the way through completion of the project?

Incredibly fast in my opinion. We have been subjected to endless waits for building permits (many, many months...) so to sign a contract and have work begin less than two weeks later was unexpected and a welcome change in every way. 

How was it working with our production team?

Very positive and easy. All of the workers were very friendly, respectful to a fault almost, and always willing to do whatever it took to give us a great finished product. It was obvious they took pride in their work and were very conscientious with virtually every task. 

Did your consultant and the production team help you with finalizing any last-minute changes or other alterations during the project?

Absolutely. There were multiple changes, mostly small, but necessary that were always clearly explained and executed quickly.

Were you pleased with the ratio of our product and service compared to the overall cost of the project?

Yes. Just for the fun of it, I loosely kept track of the number of hours that were spent at our house. This gave me a better understanding as to why the price was what it was and comforted me knowing that this was a contractor making a fair profit certainly but not laughing all the way to the bank. As a retired contractor I expect and sincerely want people who work hard in the trades to make a good living. I've always been willing to pay for really good service even if it's above what other competitors might have charged. I have no reservations about what we paid Droughtscape and what they provided us in return. 

If you've hired other landscape or general contractors before, how were we in comparison?

Yes, we've hired many contractors and one other landscape contractor, some better than others. Since I try and do my homework before pulling the trigger on projects, most of the people we've hired have been very good. Droughtscape has risen to the top though for many of the reasons previously mentioned - prompt, professional, friendly, knowledgeable, skilled, experienced, conscientious, and fast. 

Would you use us again or refer us to others? What is the sole reason why?

Yes, yes, and see my previous response.