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Do not hire for hardscape work. Landscaping likely okay, but not hardscape.
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Hired to install retaining wall. Wall is level, but top curves so not completely straight. Did not install drain system, so now future problem with drainage toward home, heat pump outdoor unit and neighbor's yard. Did not buy caps for walls but cut stone. Looks okay, but not what we expected. Did not glue down caps. We had to buy adhesive ($100) and will glue down ourselves. Also hired to install steps alongside the retaining walls to go up slope. We wanted timber gravel steps. Worked fast and before we knew / saw what he was installing, he had installed using retaining wall blocks (not appropriate for stairs). They are not stacked as stairs should be. They are sliding and eroding less than 3 months after install due to rain, sand/gravel install. They are tipping under weight. No support. Used rocks, garden bricks and pieces of cement to "stabilize". Very amateur. When we complained, he came out to "fix" in 10 minutes. Did not fix. We have obtained six assessments / estimates and all say the stairs need to be removed; not built properly. Installed flagstone "patio" but used flagstone with gold beige (we asked for gray and showed pics) and spaced them like stepping stones - not a patio. Said he didn't buy enough, but would not refund us for the wrong stone and said he'd charge us labor to remove the incorrect stone and pattern he laid! Said he no longer had the receipt to return the stone. All of this on top of excessively trying to communicate, showing up late - sometimes hours and days after confirming he'd be here. Very polite and quick to reply, but not honest. We asked for Consumer Disclosure statement from Contractor and a written estimate with signatures. He'd promise to bring and never deliver. Used a platform called Thumbtack for his referral. Don't use them either - they don't honor their Money Back Guarantee. Thumbtack said his license was verified. We checked and it was when he did our work but weeks later - as we were trying to get him to fix all of the problems - we learned his license with WA state was suspended. He has no insurance. The state has filed violations against him and they have filed suit against him. We looked at all of his reviews and they were excellent, so not sure what went wrong. We've seen photos of hardscape work that he's done for others - it looks nothing like what he left us with, except for some other stairs we saw he built online that look like ours - they won't last. The owner will unfortunately find out. Just can't recommend a contractor who lied to us about his license, did not fix or honor his shoddy work. It is going to cost us thousands to fix what he has done - as we will need to pay for labor to remove all the stone he installed incorrectly. We can't re-use the blocks he used for stairs. We can't get refunded. Debating if we should file with small claims court but that's just more money and we'd likely not collect for years if ever. Just steer clear of Servando's Landscaping. He low balls everyone else, so it's easy to be drawn to his cheap prices. But, you get what you pay for. It was not worth it.
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