A & J Earth Works

Began work promptly and did an excellent job to start although a neighbor stopped progress as he had come into the back yard (the house was previously vacant) and used the fence post to brace his fence. I spoke with the neighbor and Alex ageed to come back Friday (this was on Tuesday May 10) to finish romoving the post and repairing the fence along with the new scope including mulching. I Stupidly paid him for the first scope of work and half the amount due for the next scope (he said the mulch would cost $1000, not outlandish since we were planning to mulch the entire front and back yard). After a no show and no phone call on Friday, I contacted him (he never has called me on his own - EVER) and was told the driver of the truck was arrested for drunk driving and the truck was impounded. He would be able to do the job but he would have to get the mulch from somewhere else so if I could pay him another $400 he would be able to start as soon as he could get the mulch delivered. Apologies abounded. He also did our lawn maintenance (for free?) to show us his appreciation while we waited. After endless excuses, trips to his storefront and never ending phone calls (always unanswered) the job is no further along and it is now September 3. (This morning he said his son was having surgery and that's why he didn't return my calls or come as promised.) I had hoped after being out of the country for 6 weeks, I would have come home to find everything was finished. Instead I am playing the catch me if you can game while he does someone elses landscaping in Boca. I know I was stupid for giving him so much up front. My only option now feels like small claims court. Update: it is now November 8, 2010 and the work was never finished. He did finally deliver some mulch for wich I was sent a letter that a lein was to be put on the house bc he wrote a bad check. After calling the bank, I learned his account (on the copy of the check they sent to me) had a zero balance and they were looking into the situation. In summary I feel his is incredibly dishonest and feels that writing bad checks is ok as long as you eventually make them good (which he did after many more visits to his storefront)- I really don't think the people he's paying intended to give him credit. Had he finished the job I would have given him the final payment of $350 in spite of everything just to be rid of him. Hopefully this review will prevent someone from going through what I have been through. He's a smooth talker - don't trust him.