Moodscapes LLC

"THIS JOB WAS COMPLETED 3 YEARS AGO. WHEN WE COMPLETED THE JOB THE CLIENT REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE LAST PAYMENT. WHEN HE ASKED ME TO COME BY (THIS YEAR WHICH WAS 3 YEARS LATER)TO REPLACE SOME PLANTS, I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD BE GLAD TO WHEN HE PAID ME FOR THE REST OF THE JOB. HE IS WRITING THIS BECAUSE HE IS UPSET WITH MY RESPONSE. AS HE MENTIONED, I WORKED UP A CREATIVE DESIGN FOR HIM AT NO CHARGE. I THEN CHARGED HIM A VERY REASONABLE PRICE FOR INSTALLATION OF PLANTS AS WELL AS LAWN AND OTHER FOCAL POINTS AND A GREAT DEAL OF REMOVAL AND TRANSPLANTING. WE USED BEAUTIFUL, MATURE,AND UNIQUE PLANTINGS WHICH WERE FAR ABOVE LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR STANDARDS. HE HAD WANTED SOME LARGER PLANTS BUT HE WAS NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR THEM SO WE WENT WITH A SMALLER SIZE.HE FELT THAT A JAPANESE MAPLE I CHOSE WAS TOO SMALL AND AT NO ADDITIONAL COST I REPLACED IT WITH A LARGER MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE PLANT AS I SAW THE NEED FOR A BETTER FOCAL POINT AND WANTED TO MAKE HIM HAPPY. ONCE THE JOB WAS COMPLETED HE ASKED FOR MORE PLANTS WHICH I BOUGHT AND PLANTED TO ENHANCE THE DESIGN. I MET WITH HIM REGULARLY THROUGH OUT THE PROCESS. I GAVE HIM INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CARE FOR THE PLANTS TO BE SURE THEY WOULD THRIVE AND I GAVE THEM A HEAVY DOSE OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS. WHEN I ASKED HIM FOR THE FINAL PAYMENT, HE REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE HE SAID MY PRICE WAS TOO HIGH. I TRIED TO WORK THIS OUT WITH HIM BUT HE NEVER GOT BACK TO ME. I DID GO BACK TO CHECK ON THE JOB BECAUSE I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN MY WORK AS ALL MY WORKERS DO. I USUALLY CHECK IN WITH MY CLIENTS THROUGH OUT THE YEARS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT LANDSCAPES CHANGE OVER THE YEARS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE GOING OK. I DID NOT CHECK BACK WITH HIM BECAUSE HE DID NOT PAY ME. I'D BE GLAD TO CONSULT WITH HIM ONCE HE PAYS ME."

"I worked for this member in spring of 2007. She hired me to coordinate and install her landscape plan. While it was a small site, it was very complicated including many facets. I worked with my crew and sub-contractors for the masonry and lighting. We installed a drip hose irrigation system on a timer. At the member's request, we attached the timer to a water faucet used by the building, rather than having her install a water source for her unit. I believe that this was the major cause of her irrigation problems, rather than any negligence on our part. While the installation was completed in the spring, she had trouble with using the irrigation throughout the season. Several times, we went to her property to find the water turned off or holes in the hose. Each time, we fixed the problems, we explained how to use the timer and asked her to make sure the water was not turned off. During this time, plants died, due to lack of water, and she blamed it on the irrigation. So to accommodate her, I replaced the plants at no charge. I also replaced the timer, since she thought it was defective. However, she continued to complain. At the end of the 2007 season, I brought in an irrigation specialist (Lyons) at no charge to this member to determine if the irrigation was functioning properly. Once again, we found it turned off. He tested the system and felt it was fine. I did not hear from her again until late July, 2008. She asked me to replace plants, add more mulch, and check the irrigation system, which I did. I brought Lyons to the site. Again, we found the water turned off and a hole in the drip hose. Also, the timer had been replaced according to the member because someone had stolen it. Someone else set up the timer, so it was no longer the original system. We fixed the hole and suggested that she have a faucet installed in her patio, so she would have control over her system. We suggested a plumber. When we left, everything was working. In late September, over a year from the project completion, she sent me an email demanding that I replace her system. I informed her that I was in England until Oct 7 and suggested she call Lyons. She sent me an email threatening to take action if I did not give her a date for replacement by Oct 2. Since I wouldn't be back then, I explained the warranty was over because she replaced the timer and changed the system and that I would discuss it when I returned, which I had planned to do. When I got home, I found this report that is filled with half-truths and lies. She never called any irrigation person. She failed to mention that her timer was replaced because it was stolen. I never refused to help her with her concerns. I spent at least $4000 on extra labor and materials. She used the building's water, so she had no control over the irrigation being turned off and she never learned how to use the system properly, which is what caused the problem. There was no lack of competency or professionalism on our part."

"I BELIEVE THAT THIS HAPPENED DO TO A COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN. THE CLIENT CONTACTED ME APRIL 2ND. WE MET ON APRIL 10TH. SHE SHARED HER IDEAS AND CONCERNS WITH ME. I FOLLOWED UP WITH A PROPOSAL THE NEXT DAY. I CONTACTED HER ON APRIL 15TH. AT THAT TIME SHE INFORMED ME THAT SHE WAS RETHINKING THINGS AND WOULD GET BACK TO ME. SHE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT COSTS AND I FURTHER EXPLAINED COSTS TO HER. TOWARD THE END OF THE MONTH SHE CHOSE TO DO SOME THINGS HERSELF AND I PUT A NEW PROPOSAL TOGETHER FOR THE DESIGN AS WELL AS THE DRAINAGE, AND WINDOW WELLS WHICH I SENT AROUND MAY 7TH. I RECEIVED HER SIGNED CONTRACT AND CHECK ON MAY 29TH. AT THAT TIME THE CLIENT BECAME MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DRAINAGE AND WATER IN HER BASEMENT DUE TO ALL THE RAIN WE HAD. I WENT TO HER HOUSE IN EARLY JUNE WITH MY FOREMAN TO REVIEW THE SITUATION. I WAS PREPARED TO DO THE DRAINAGE WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BUT WHEN WE TALKED I GOT THE IMPRESSION FROM WHAT SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD RATHER WAIT UNTIL WE DID THE REST OF THE WORK WHICH MADE SENSE SINCE WE WOULD BE DOING A PATIO ETC SO WE WOULD BE DIGGING ANYWAY. TRULY, MY FOREMAN AND I BOTH FELT FROM OUR DISCUSSION THAT THERE WAS NO HURRY FOR THE DRAINAGE. WE REVIEWED SOME MORE IDEAS SHE HAD. WE TOOK PICTURES AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH I SENT HER SOME PHOTOS OF IDEAS TO REVIEW. I STARTED THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN ON JULY 2ND. I DID LET HER KNOW THAT I WAS RUNNING A BIT BEHIND DUE TO THE WEATHER AND A GREAT DEAL OF WORK. I DO THE PLANS ACCORDING TO THE DATE THE CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED AND RETURNED TO ME. WHILE WE STARTED TALKING IN APRIL WE DID NOT SIGN A CONTRACT UNTIL THE END OF MAY. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO TAKE SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS TO GET STARTED SINCE WE ARE A DESIGN/INSTALL COMPANY AND ARE EFFECTED BY MANY VARIABLES INCLUDING WEATHER. I ALSO FELT THAT THE CLIENT WAS AN EXTREMELY CREATIVE PERSON WITH MANY GOOD THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS AND I WANTED TO DO MY BEST ADDRESSING THESE. OVER THE COUPLE OF MONTHS OF TALKING SHE WAS JUST GETTING USED TO HER YARD , MANY IDEAS EVOLVED AS SHE GOT TO KNOW THE YARD BETTER AND I WANTED TO INCORPORATE THESE IDEAS IN THE MOST COHESIVE AND MEANINGFUL WAY POSSIBLE. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO RUSH.WHEN THE CLIENT CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE PLAN, IT WAS NOT READY (MID JULY) BUT I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD HAVE IT IN A WEEK AND A HALF. SHE THEN ASKED ME TO RETURN HER CHECK WHICH I SENT OUT IMMEDIATELY. SHE SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T RECEIVE IT SO I SENT OUT ANOTHER ONE. I DID NOT KNOW THAT SHE WAS UNHAPPY ABOUT THE TIME SPAN UNTIL SHE SAID SHE WANTED HER CHECK BACK. SHE NEVER INDICATED A RUSH EVEN WHEN I OFFERED TO DO THE DRAINAGE EARLIER. WE NEVER FIRMED UP A DEADLINE FOR THE PLAN. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNICATION CONCERNING THIS PROJECT FAILED. POSSIBLY ON BOTH SIDES. POSSIBLY I SHOULD HAVE EXPLAINED THE PROCESS MORE CLEARLY AND SHE SHOULD HAVE MADE HER EXPECTATIONS CLEARER. I FEEL BAD ABOUT THIS AS I FOUND THE PROJECT VERY INTERESTING AND I BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS."

"THE MEMBER AND HER CONDO ASSOCIATION CALLED ME EARLY IN THE SEASON FOR AN ESTIMATE ON SOME YARD WORK. I GAVE AN ESTIMATE AND THEN MET TO REVIEW POSSIBLE PLANT MATERIAL. I THEN REDID THE ESTIMATE BASED ON CHOICES THEY MADE. THE COST WENT UP. I DID NOT HEAR FROM THEM FOR ABOUT A MONTH. WHEN I DID, THEY DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE AIR CONDITIONERS WERE PUT IN. ONCE THEY WERE READY, I MET AND DISCUSSED SOME IDEAS WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD FIT THEIR NEEDS BETTER. I SENT A DRAWING AND DID NOT HEAR FROM THEM FOR A WHILE. WHEN I DID I MET TO EXPLAIN THE DRAWING AND GAVE ANOTHER ESTIMATE. THE COST WAS HIGHER DUE TO THE HARDSCAPE. ANOTHER PERSON BECAME THE POINT PERSON. WE DISCUSSED CHANGES TO MEET THE BUDGET. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO FIT THIS INTO MY SCHEDULE I BEGAN. UP TO THIS POINT EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DONE AT NO CHARGE. THE MEMBER DID NOT GET INVOLVED AGAIN UNTIL SHE CAME HOME AND NOTICED TWO PEONIES MISSING. WE WERE UNABLE TO SAVE THEM AS THEY DISAPPEARED INTO THE WEEDS. I PLAN ON GIVING HER TWO PEONIES. I WOULD SAY THAT THE REASON THIS PROCESS TOOK SO LONG WAS DUE TO THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS OF THE CONDO AND SCHEDULES. I HAD BEEN READY TO DO THE JOB WHEN WE FIRST MET. WITH ALL THE DELAYS AND CHANGES, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO FIT IT IN WHEN A SPOT OPENED UP. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE END THAT THE 3RD CONDO MEMBER GOT INVOLVED, WHICH CAUSED MORE DELAYS AND CHANGES. I SUGGEST THAT WHEN MAKING DECISIONS, THEY MEET WITH THE CONTRACTOR AS A TEAM AND AND MAKE A GROUP DECISION."