SAM'S RETAINING WALLS & HOME REPAIR

Sam was prompt,knowledgable, professional and thorough. He let us know exactly what the project involved and how he would go about completing it.

We had 2 retaining walls that needed replacing and Sam gave us a bid last summer. He was upfront with us and said he wouldn't be able to do it until the fall. We were in no rush so that was OK. During that time, we changed our minds about the walls - we wanted one replaced and the other eliminated. That would involve removing the wall, grading the yard and planting seed. We also decided we wanted him to replace our patio in the back yard. Because of the changes and bad weather we had, we weren't sure he would be able to do the job until spring but he started the 1st week in December. Our neighbor wanted the stones from the retaining wall that was eliminated and Sam's crew took all of them across the street for him. I cannot say enough about the great work Sam and his crew did. They showed up on time, did a professional job and cleaned up everything. In fact, they cleaned up our driveway and sidewalk! We have received a lot of compliments about Sam's work and I would definitely recommend him to anyone. He does fantastic work!

Sam started my job about the last week of November. The job was finished by the following Tuesday. He was very nice, knowledgeable, and professional. He was prompt to the job site and typically worked through lunch till early evening. He cleaned up after the project was finished. Sam provided us with a 10 year warranty on his work. My wife and I was very pleased with the brick main entry way, the patio, and retaining wall for the patio.

He quoted us $7000. We were very impressed by his work. He had lots of pictures and he had examples very similar to what we want to have done so we felt confident that he can do the work. We originally were just looking to have him do the stuff in the backyard but after meeting with him and because of the other work that we've seen that he's done, we decided to get a quote on the front retaining wall as well and we were pleased with the quote and chose to do both projects with him.

He was very easy to work with. He always paid attention to everything that I had asked for.

Although it took a while to get the service performed,it was done by the promised date. The work was done professionally and the quality is first rate. Our border/wall looks great and I would call on Sam's again should the need arise

Sam and his crew installed a beautiful set of stone stairs in our backyard. They built several small retaining walls for garden areas and our fish pond. Our driveway pad was extended for additional parking with turf stone and it looks wonderful and natural. Our yard now has more multi-use areas with the work that was done. The company did a quality job for a reasonable price and was willing to make minor adjustments while on the job to improve the project. They were also timely and respectful. We are extremely pleased.

Paid to get job done, but they are no longer doing the job---and the estimate took too long.

These guys are great! Highly recommend them.

Sam was a true professional throughout. He was upfront in his pricing, what he would do and then he performed the job to what we agreed on. His crew was talented and good guys all around. The quality of the work is excellent and Sam told me about some problems we may have in the future due to things done by the previous owner and I appreciated his honesty and candor. Whenever I will need a new retaining wall or walls done in the future, Sam's Retaining Walls is the company I will call. My dogs loved them as well.

Everything went wonderfully. Understood our needs, concerns and preferences. Would definately use them again! Sam was personnaly involved in the work and was on site each day with his vantastic crew.

Sam replaced our driveway with a beutiflu paver driveway. He also reset patio pavers that were alrealy alongside the concrete driveway but needed to be properly set. Sam replaced the sidewalk leading to our house so the entire front of the house matches and looks complete. The driveway is beautiful and I especially love how he outlined the driveway in the slate paver. Sam and his team were always on time, efficient, and polite. They left the property in great shape as I have a garden on each side of the drive that was replaced and the gardens were pristine when they were done. Everyday that I come home and each morning when I look out of the front porch I am so pleased with what I see. I would reccomend Sam to anyone.

Same came out to review our project and give us a bid, something that the Big Deal was not required for. He was very informative and helpful, and we're in the process of doing our due diligence and getting multiple bids before making a final decision. If we do work with Sam, I'll follow up with a formal review of the completed work. As of this time, I have nothing but good things to say about the experience with Sam and his company. The Big Deal though should really be revisited.

We requested an estimate on a 12x12 paver patio. We were given an estimate via e-mail. When I called to inquire about what kind of pavers would be used, he said he would actually have to come to my home to provide an estimate (which I would have thought from the beginning). When he found out where we lived, he said, "Oh...we don't do jobs in St. Louis City because their licensing requirements are ridiculous. That's probably why you're having such a hard time finding someone to do the job." I told him we weren't having trouble at all but that we were just trying to find out what our options were before signing a contract. After a bunch of hmmmming and hahhing, he told me he is doing a job for a different guy in the city and if we really wanted, he'd come give us an estimate on Sunday morning. When I told him that time wouldn't work, he informed me that he wouldn't be back in the city for another three months. I told him I would continue to look for someone that does work in our zip code. I would have appreciated knowing up front what his requirements were, which areas he works and a more direct and courteous response.

Showed up everyday and on time. Professional and courteous.

This is the second time I've used Sam Smith. He is professional, knowledgeable, and knows his trade. His crews work quickly and clean up the site well. I highly recommend Sam's Retaining Walls.

Sam and his crew arrived on time, introduced themselves and were good about answering questions. Installing my sump pump proved to be more time intensive than planned (there was a concrete slab underground and they had to stop digging then return; the digging turned into drilling.) Sam stuck with his estimate despite the increased expense to himself. My spouse requested the drainage pipe be moved to allow for easier access to egress ladder and Sam made the change, without complaint, the same day. They also did extensive work for my next door neighbors at the same time and the neighbors asked for me to add that they are also pleased.

This project was a Big Deal offered through Angies List. After signing up, the provider contacted me promptly and we made the arrangements in August. He did explain that his schedule was extremely full and that it might be autumn before he could do the work. I was okay with this because I had wanted this sidewalk since we had moved into our home 14 years ago -- what difference was a few more weeks. He and his crew of 3 arrived bright and early on a Monday morning in October and completed the sidewalk in one day. It was well worth the wait. The work is precise and well designed. The red herringbone pattern is bordered by a soldier row in charcoal and is laid in a nice curve that flairs out as it meets the driveway. I'm no expert in bricklaying, but it seems like this pattern could easily have gone awry if not laid precisely and the small cuts made expertly. We are well-pleased with the workmanship and overall project and can highly recommend Sam's Retaining Walls.

Sam was timely, professional, knowledgeable, and thoroug The work he did was beautiful! I hope to use him again to replace my driveway with pavers!

Sam and his team did an outstanding job! They were courteous and cleaned-up after each day's work activities. The design and quality of the work exceeded my expectations. I have already requested a quote on additional work to be performed next Spring. Sam provides excellent value (price + quality) although due to demand for his services it may require a wait longer than some of his competitors. It was definitely worth the wait! I would recommend him to anyone regardless of the size or complexity of the project.

I wish I could give Sam all A+ grades because A just doesn't do it. From start to finish (almost two weeks), Sam and his crew were punctual, polite, and professional as they tore out both sides of an ugly old tie wall and installed new walls made of Versa-lok. Sam responded promptly to my request for a bid, prepared a detailed estimate with a fair price, and told me exactly when he would be able to start my project. He and his crew arrived promptly every morning and worked hard all day in searing heat and humidity. They were unfailingly pleasant and respectful of my property, and they cleaned up every day before leaving. In response to my concern about established plantings, they carefully dug out several large ornamental bushes and set them aside. To my amazement, when I looked outside this morning, the crew had carefully replanted the bushes, a task I had expected to do myself. I love my beautiful new retaining wall and am delighted to recommend Sam wholeheartedly. If you need a new retaining wall, do yourself a favor and call Sam; he and his crew are the best!

Looks great. You can't tell it is an addition, and he did a nice job with the work and clean up.

From start to finish, everything was excellent. They all showed up on time every single morning and were very friendly and helpful. I would definitely use them again. The wall was built in a timely fashion. They even worked one day when it was raining even though I wasn't in any hurry to get the wall completed. They dug out a lot of extra soil that they replaced with rock and drain tile behind the wall. I asked if they could put the extra soil around the foundation of my house. They were so nice they did it at no extra charge even though they had to take numerous wheel-barrow trips up a hill all the way around to the complete other side of my house. They cleaned up everything when they were done and put down new grass seed and straw. They even put down grass seed and straw in the area around my foundation where they added the extra soil that was far away from the retaining wall, again at no extra charge! We are very grateful to them for the extra work they did. I highly recommend Sam's Retaining Walls.

The deck and patio were completed last summer and quite frankly they are awesome! The former deck was about half the size of the new deck. Sam worked with us to personalize the service by adjusting the stairs and even making a trap door in the floor of the deck to make it easier for me to turn on and off the hose. The stairs required lighting and Sam helped with making sure this job was done to code. The original electrician did not contact the inspector and was not going to install the lighting properly. I am so thankful Sam was there to help me understand what was needed and make sure the job was done properly the first time. I received three bids for this work and am so thankful that we chose Sam. We were so happy with the job Sam did with the deck and patio that we had him replace our decaying retaining wall. We did not even bother getting other bids, because we knew Sam would do a great job! And he did! Once again Sam personalized the service by understanding how we wanted it to look, listening to how we use our backyard, and providing various options. We use our backyard a lot and having various conveniences that match our lifestyle was such a nice touch. Sam's work is professional and well done. His crew and he are polite. They clean up the area and are just a nice group of guys. We are receiving compliment after compliment on the work Sam did. We also have a bridge that needs to be replaced and so we called Sam! I highly recommend Sam for his service and his quality work. You can not go wrong with Sam!

I was under contract with Sam's Retaining Walls to have two separate wall systems constructed for a total cost of $25,000. One of the walls required a building permit from St. Louis County. According to St. Louis County, it is ultimately the contractor's responsibility to obtain a construction permit, however Sam?s Retaining Walls failed to obtain a permit for the job. A construction permit ensures that the wall is properly constructed in accordance with the Master Plan, which is the general engineering compliance guide for retaining wall construction. Any deviation from this, including the use of substitute materials requires sealed engineering plans and approval from the St. Louis County approval board before a permit is issued. After a snowstorm and within weeks following the completion of construction, the wall started separating. Upon having a geologist assess the construction conditions, the geologist informed me that the base of the wall was likely installed on unstable soils. Sam's Retaining Walls repaired the section of wall that separated and within a couple of weeks and following another snowstorm, the wall separated again. This time I had a structural engineer assess the situation and he confirmed several key factors. The wall was indeed constructed on unstable soils and should have been dug down an additional few feet to reach stable native soil. He further stated that the prescribed materials were not used for the back-fill and improper technique was employed for compacting the back-fill. Back-fill is to be clean rock to allow for drainage and compacted to at least 95% of the material?s maximum dry density. A wall of this height requires compaction with a powered plate-compactor and not a hand-tamper as was used for this project. After receiving this news, I went back and reviewed my contract to learn that the materials specified in the contract and for which I paid, were not the materials that were provided. I also read through the Master Plan to learn what is required by code. This is required for compliance apart from what is spelled out in the contract. As a result, I have two separate issues, each of which is cause for negligence. First, there were materials and services that I paid for according to the terms of the contract but did not receive, which is breach of contract. Second, the construction was not in compliance with St. Louis County code requirements in accordance with the Master Plan. Minus was used for the back-fill rather than clean rock, which does not allow for proper drainage, is not what was agreed to and paid for in accordance with the terms of the contract and is against both the Master Plan and manufacturer's construction standards. My contract included an unconditional warranty but Sam?s Retaining Walls charged me for the repair work claiming they were not responsible for the soil conditions. Whether or not the company is responsible for the soil conditions on which they construct a wall is separate from the fact that the written warranty was unconditional. The fact of the matter according to the Master Plan is that the contractor is responsible for ensuring the wall is constructed on stable soils. Since there was a clear demonstration of negligence on the part of Sam?s Retaining Walls, I did not provide the company with a third opportunity to resolve the problem. Instead I paid another company an additional $9000 to remove and replace the faulty wall system following proper construction techniques. It is sad how educated I have become as a result of going through this experience. I have much more knowledge about retaining wall construction, code compliance and structural integrity than I care to know, which is why I hired a professional to do the work in the first place.