CORNERSTONE HARDSCAPES

We are happy with the overall quality of the job, but it was frustrating and painful getting there. There was zero communication unless we initiated it from start to end. The job started late and took much longer than we were told it would. It wasn't surprising that it took so much longer since workers were not here full time, barely half time. We expected them to be onsite daily once the job started, but we were lucky if we had anyone working three days a week and they were never full days. Days would go by without anyone onsite. We would make phone calls to find out what was going on and there was always some excuse. The work crew left an ever-growing junk pile in our backyard which the owner Rick finally had hauled away once we asked him to toward the end of the job. We were surprised to learn at the very end of our project that painting was not included. It would have been nice for Rick to let us know that painting was not included in our bid so that we would have been able to plan accordingly. Instead we were left in the middle of the rainiest month of the year to try to protect the wood on our new patio cover until we could get a painter lined up. It also added an unexpected $2,500 to the job which would have also been nice to know too. What made it worse is that we discussed the painting portion several times with Rick throughout the job and there never seemed to be any question about it being part of the job until the very end. I do have to highly praise the "other" Rick, however, who did all of the woodwork on the patio cover. He was the best part of the whole job. He was a hard worker who produced quality work and a great person to work with. Once he started the job wrapped up quickly and he made sure we were happy with the work he did. As a side note, no portable toilet was ever onsite for the work crew for what became an almost 2 month job.

I did a great deal of background research before selecting Cornerstone. This include BBB, Contractor review board, Angie's List, etc. The work I needed consisted of a stairway down the side of my house leading to a patio in my back yard. My house is built on a hill with a moderately steep slope. Colin was the project manager and his bid was my choice of 4 different vendors. We negotiated a start date and they began on time and on schedule. The crew was punctual each day and put in full days of work until the project was completed. During the course of the build we negotiated a change order that included an increase in the size of the patio and a small retaining wall. The change order was a fair price and competitive with the original bid. I was pleasantly surprised that they were able to put a small landing about 2/3 of the way down the stairwell that helped moderate e steepness of the slope. Overall I'm extremely pleased with the project and would use them in the future.

It never happened! Contractor accepted $2,000 deposit (checked cashed) in August 2016, but never started the work. When contacted, a week following agreed start date, contractor advised that the project would not start for a minimum of three additional weeks. At that time reviewer requested refund of deposit money since contractor could not meet agreed timeline (contractor agreed to return deposit by 10/26/16). Since requesting return of deposit money reviewer has contacted contractor 9 times over 60 day period, and contractor is refusing to return funds. Reviewer forced to file a formal complaint with state CCB to request review/hearing of contractor's actions.

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The quality of work done by this company is very good, and we have absolutely no problem with this. The problems that we had with this company were twofold. First, they overbook in the summer and could not perform the job for almost two months. Please be careful when booking and making a down payment. Secure a date when they will be able to start the job. At the initial quote, we were told that it might be a month out. We were not told that it would be twice that at the outset until we had made our down payment. So we had to wait. Ok. All along it is fair to say there was poor communication on the part of Cornerstone Hardscape. The job finally started over a week late in September (After scheduling in June) and then over the duration of the job nobody would show up and work for three or four days straight. There was no communication about the timetable of the job or why nobody was showing up. There were a few days in which there existed the probability of rain, but there were plenty of sunny days during the companies disappearance.  Our bushes were dug up and left in the front yard along with half cut bricks strewn around. It looked like a construction site. The neighbors began to ask who was doing the work and if they were ever going to finish. Cornerstone Hardscape was aware that we were being put at an inconvenience and accepted our request to put in some bark dust as compensation.
email: Request to Cornerstone Hardscapes,
"Anyway you could throw in a some bark dust once your done? That would be
great if you could. We have been waiting since June and now another
three weeks."
email: Answer from Cornerstone Hardscapes  "Yes?we would be happy to"
No bark dust was ever put in.
The company does not want to hear about complaints. After a summer of being very patient, I wanted to express my displeasure with the communication and long delays in getting the work done. When I called to talk about some of my complaints the secretary listened for a bit and then hung up on me. I went ahead and sent in my final check and will not use this company again.

There were a few obstacles that came up, but all were quickly handled and resolution achieved without much stress. Collin and his crew always had ideas of ways to accomplish the job best.

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Initially I thought they weren't being receptive and gave them a low grade but I didn't realize the receptionist was not passing along my messages to the owner that I had called, so he had no idea I had been trying to get a hold of him for several months. Once he and I talked the issue got resolved quickly and they have replaced that receptionist and the new hire is great and ndash; courteous, upbeat and responsive. I thought the company was following through to fill in sand in some gaps on the patio and walkway and ndash; instead they redid the entire patio and 2 walkways which was fantastic! Cornerstone Hardscapes went above and beyond my expectations and ndash; I truly appreciate the integrity of Rick's business ethics. They didn't have to redo the entire patio and ndash; but they did it anyway. That kind of service is rare among business today which is why I rated my overall experience as an A plus.

Project resulted in a level surface, attractive pattern and pleasing addition to my home. Staff were great to work with |

We had a patio installed after reviewing our ideas with several contractors. All thought they could do the job and all placed bids. In hindsight, we came to think it was a poor design even though each of the contractors was willing to do it and so we made changes in the design after construction had begun. We give you some suggestions here so you can avoid problems like this.
From the beginning you probably have an idea of what you might like. Discuss these wishes with several contractors to see how they would handle the project. In addition to reviewing their proposals for cost, timing, and the reputation of the contractor with the Construction Contractor’s Board (CCB) and of course Angie’s List, there are a few more things to consider. At the time you start these discussions, remember that the home owner knows more about the site than does the contractor. That includes issues with rain, wind, drainage/runoff, soil stability, etc. All of these things must be explained to the contractor at the beginning. As we found, including photos that demonstrate your concerns might not be enough but it is worth the effort, and it documents what you have said. Ask the contractor to improve your original design ideas to fit the reality of your site and its
issues.
Obtain from the contractors detailed drawings that can’t be altered without your approval. This should include not only drawings of the planned work with actual dimensions but also a detailed listing of the materials that will be used. This is especially important if the patio is going to have contact with your home. Many patio designs don’t require a building permit, and so no inspector will come to provide official oversight of the project to help ensure that the final product passes building code or that it is even appropriate for your site. Clarify any questions you might have at this time, including timelines for when things will start and end.
Next, take the detailed drawings and material lists to a 3rd party building inspector and/or the county code inspector. You want a second opinion on the project before you sign anything because few homeowners really know the details of construction
building code and what constitutes a good design. It is expensive to change the plans after work has begun. You need to know that if the project is completed correctly it will add value to the house and not lead to a loss of value. It is worth the extra expense to get this resolved beforehand. The home inspector that I spoke to (after work began) indicated that he finds many improperly installed patios and terraces that led to structural damage to the house (mostly from water intrusion), costing the homeowners many times the initial cost of their patio.
Make any design changes before works starts and before you sign the contract. Hopefully at this point the contract can be signed and the photos you take as the project progresses will lead to happy memories.
We failed to do many of these things and it was expensive to fix things after work began. Overall the stone and paver work seems to have been well done on our project, and neighbors commented that the final patio is very attractive. We repeatedly had troubles during the project, however, wherever there was physical contact between the patio and the house itself. This required my regular intervention and the help from a friend to do the siding, trim and flashing work properly. Early in the project we found that foundation vents had been covered in ways I did not expect and untreated wood siding was covered with masonry, things I had not imagined before construction began. Again, all of that was expensive to undo once it was done. Eventually the project was completed in a manner that is quite attractive and that meets code, but it took 3.5 months and included significant cost over-runs. If this project had involved a patio that was not in contact with the house I imagine that I would be much more satisfied with the experience. If I had followed the advice given here, that too might have led to a more satisfying experience.

They did a great job. They were professional and took steps to make sure they got it right.

Owner came to house from appointment at home show. Work was scheduled and performed by helpful staff and on time. Very nice patio installed with pavers replacing rotted wooden deck. Sealed paver grouting and cleaned up thoroughly.

Cornerstone Hardscapes did a great job in designing and installing our new backyard.
We liked their creative ideas, their crew was terrific, and the results are outstanding.
Plus they received a Gold Medal Award at this year’s Home and Garden Show.
It’s great to be associated with a winner!
They were on time, kept us informed of progress, were responsive to our questions, and did a really super job of cleaning up.

It went very well. There was some trouble getting to a start date but once the project began it continued until finished. I worked with the head worker Mariseo who was very accommodating. He couldn't have been a nicer person and very willing to adapt to my concerns as the project went along. Mariseo was present through out the project. Other workers would come and go so I felt that one person was controlling the process. I'm one to be involved which I think was important to insure that the outcome was what I wanted. I wasn't totally sure what the outcome would be at the beginning and Mariseo was very willing to let me work with him as the days went by. He adapted well to changes that we made along the way. At one point I saw a need to finish off an additional edging and Mariseo and the company were willing to add that in. I thought the cost was very fair.

I am a widow and have no money to replace my losses and very sad and I have trusted Cornerstone Hardscapes, Inc. for building my retaining wall, replacing with the existing 4' wall. I wish to bring the following grievances against this Contractor. Rick, the owner, took advantage of my situation, and left me with a destroyed and depressing back yard. I was told that the job would be completed in about 5-6 days and after 3 days Rick Synider called and apologized and said it will take a few more days than anticipated and I said it was OK but the few days turned out to be total of 37 days from the start to the finish of the building my backyard 90 ft length wall. You can see the picture of my arborvitaes all green. I was told that he would take them out of the ground, cover them with burlap, and water them throughout the project – and they would survive if all of this is done. I had rose bushes, boxwood bushes, and other various exotic plants which were also removed in order to perform the job.I have lost 18 of my arborvitaes and all other plants due to the negligence of the workers. They covered the plants only after 10-12 days after removal, despite daily reminders that my plants will die since it was very hot. After they were finally covered, the crew still did not care to water regularly the trees throughout the project, and only watered them after multiple reminders from me. The plants/trees were placed behind a huge pile of debris/dirt, so I could not access them to water, otherwise I would have done this by myself. My sprinkler system was also destroyed as there were soaker pipes buried underground running along the arborvitaes. When they were excavating removing the old wall, the crew confirmed that they will put in the new soaker pipes and the faucet after the project of wall is completed and I do not have to worry about anything. They will make sure that everything would be restored to the near original shape. Although they tried to put a loose soaker pipe over the ground in place of the buried one, the sprinklers are not working and despite repeated request no one cared to come and look at the sprinklers, nor the burnt trees.I have paid him in full on time, so that, the job would be done on time. The Contractor was busy and sent his crew to other big projects and did not think it was important for him to finish my project even though I reminded him that my neighbors also were suffering living with the dust and could not use their patios during the short summer we have in Portland,Or. Most of the days, he sent 1-2 workers to work on my project. Otherwise he has a huge group of workers, but they were sent on more “important projects,” while my project was pushed to 37 days and my plants/trees all died.I have requested Rick several times to come and look at burnt trees due to his worker’s negligence, however, he has not showed up to this day. I hope he would replace my trees and fix my sprinklers that they broke. I was told by the crew during the project that I do not have to worry, the things would be put back the way they were before. I had two sets of steps going down the hill to cut my corner bush and plants on the slope and all that landscaping is gone and I cannot even get down to trim the bush.I have an estimate of $1725 to remove the dead arborvitaes and replace the trees. Also I have lost about $400 worth of other plants.Towards the end of the project, I was in my backyard with Rick and we talked about how everything was not put back in place, like the steps, and the slope was too steep. He started yelling at me at the top of his voice, but he did not know that I live in a highly educated and decent neighborhood, and my neighbors living below my slope were shocked listening to his conversation. They asked who he was, since they could not believe he could not talk respectfully and professionally to a woman. They said they would make sure to spread the word about this company, whose owner is yelling loudly at his customer. I guess in the United States this does not happen?? I guess I have to suffer because I am a woman.

I paid for the project in full, and paid my final check, trusting Rick, when he said that they would come back if there are problems. I told him that the trees already look dead as they were not burlaped and watered and he assured that they are hardy trees and from his experience they will come back in the spring. It is sad that I hired the wrong company and now my backyard is destroyed.

They worked very closely with me. They were just excellent in person skills. They work people were very professional. They worked really quickly. They were flexible to make changes if i wanted to do that. They were very concerned that I was happy with my job. I would use their services again in the future.

We are really pleased with the work of Cornerstone Hardscape.

• The backyard has been beautifully transformed! Friends have been wowed by the makeover. It’s like an additional room has been added to the house.
• The crew was very courteous and I was truly impressed with their work ethic as well as the quality of the work. In addition, they used great care in making sure non of the plants were damaged. I definitely will be hiring them again in the future.
• The owner checked on the progress of the work daily – he even sent the crew to get a new batch of pavers because he said the one’s that had been delivered, didn’t meet his standards – that was additional work on his part with no extra cost for the job.
• Both he and the office staff were readily available and responsive to questions. I asked for an additional process for the pavers which the owner was willing to do immediately, but I asked that it be postponed for two months and he was agreeable to this also.
• Finally, I’d like to say of all the bids, Cornerstone Hardware was a cut above the rest in terms of ideas they proposed in a few “tricky” areas in the yard that need addressing. Thanks Rick and Crew for such a quality job! B. D.

They did a great job. We can't believe how big our backyard is now. The paver patio added so much useable space and beauty to the yard. We are very happy with the results.

Rick and his crew did a great job on installing a 20 ft. retaining wall and "gator" dust in a flagstone path. They came and performed the work in at timely fashion as promised. The only glitch (which couldn't be avoided) was Rick was in the hospital for back issues, although he wanted to conduct business from his hospital room, I felt like that was too much to ask since I didn't have a hard deadline. His wife even came over to pitch in on something when he couldn't make it. So the project was a little delayed, but it got done and I couldn't be happier. I plan on having him the rest of the backyard in the spring. His prices are competitive and his crew is professional and fast workers.

There were some delays due to material procurement issues but otherwise it went well. The result is superb - see the photos. Excellent craftmanship evident. Rick's crews are true artisans.

I was very pleased with their work! They did exactly what they said they would when they said they would. The crew was unfeelingly professional and courteous. The bid was competitive. The company had a few staff illnesses but still were able to stay committed and on track to complete the job without error or issue. They installed a new concrete block retaining wall. They also went out of their way to economize the project wherever possible. They were also as quiet as possible for a very noisy job!

The work that they did was fantastic. The price was competitive. When they actually started work, they were prompt. The owner stopped by several times. The only issue was getting to start the work, because they are very, very busy.