TROPICAL IRRIGATION
About us
Serving the Austin area since 1985, 12 employees.
Business highlights
40 years of experience
Services we offer
INSTALLATION, LAWN IRRIGATION, MAINTENANCE AND LOW VOLTAGE LIGHTING.
Reviews
3.513 Reviews
Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
---|---|---|
46% | ||
15% | ||
0% | ||
15% | ||
23% |
Showing 1-13 of 13 reviews
Tori K.
Sep 2016
Terrible! This company is the worst. The system never worked properly. the technicians do not return calls, nor show up to repair when promised. They are totally incompetent.
Patricia B.
Sep 2016
Not well. It was poorly built, not level so water overflows on one side before full, no access to pump. After 3 months all the side rocks have rolled to bottom, making pond too shallow, exposing all sheeting on sides. No way to attach a fountain nozzle to pump. Now (4 months since installation) leaking and won't hold any water. Company has refused any responsibility.
Barbara S.
Apr 2016
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Allison W.
Aug 2015
I've debated on doing this, because my experience could be an anomaly, but maybe not. I just have to let people know my experience.
The previous owner is the one who put in my irrigation system. He was great. But, evidently he sold the company. When I called to have someone come check my system because the pump had been out of the lake for several years and I wanted to make sure the system was working correctly before I turned it on. I travel a lot, so I wasn't there when Tropical Irrigation supposedly showed up. I say "supposedly" because they were asked to do the following:
1) check the system to make sure it was working properly
2) program it to water once a week
3) fix the broken sprinkler head, they they would only be able to find once the system was on and running.
I had to call twice. On the originally scheduled date, no one showed up. No one called to say they weren't showing up. I called again and excuses were made. Another date was scheduled. I went to run errands and was gone for about 2 hours. I guess they showed up during that time. I figured I'd get a phone call or email with the diagnosis. Nope. I got a bill in the mail several weeks later. I couldn't figure out anything listed on the bill except for labor for 2 people.
When I called to pay, I asked what exactly was the diagnosis. And also what I was paying for since their bill was not clear. The gentleman I spoke to just read off the stuff on the invoice, like I couldn't read or something, and when I asked what all that meant, he couldn't tell me.....exactly. He said he would speak to the technician and they would call me or send me an email. I got nothing.
When I came back, several weeks later, I came back to a dead lawn. I went out to look at the system, and it was OFF. OFF? Why was it off? I tried turning it on and nothing happened. I heard the switch turn on, but nothing happened. Hmmm. What the heck was I billed for? I called and spoke with Lisa, who had no idea and couldn't pull up my last invoice to see what was happening. I asked for them to come back. They came back that day, but the kid working for them didn't have any answers other than to say it might be a pump problem, and they didn't fix pumps. When I asked if they could replace it, he said they'd have to cut the pipe at the water level....etc, etc, etc.
Lisa finally called me days later to ask about the pump. Did I need a pump? She wasn't sure. We had a long discussion about how I was not happy and would not be using their services anymore. She blamed it on how difficult it was to find competent technicians, and that she had a hard time communicating with them because most of them only spoke Spanish. I suggested she hire someone who spoke both English and Spanish, after all, can't be that difficult, we are in Texas. It was only excuse after excuse after excuse. I still don't know what the heck I was billed for to begin with. Something was repaired, but no one can tell me what it was. I'm still not sure they came out to begin with.
So, sorry, but I cannot recommend Tropical Irrigation. I don't trust that they know what they are doing. I don't trust that I was billed properly for work. They are nice, but at this point I don't know how they are even still in business.
The previous owner is the one who put in my irrigation system. He was great. But, evidently he sold the company. When I called to have someone come check my system because the pump had been out of the lake for several years and I wanted to make sure the system was working correctly before I turned it on. I travel a lot, so I wasn't there when Tropical Irrigation supposedly showed up. I say "supposedly" because they were asked to do the following:
1) check the system to make sure it was working properly
2) program it to water once a week
3) fix the broken sprinkler head, they they would only be able to find once the system was on and running.
I had to call twice. On the originally scheduled date, no one showed up. No one called to say they weren't showing up. I called again and excuses were made. Another date was scheduled. I went to run errands and was gone for about 2 hours. I guess they showed up during that time. I figured I'd get a phone call or email with the diagnosis. Nope. I got a bill in the mail several weeks later. I couldn't figure out anything listed on the bill except for labor for 2 people.
When I called to pay, I asked what exactly was the diagnosis. And also what I was paying for since their bill was not clear. The gentleman I spoke to just read off the stuff on the invoice, like I couldn't read or something, and when I asked what all that meant, he couldn't tell me.....exactly. He said he would speak to the technician and they would call me or send me an email. I got nothing.
When I came back, several weeks later, I came back to a dead lawn. I went out to look at the system, and it was OFF. OFF? Why was it off? I tried turning it on and nothing happened. I heard the switch turn on, but nothing happened. Hmmm. What the heck was I billed for? I called and spoke with Lisa, who had no idea and couldn't pull up my last invoice to see what was happening. I asked for them to come back. They came back that day, but the kid working for them didn't have any answers other than to say it might be a pump problem, and they didn't fix pumps. When I asked if they could replace it, he said they'd have to cut the pipe at the water level....etc, etc, etc.
Lisa finally called me days later to ask about the pump. Did I need a pump? She wasn't sure. We had a long discussion about how I was not happy and would not be using their services anymore. She blamed it on how difficult it was to find competent technicians, and that she had a hard time communicating with them because most of them only spoke Spanish. I suggested she hire someone who spoke both English and Spanish, after all, can't be that difficult, we are in Texas. It was only excuse after excuse after excuse. I still don't know what the heck I was billed for to begin with. Something was repaired, but no one can tell me what it was. I'm still not sure they came out to begin with.
So, sorry, but I cannot recommend Tropical Irrigation. I don't trust that they know what they are doing. I don't trust that I was billed properly for work. They are nice, but at this point I don't know how they are even still in business.
Jenny S.
May 2015
This job started in October and ended May 1st. A two week job took 7 months. Tree stumps were left, dangerous debris, wire fencing, and empty plant buckets. One tree bucket too heavy for me move. No longer in use irrigation sticking out of ground from trees removed without leveling dirt after removal. Hoses removed from old irrigation laying all over property. I designed a walking garden with a limestone path throughout and they put mulch in too early. They took so long to build the garden it became too late to plant. Over the winter all of the mulch and limestone were either washed away or completely covered in dirt. There was however one pile of mulch left in the garden and a man came by and flattened instead of spreading it. The job was to be finished in time to plant and it was not. I have been way over charged for everything and expected a stunning property that is a disaster. The creek will not flow and flooded instead to the house. I am currently having the entire project start from scratch. Phone calls were never returned. Appointments missed without calls. Missing work for a drizzle of rain only to clear up the entire day. I informed them the rain would stop and the day would be fine without a response. I sent a photo of the creek backed up and no response.
Shannon Smith was the foreman of this job. He promised we would plant in March. I was told the irrigation was done in October and the yard was dug up so I paid for it to be done. In May after the plants were bought they tore up the entire yard at the time the torrential rains started with a muddy mess surrounding my house to do irrigation. It wasn't done and I paid for it in October. I had lights to be installed ignored completely. When finally promising to buy plants a nice day the end of April and he arrived late and the nursery closed on us. I had been going to Home Depot every weekend since March finding the plants I wanted and buying many. He would not plant them. I need 10 Pyracanthas and Home Depot had large beautiful ones and he said do not buy them I will. They did not have Pyracanthas at his nursery but paid for them and I never received them as I didn't many of plants and trees. Home Depot no longer has Pyracanthas. I paid $12,000 for the plants and when they arrived they were so late they couldn't plant that day. The plants were on the ground in pouring rain all weekend. He would not answer my phone calls until I fired him. Most of the plants are dying from mold. Do not use Shannon Smith no matter who he works for. He has his own company as well called Appealing Designs. Trust me there is nothing appealing about this mans work. He never supervised one day. He left his crew sitting on my porch twice during pouring rain without a ride home. He did not pay his crew for poor planting in the rain. They didn't know where to plant because he was never there and they did not speak english for me to supervise on my own. I paid in advance for each stage and now I have learned my lesson. He will not provide any invoices for plants or materials. He has no record of anything done. FYI
Shannon Smith was the foreman of this job. He promised we would plant in March. I was told the irrigation was done in October and the yard was dug up so I paid for it to be done. In May after the plants were bought they tore up the entire yard at the time the torrential rains started with a muddy mess surrounding my house to do irrigation. It wasn't done and I paid for it in October. I had lights to be installed ignored completely. When finally promising to buy plants a nice day the end of April and he arrived late and the nursery closed on us. I had been going to Home Depot every weekend since March finding the plants I wanted and buying many. He would not plant them. I need 10 Pyracanthas and Home Depot had large beautiful ones and he said do not buy them I will. They did not have Pyracanthas at his nursery but paid for them and I never received them as I didn't many of plants and trees. Home Depot no longer has Pyracanthas. I paid $12,000 for the plants and when they arrived they were so late they couldn't plant that day. The plants were on the ground in pouring rain all weekend. He would not answer my phone calls until I fired him. Most of the plants are dying from mold. Do not use Shannon Smith no matter who he works for. He has his own company as well called Appealing Designs. Trust me there is nothing appealing about this mans work. He never supervised one day. He left his crew sitting on my porch twice during pouring rain without a ride home. He did not pay his crew for poor planting in the rain. They didn't know where to plant because he was never there and they did not speak english for me to supervise on my own. I paid in advance for each stage and now I have learned my lesson. He will not provide any invoices for plants or materials. He has no record of anything done. FYI
John H.
May 2015
unknown
Jerry S.
Apr 2014
Awesome service by Alvin from Tropical Irrigation. I wanted to get a couple of new irrigation heads/bubblers added to my system since I had some new trees planted. Alvin adjusted the current heads and showed me that I didn't have to spend the extra money since water was already reaching the new trees. Very honest! Alvin even fixed a leak that was the result of a poor RPZ installation from a different irrigation company. On-time, honest, and professional. Highly recommend Alvin and Tropical Irrigation.
Thomas B.
Oct 2013
Overall, the process was great. One of my valves on my sprinkler system started to leak water and they were out the next day to replace the valve. They scheduled for 9AM, and called at 8AM to let me know they were on the way and arrived about 15 minutes early. They replaced the valve and tested everything in a few hours.
JD E.
Sep 2013
I have a large irrigation system and they did a outstanding job. Enrique is a hardworking honest young man. He did an excellent job replacing the heads and adjusting the everything so it was in perfect working condition.
Grant J.
Apr 2012
They were recommended to me by my doctor.
Kevin L.
Jul 2011
After multiple return visits I am still getting over spray on my wood fence (with no over spray on my garage or masonry fence). Their response is that over spray is necessary to get plants established. I don't accept that 80% of the system works and the remainder has to malfunction. I have new plants in all areas of the back yard. I only have over spray on the wood fence. The worst possible place to have it.
This will lead to wood rot and premature failure of the fence.
Do not use them as they do not stand behind their work.
This will lead to wood rot and premature failure of the fence.
Do not use them as they do not stand behind their work.
Response from TROPICAL IRRIGATION
"The company has since changed hands and has had several more positive reviews. We would be happy to revisit this system if the homeowner would like a return visit."
JAYNE R.
Sep 2007
I called all over the area to have someone to take care of my problem and this company was the only one to respond. They fixed the original problem and have come back to repair all the leaks. They charge by the hour and I cannot say enough good things about them.
Lyle H.
Sep 2007
I have to say this was a very interesting experience. The thing that most impressed me was the charge for the diver. This company is so fair on their prices. I couldn't imagine trying to find someone who would want to do that for a living. I was very pleased when they fixed the pump.
Licensing
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FAQ
TROPICAL IRRIGATION is currently rated 3.5 overall out of 5.
No, TROPICAL IRRIGATION does not offer free project estimates.
No, TROPICAL IRRIGATION does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, TROPICAL IRRIGATION does not offer a senior discount.
No, TROPICAL IRRIGATION does not offer emergency services.
No, TROPICAL IRRIGATION does not offer warranties.