Ntx Landscaping & Services

There are about a thousand things I would rather be doing than writing a negative review of a company. Alas, here we are. We hired NTX Landscaping to re-sod our backyard and to put in a flagstone pathway. It was a disaster from the beginning. The crew managed to level the dirt just in time for a torrential downpour that left our yard a mud hole and them sitting on our back porch waiting for the sod to be delivered. Then, they asked us if we knew where they could buy flagstone for the pathway. How do you not have the major components to a landscaping job on site before beginning the work? They were actually gone in search of flagstone when the sod was delivered. That left us trying to find them by phone, because the sod had to taken of the truck with a forklift. The sod delivery driver asked if we had a forklift to remove the sod, so he could leave. Who doesn’t have a forklift lying around? The work was finished the next day which was again a day plagued by rainstorms. The sod was all laid on mud laden with water puddles. Mike, the owner, never came by to oversee or check on the crew during the 2 day process. The crew made a huge mess thru the yard with the bobcat due to working thru the storms. We now have ruts, washouts, and holes where they went back and forth with the bobcat. A friend of ours even tripped in one of the holes and hurt her knee. The sod was not properly leveled after installation. I’ve tripped just walking across it, because it’s so uneven. My yard is worse now than before we hired NTX. It’s an uneven dead mess. A couple weeks into May, our new sod was getting browner and browner. It took repeated calls and texts to get Mike to finally agree to come take a look. He said it was “dormant and the ground just needs to warm up.” Umm…. O.K…..” He said to give it a couple more weeks to green up. We waited like he asked. On June 23, I emailed Mike to express my disappointment and show him photos. I asked him what he was going to do to make the situation right. He did not reply to my email. He texted my husband and simply said sod dead contacting the sod farm. We waited. 5 days passed. I emailed Mike again and stated “it’s been five days, do you have an update for us on the dead grass.” No reply. We waited. 8 more days passed. By this point, you can imagine the frustration on our part. I sent a third email. Basically, I told Mike that I was going to give him yet another chance to make things right, before I wrote a review of our experience. I got a reply! Here it is: “Go away really! I have looked at the job I have a plan in place to help you out let's not forget grass has no warranty however I'm still figuring out how to help. Then you want to threaten me. I'm the only company in Dfw that would even come back to look at it Every other one would tell you it got flooded out or make up a disease. Not some allll others I don't feel the need to help with threats coming my way. And not to be cocky or rude but I do have five times the business then I need or desire however I'm the best for a reason. And that's why we where going to fix the problem but as I stated in my last email it is to hot now to risk it not taking again something happened to the grass once already” What a professional response! I’m still laughing. The email he mentioned about his plan to make it right, that must have been to another unhappy costumer, because the one that I posted above is the only email he ever sent on the topic. His first words to me…”Go away really!” Ok, Mike, I’ll go away, but I’m leaving this review and photos of your stellar work as my parting gift. Anyone interested in hiring NTX Landscaping should head on over to Angie’s List. You’ll find my review & photos, as well as, reviews from two other people that had the exact same experience and given them an F Rating. Now, I have to hire a true landscaping professional to re-do NTX Landscaping’s work.

Job was to install sod in the back yard, approximately 2000 square feet.  Crew arrived and instead of using a sod cutter, used a tiller to grind up the old grass and then shovels to remove it.   This was not as I had discussed with the owner as I had told him we had some bad soil and wanted the top layer removed. 

The top soil that was delivered was full of clods and rocks.  The crew was just going to rake them under and leave them until I asked them to remove the rocks.  They raked the top soil around prior to sod installation, but left it uneven in places.  Literature says soil should be drum rolled to even it out.

The sod installation was totally incorrect.  They threw the pieces down and however they hit the ground that was it.  No attempt to butt the pieces together (as recommended in all literature), leaving gaps of two to three inches between pieces of sod.  When asked about this by the owner, he said that was perfectly normal, the sod would grow together.

The owner was called and texted, but no satisfactory answer.  Sod was installed, so that seemed satisfactory to him.

NTX Landscaping was to do work on Monday, July 20, but did no show up until Wednesday.   Grass looked bad, especially on top of the pile.  They said it was green under the top layer and it would be nice and green in a few weeks.  48 of the squares never showed any green  & I had to replace the 48 squares at my expense.  ($254. My son did the labor).  The grass was dead when installed.  I sent pictures to Company representative but they did not bother to come and look at  the dead squares.  They broke two sprinkler heads and covered up another one while performing the work.  I had to replace the broken heads and uncover the other one myself.  After talking to the company once and texting them twice they did not return future contacts.  They left a mess on the sidewalks and in the street which I had to clean up.  When I explained to the company representative, on the phone, that I had paid $1,350 and I expected the grass to be fresh and the work done in a better manner.  His response was "that's not much money"  My yard is a small zero lot line property and they did the front yard only.  This was my first use of a company that said they were a member of Angie's list.  Very disappointing.
Ramon D. Phillips