Urban Element Tree Care & Landscaping

I would use their services in the future.

 Brandon Grote is the owner of this company.  He was very nice, very approachable, listened to what I needed and explained to me clearly what was going to be done. So when they came to do the pruning they went ahead and did it.  However I was not satisfied and in fact had to call them back.  The reason why I was not satisfied was because I felt that the pruning was not complete.   I really don’t know much about pruning but I could see that they did not do a complete job. Secondly they left quite an amount of debris.   So I had to call him back and I told them about my dissatisfaction. So they went and did some pruning and cleaned up the debris that they left behind previously.  They cut down the tree and they did that okay but the issue that arose from cutting down of the tree was what to do with the pieces of the wood, and my wife wanted the wood for the fire place for my son.  But they decided to just take it away. When I called them back he said that they did not understand my wife but they could come back and deliver some wood that they had in the yard.  In other words it was not the wood that they cut down into piece.  By the way they did bring some of the wood back to my house.  I decided to give them one more chance so several months later I had them come back to plant some bamboos that we wanted in our backyard. We had a planter build and I had him order the bamboos and have him planted.  When I came back I found that the dirt was filled up only half way and not up to the planter. So when I called him he said that it was not his fault.  He then started talking about the legality of it and was getting quite angry that I had to bring it up. But I asked him to come back and take a look at it for himself because this is not what I expected. I was at work when he came and apparently brought the soil and filled it up and redid the whole thing.  So what I am saying is that he is very approachable, he is very nice, he listens to your needs but the work is not done completely. I know it is done by his workers and in fact he blames his workers for the incomplete work. After talking to him about the work he was willing to fix it. When you have someone provide you with a service you would want it to be done completely initially, and based on the expectation that you have, and not having have to go back and talk to the contractor.  In that sense it was a bit inconvenient. But in the end he rectified the situation.  His price including the bamboos was close to $900. Price wise he was average. Quality wise they came back and did a good job. As for professionalism the workers were a nice bunch of youngsters and did their work but they left early, they were huffed. It is also impacted by the way Brandon talked to me when I brought up the half filled planter.  He was arguing with me about the legality and that kind of stuff.  That was height of unprofessionalism.  I will not use them in the future. In fact when I had other trees pruned I looked for another company.  

 Excellent. The overall look and feel of the property is a big improvement.

Brandon and his crew arrived when they said they would and did everything asked and then some. They were very professional. They took care to not harm our property and cleaned up very well. Their price was competitive with other bidders.

Very well. Recieved several bids ranging from 5M to 10M. Brandon at Urban Element responded quickly and professionally. He was not the least expensive, but very eager to want the business. He spent nearly an hour on site walking us through the entire process surveying the safest and easiest method to remove the tree. We felt comfortable that he knew what he was doing. His crew was out with-in a few days and began the work and with-in two days everything was removed.

It was horrible. Everything went wrong. They did the job, and the owner was extremely rude. He was very belittling, he yells, and tries to intimidate you. After they did the job, I had two different tree companies come out to look at other trees on the property, and they told me Urban Element did a poor job. I called them to express my concern and asked them to come out and fix it. He said they would, and then he changed his mind and said that it was fine and nothing needed to be fixed. Brandon, the owner, called me back and left me a message that because I negotiated them down in the price from the original estimate, they had to fit the scope of the work into less hours, so they would still make a profit and that if I wanted them to come back and fix anything, I would have to pay the original price that was quoted. I don't know why he agreed to a lower price is he couldn't complete the work as agreed, and do a good job. His associate Chris, also came out and looked at the trees, and apologized for the owner's behavior.

We had a concern over two large spruce trees that might be a danger during a severe wind storm. They suggested cleaning out some branches and dead areas to improve wind flow. Also after looking at other trees in our yard they suggested trimming and pruning to improve the health and overall looks.

Excellent job. Professional, prompt and reasonable rates. Went beyond the call of duty by removing some additional roots I thought I would have to wrestle with. Would definitely recommend and use again.

Brandon was awesome! His tree crew was awesome! I've used 3 other tree services over the years, and these guys were the absolute best by far. Brandon was quick to come by and give an estimate. He spent the time to teach me about what was involved with trimming my front trees. I felt confident he knew what he was doing, the price was very good (1/2 what I've paid in the past), and his crew was avaialble the next day. The 2 man tree crew showed up the next morning. They made sure to talk through everything with me first before starting work. This is where things have gone wrong before, so I was very happy. They went to work and were done by mid-afternoon. All of that trimming can make a huge mess and destroy your gardens, but they were very carefull. No plants were damanged (and we have a LOT). Not a bit of debris remained once they cleaned up. I called Brandon the next day, thanked him, and scheduled 6 month follow-up service. Very satisfied customer!

READ THIS BEFORE HIRING THIS COMPANY TO TOUCH YOUR TREES: THEY CLIMB WITH SPIKES ON LIVING TREES! Brandon Grote is NOT an ISA Certified Arborist. THEY DO NOT PRUNE ACCORDING TO ANSI A300 STANDARDS! 1- The crew Lion Tail pruned a 90 year old Douglas Fir. Lion Tailing a tree is against ANSI standards and forbidden by the National Arborist Association. Lion Tailing a tree increases likeliness of limbs breaking, stresses the tree and disfigures the tree. 2- The Fir was climbed with spikes leaving the bark damaged, disfigured, and susceptible to disease. It is against ISA standards to climb living trees with spikes because of the damage it causes. 3- They removed major branches on Birch trees destroying natural symmetry. They removed far more than the industry standard 25% of the foliage. This puts a tree in stress. 4- They were hired to take down a 40 foot Spruce leaving a 7-foot stump for a carving. They brought it down to only a 4-foot stump compromising the carving plan. 5- They trampled on and broke plants and raked up others. 6- They broke a section of my flagstone pathway. 7- Loose branches, 3-feet in length, continued to fall from the Fir for two weeks after its destructive pruning. 8- Brandon Grote was rude, belligerent and threatening in phone conversations asking him to come out to my property for a walk-through to see the damages for himself. First he refused a walk-through, then he scheduled one with me and did not show. If he saw my property following the damages done by his crew it was not in my company.

Brandon was very quick to respond, perform an estimate, and schedule the job. The time period between when I talked with him and when the work was performed was one week. The crew of three were punctual and professional. I thought their pruning was very good. I was little disappointed however to find a large branch on my pine tree had been broken and was hanging there by a thread. I imagine a branch fell on it, and the crew didn't notice (my fault for not inspecting the work right after it was done). My only other complaint was related to billing. When we scheduled the job, I discussed the 10% discount which Brandon said he would reply. My husband paid the bill not noticing the discount was not included. When I informed Brandon of this, he said he'd sent a check for the overpayment. A week and a half later I checked in with him about it and said he forgot to send it. Although I trust it is now on its way, I was a little frustrated by two mistakes regarding matter. Overall though, it seems to be a knowledgeable and competent company.

I called Brandon for a quote and he was driving and didn't have his schedule in front of him so he asked if I could fill out the online form on this website and he would get back to me. I am a bit leary about these online forms as most I have filled out I never hear back but Brandon got back to me that evening. He showed up when he said he would for the estimate. He took his time to walk my property and answer all questions I had. He made some suggestions and even talked me out of removing a tree that I wanted to (and I am glad he did). Brandon's crew did an excellent job. They arrived exactly when they said they would. A crew of 2 showed up (can't remember their names but they were awesome) and began by removing one of the medium trees. They then went to work limbing up the 2 large evergreens. They climbed all the way to the top of these very tall trees and removed limbs as needed. After they finished they trees looked so much better and let in a lot of much needed light into the backyard. Brandon showed up as they were working on the Cedar tree and he started to prune the one tree he convinced me to keep. This wasn't a part of the quote but he did this for free. Great service. After they were done they cleaned up all the debris and and left the yard looking better than when they arrived. I definately will use them again.

They arrived right on time and got to work with in 20 minutes of checking out the property. They worked for 6-7 hours, were respectful to our neighbors, cleaned up and were pleasant to have around the house. They did a good job for a fair price and we will use them in the future.

From the time I first called to get an estimate through to completion was less than a week! Our yard looks great. Brandon and his team did a fantastic job.

Backbreaking and time consuming work. Didn't expect as good a job as we got. Far, far better than what it replaced. Took a little longer than expected, but they kept coming out till it was finished right. I'm wondering how these guys can make money with the prices they charge and the care and time they take. They did a fantastic job on work a few weeks ago too. Consistently good.

Brandon came promptly to the intial estimate. He listened carefully and did exactly as he promised and then some. I got 3 other estimates and Urban Element seriously under bid them all. The crew was hard working, polite and accomodating. Almost feel guility about how much quality work I got done for so low a cost. Used them for another landscaping project a few weeks later with similarly excellent results.

About a year ago, I had Urban Elements remove a dead tree in my yard and prune branches off other trees. I asked them to return to do a better job and to clean up some debris they left behind, which they did. I did not give them a good report for Angie's List but I decided to give them a chance to redeem themselves by planting the bamboo. I had the planter built by a general contractor to specifications provided by Urban Elements. However, not enough dirt/mulch was delivered--the dirt came up to have the height of the planter. I was told by a bamboo plant dealer that it was not enough for the bamboo roots to grow down. I called Urban Elements to asked about the issue. After some discussion, Urban Elements return to do the job right.

It went well. Brandon and his crew are very easy to work with but very professional. I have a few complaints that you might note: [1] a few plants we bought together at his wholesale nursery quickly died, but he refused to replace them saying they weren't guaranteed. I've never know reputable nurseries to not guarantee their stock. This is noteworthy if you are selecting expensive plants. [2] Although he knew about the plants we were selecting and could help choose it was really up to me where everything went in the layout. I expected a little more input from the professionals here. [3] I did not like the way he pruned my flowering shrub. It is basically topped off. Topping off trees is gross! I'm not sure if he is a tree topper offer, but I am very glad I did not have him prune any of my other shrubs. [4] The crumbling stone wall wasn't cemented, just laid on loosely, which I guess is part of the idea, but it really crumbles. I have to keep restacking it.

The experience with Brandon was great. He is very responsive and professional as the other reviewers have said. The tree was very close to the house and it was down a bit of a slope, so it was not real easy to access. The guys showed up on time and very efficiently brought the tree down. They did a great job cleaning up and removing debris. The rounds were left for firewood. It was not a complicated job when compared to some of the others described here. Based on what I have read, the good news is that Brandon and his crew approach every job, large or small, with the same level of professionalism and service.

Excellent from start to finish. Brandon is an enthusiastic, good guy and he knows his trees. He has a first-rate crew and they worked quickly and efficiently and kept us informed as they went. I definitely plan to use them again.

Brandon was very responsive in working with us on the quote. He was meticulous and listed everything in the bid. He was also flexible with the timing and worked with our budget. His crew showed up the day of the service and began working right away. His team (three other guys) were courteous, hard working and professional. Most of all, they listened and did exactly what we discussed. They were also very considerate and laid out all the branches and debris in the driveway so they only needed to fire up the chipper (very noisy) a couple of times since we live in a quiet community and that we have newborn twins sleeping. While he was up on a tree, Jason noticed damage to the tree and gave us a heads up on the condition of the tree. We were able to make a judgment call to take off the higher branches while he was still up in the tree in case of a bad wind storm. They also carefully worked on every tree discussed in the bid and really took time to make the trees look nice. Wally and Jason were very accommodating and went the extra mile to take out branches that we pointed out to them at the walk through. Finally, they also trimmed some of the overhaning branches from our neighbor's huge pine tree. As a result, our yard looks really amazing. The overcrowded trees finally got their haircut and what a difference it makes! The yard is letting in so much sun. Even the neighbors have commented on how "clean and sunny" the yard looks. The evergreens no longer look so heavy and dangerous (windsail) and we are looking forward to the leaves returning on the maples and know that they too, will look beautiful and manicured. Brandon came back the next day to finish fertilizing the trees. All in all, Brandon, Wally, Jason and Nick were great. We would definitely use Urban Element again.

I called Brandon and he answered his own phone. We made a date to look at my property. He showed up at the prescribed time and introduced himself. He was taken by the size and beauty of the oak tree. He looked at all the others and started talking about their individual characteristics. I told him to trim the oak, and the cedrus deodora and prune the cherry. I also thought I should remove the pine and cypress and he said no he can trim them up. That they are really nice. He explained I had a pear tree in the shade that would not be bearing fruit. That the small buds drop off and the rodents come. He said he would not charge me to take it down but I said it was ok the birds like it. He complimented me on the oak tree and was greatful I didn't want it cut down. Brandon and his crew showed up the next day and started work. They are very skilled at climbing trees and cutting off branches without having them fall or swing all over. They do a very controlled cutting process. They cleaned up and wanted to rake up all the leaves to haul away for no charge. Believe me there are a lot of leaves on this lot. I declined but thanked him. They did a great job of cleaning up the cut branches and work very fast. One of the crew was in the oak tree for 3 hours trimming. He had quoted $2,000 but only charged me $1700. Brandon is a very personable polite person. I am glad I found somebody who really appreciates trees and knows all about them. He is bonded, has insurance and is a licensed contractor. Very polite individual. He had to return to trim the cherry because they were short one person. He kept apologizing even though it didn't matter to me. As promised his crew returned and trimmed the cherry. I also like that he uses email in addition to the phone.

We got the work done about a month before the house was painted. The price charged by them was good. The work done by them also included stump grinding. They also let us pick out a new tree and they planted it for us since we spent over a thousand dollars. My experience with them was great and they did a great job as well. They were very professional even though it?s a small company. The owner of the company was here along with his workers. They also cut the stumps for us and stacked it in our neighbor?s driveway as he was going to take it. They were on time too. They removed the trees on the first day and came back on the next day to grind the stumps. So, it was fine and we weren?t concerned about that at all.

He was fantastic. He was young. We had received quotes to the tune of $3000 for the job. Some of the people did not want to do the job. Some others said that they would need to use cranes to take the trees down. He took one look at it and said that he would do it. He came with 2 other guys within a couple of days. They took down the tree. They left the yard clean. They knew exactly what they were doing. They went and spoke to the neighbors behind us. There is a gate there and they asked them if they could go through. They were very polite. They did not mess around; not even when they took a lunch break. We showed them another tree and they said that we could wait for some time before bringing it down. We will use them to bring that tree down.

Brandon pruned multiple trees for us, generally cleaning up the lot - more than just the major trees that I expected him to focus on. He also educated my wife on some of our more exotic trees on how to care and maintain them between professional prunings. He even trimmed up some branches from a neighbors tree that overhung our lot. Our only real complaint was that he completely cut back a major rosemary plant at our front door that we use for cooking - from lots of growth essentially down to a stub. When my wife spoke to him during the job, he immediately apologized and made amends by purchasing a new rosemary plant for a local nursery and planted it for us. In the long run, he probably forced a "healthy plant" choic on us that we'd been neglecting: pruning overgrowth. It only rises as a complaint in that it wasn't discussed before hand. His remediation was acceptable.