Central Services Co Inc

at first there was some miscommunication between the sales rep and the guys. I hastily put in a review that I shouldn't have. Sarah called me when she saw the review and rightfully told me I should have contacted her and voiced all my concerns and they would have made it right. I voiced my concerns then and she bent over backwards to get the guys back out immediately to address the issues. they even went above and beyond adding a little extra to make my yard and border around the tree look very nice. I'm very happy with the work and I apologize to Sarah and the guys for my hasty review. I would definitely have them back again in the future if I need work done. by the way, it was a very busy time of year and all of the outdoor service Industries had a heavy backlog because of all the rain we had in the spring. I work in the service industry myself and know that when everyone has a full plate these little miscommunications happen, it's just the way of the world. they did a great job and went out of their way for me. Now I have to give Angie's List a bad review for making it impossible to go back and edit this paragraph, at least on my cell phone here

They were an awful company.  I filed a complaint in the Better Business Bureau. They gave me a refund. They were rude to deal and they insisted that it wasn’t their fault when it obviously was. They were just the most horrible company to deal with. I wasn’t the first person to file a complaint. They had sent me an email and I had proof they were lying.  They have been doing me for a couple of years and last year they missed an area that was self-contained. The rest of the lawn came up grass the frontal area started coming up weeds. I called them and they said they never missed an area. They said they will have to charge if I wanted it re-done.  I contacted the owner and he said we don’t have to come out, we know what weeds look like, and then he denied it. I had to choose the Better Business and I had to choose something and I said ok a refund but they refused that and kept saying how I lied. It was ugly and awful. It was the most awful company to deal with. The guy that came out was nice and they would not admit that they missed an area.  It was dealing with the owner that was awful.

Regular lawn treatment & they come four to five times a year.

The executive level review:  This is an A+ contractor.  The quality of their work is outstanding and they are tremendously easy to work with.  Very professional.
I called Central Services in early spring of 2015.  My new house completed construction in late winter.  They were one of 3 contractors that I contacted to get proposals on various levels of landscaping.  I normally do all of my own general landscaping but with my new house, I wanted to get a 'proper' start.  
I have a home with an exposed basement and some relatively steep hills on either side of the house, as well as a wetland starting just off the rear of my yard.  My home builder did NOT include landscaping and only went up to a rough grade.  In spring, my yard was a hot mess.  It was too much for a single person to tackle so I put together a list of highly reviewed contractors from Angie's List and requested quotes for a number of long term tasks with the understanding that the budget only allowed for a yard/grass and a proper drainage solution this year.  This was also my opportunity to give some landscapers a test run to see who I might want to work with longer term on those items I cannot do myself.
Gary stopped out and provided me with different ideas and a very detailed proposal.  He listed the work that would be performed, the materials he was going to use, a estimated timeframe and their guarantees along with some helpful information on how to best support a newly seeded lawn.   I can't tell you how important that second part was -- I mean he listed the varieties and percentages of seed, the type of soil used, etc.  For the drainage, he drew out exactly where he would lay the PVC, how deep it would be buried, how it was prepped, etc.  The other quotes I received were 'official' looking and nicely formatted but lacked in the important details that Gary provided.  He even explained why his quote was likely to come in a bit higher than the others.
After hemming and hawing for a few weeks, I chose a seperate company for the drainage solution.  I struggled with the decision but it basically came down to price.  It wasn't a big difference (~10%) but it was enough and the other landscaper has a significant number of A reviews on Angie's list.  I figured they must be OK and this was an opportunity to save a few bucks.  Well, I can tell you I am regretting that decision.  I should've spent the couple hundred dollars more.  It's probably going to cost me a lot more to fix what the other contractor did.  I've posted that review under that contractor so I won't go into more detail.  Suffice to say, after that experience, I decided I would give someone else a shot for installing the yard.
I talked to Gary in early summer and informed him of my intentions to use him for my lawn.  I communicated my desire to plant in early September and he was very accommodating.
In late August, Gary contacted me and informed me I was 'next up'.  A couple weeks before installing the lawn, he sent someone by to kill the weeds.  Both of my neighbors have very nice, established lawns and I was a little worried about this.  My lot was new construction -- tons of rocks and tons of weeds bordering beautiful lawns.  They did a great job.  They actually applied the weed killer right up to the edge of my lot.  There was a very tight line where the weeds died and they managed not to accidentally kill any of my neighbors lawn.  Outstanding work.  
A few days later, they removed the silt fence.  They had that knocked out in no time and disposed of it for me.  They then did a pass to remove the top layer of rocks and disposed of those as well.
Then, just before Labor day, they installed my yard.  Gary added over 100 yards of topsoil delivered.  This was the primary reason I needed to hire out.  I had done 20 yards earlier in the summer with a shovel and wheelbarrow and it was just too much.  However, I know that the quality of the soil is critical in getting your yard started correctly so it was very important that it wasn't just any old topsoil used.  CS used a very high quality soil with a compost mix.  I later learned they source it from a company that I've used in the past due to the quality of soil they provide.  I was thrilled with this.  As it turned out, the 100 yards was not quite enough to get things graded properly so they had to order another 20 to supplement the original quote.  I have NO problem with that change.  It was well communicated and Gary had the change order to me quickly.  I signed off immediately and there was no delay in the work.
Gary's workers (Matt, in particular), busted their butts.  They worked hard for two days straight to get the rocks removed, soil down, graded and seeded with a layer of straw on top.  They started the heavy work on the Thursday before Labor Day and were done by Friday afternoon.  I didn't think there was any way they were going to get it done before the weekend but they proved me wrong.
So the communication and the effort leading up to and right through the work was excellent.  However, that's only a part of the story.  It's nice to have a smooth project but more important, to me, is the final result.  I can tell you that I'm absolutely thrilled with the results.  The skill, effort and materials that CS puts into their job show up in the results.  
After only a few days, I had a decent amount of fescue and rye popping up.  This was very important to me because, as I mentioned, I have some steep hills and I was greatly concerned about run-off and watching all my seed and soil run into my backyard.  Those hills were seriously eroding all summer and the work Gary's crew did defied the laws of physics.  By getting some grass up quickly, the yard was able to establish a good base and firm up the soil to keep the seed and soil in place. I'm now 4 weeks removed and the grass has come up on about 95% of the yard.  There are a couple of minor bald spots but those are mostly due watering issues due to location (either over or under watering).   It's only rained a couple days in the last 30 but other than that, it's decent grass growing weather.  The fact that they provided hoses and their yard Camel system (i.e. timer with multiple outlets) was an added benefit and played an important part in improving the overall results. 
Finally, learn from my mistakes.  Don't just go with the landscaper with the most good reviews on Angie's List.  Even if they have an excessive number of good reviews.  Sometimes that is just good marketing.  Occasionally, you have to dig a little deeper to find the true gems.  Central Services is one of those gems.  Also, make sure that any competing quotes provide the same level of detail as Central Services.  Challenge them on anything that is not spelled out.  Don't assume they will perform the same level of work for less.  I can tell you, they won't.
Frankly, to get over a half-acre of grass to grow where previously there was only weeds and rocks is amazing.  The work CS did was outstanding and I will be using them for many future landscaping projects.  Gary and his crew get an A+ from me.  I don't give out A's freely -- it truly requires a special business and CS has met that criteria.   Initially, I did have sticker shock over the price (from all 3 contractors, not just CS).  Now that I've had it done, I can tell you that they earned every penny and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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We have contracted Central Services for two years, our lawn looks good -- have been VERY satisfied.  They also did landscaping for us and did a great job.  We would recommend them highly!

They were excellent. We would use them in the future for sure. They exceeded our expectations. They were expensive but they were right in line with all the other quotes that we were given.

They are very good.  I would use them again

We have a three quarter acre lot and it was a mess.  I had hurt my back and wasn't able to rake or do any cleanup.  I called and got a quote for Fall cleanup.  I like they gave me a flat rate for our lot size.  Two English speaking workers (I feel this is an important detail) came fully equipped to do the job.  They parked their trucks on the street and put out traffic cones. They wore uniforms and were very professional.  They did the job as I would have done it.  They handpicked all the branches and shrub clippings off the lawn, under trees and garden beds.  They cleaned up the entire property, not just the lawn.  They worked in tandem, were very efficient and didn't miss a stick or leaf that I could find.    They did everything I asked and I feel I got excellent value for my money.  When they were done, they asked me how it looked and we took a walk around the property together.  In the front, there were some fallen limbs hidden under a pine tree and they took care of it immediately.  They were very professional, efficient and thorough.  They started around 8 a.m. and finished about 3 p.m.  I plan to use this company again in the coming Spring.

I contacted Gary from Central Services in June of 2011 and met with him to discuss the installation of a retaining wall and  a small brick patio in the front yard of our home.  We talked about the project and the fact that we specifically wanted a design plan.  He explained the costs and came back a few days later with his foreman for measurements.  A few weeks later, we received our plans.  What I liked about Gary's plan was that he went beyond our basic ideas and introduced some options that we had never thought of.  He also broke out the various options by cost so that we could pick and choose what we wanted and more importantly, what was in the budget.  We finalized the plans by the end of the summer and were put on the schedule for early October.  Some people may think this was a long period of time between initial contact and the actual execution of the plan, but since we didn't contact Central Services until the end of June, their job calendar was already booked into early September and things were delayed a bit longer by some unexpected health issues which took Gary out of the picture for about a week.  This delayed the finalizing of our plans.  The day the job was to start, the crew showed up bright and early and within 30 minutes, had the entire front yard cleared out of old plantings and landscaping and ready to go.  The crew worked hard and they always had sufficient personnel and equipment on hand to do the job.  The foreman was knowledgeable and very open to changes in the plan.  They were very careful of trees and plants that were being retained and dug by hand when they were working around established roots. The work was completed in about a week with some time off for bad weather.  In the end, we had a two tiered retaining wall designed with a free-flowing, curved style, a small brick patio, two brick planters running the length of our front porch and a brick apron at the bottom of the front steps running the length of the lower retaining wall.  We decided to go with a naturalized look rather than grass, so we did plantings along the lower retaining walls, the upper planters and the old front yard area.  Some of the plantings were suggested by Gary and supplied by Cental Services and others were salvaged from our yard.  We are absolutely thrilled with the end result and have had countless compliments from friends and neighbors.  Throughout the entire process, everyone we worked with at Central Services was cordial and professional.  Calls were returned promptly and costs and procedures were explained along the way.  Gary even met us at The Brick Yard to pick out our wall block, patio bricks and border brick to make sure that everything coordinated.   We would definitely use Cental Services again.

I have referred him to most of my neighbors.  I have gotten very good deals with him. I like him because he has good ideas, good plans and good pricing.  This man is so punctual and will come out to your house 20 different times if you have problems or questions.  He is constantly checking in on the worksite; he is an owner who really cares about his work site.  I will definitely use him again.

I heard about them through my plumber.  Their price was good.  They were very responsive and punctual.  I would definitely use them again in the future.

Overall it was pretty sloppy work. They were supposed to dig an edge between the mulch and the grass and they didn't do a good job at that. They left a mess when they were done. It was the cheapest bid I got but they were not up to par on the work.

I contacted 3 different companies, and found Central Services to propose exactly what we needed for the lawn, plus the extra planter beds were a very nice touch.  Others wanted to do a lot more work in the back yard (replacing that lawn, too), which was more expensive and probably unnecessary (this section of the lawn can be pretty good after weed treatment), and they didn't suggest the planter beds.  We felt Central Services was offering the best value for our money.

I contacted them first via email, and Sarah worked with me to arrive at the final proposal.  It took several iterations to get it right.  The first visit was without my wife or I present, and the first proposal didn't include everything we wanted.  So I emailed back and clarified, and got a second proposal, which was closer, but the language was a little confusing.  Eventually we got it straightened out, and Sarah personally stopped by to drop off brochures with different shrubs and perennials, which we very much appreciated.  After I signed the proposal and submitted the 10% deposit, she said we were on the schedule for August 16th.  The work was completed on August 12, which we also appreciated.

The quality of the work was excellent.  Three guys did the work, and they did everything on the contract as well as a few extra touches that we didn't think of when writing the contract.  They "threw in" the back yard planter bed, which was to make it easier to mow due to two window wells and an A/C unit, and they transplanted 4 shrubs to this bed for us.  They also did a nice job of arranging the shrubs, and asked for my opinion before they did it.  They worked very fast, and took care to remove all the twigs and junk from the old lawn as they were laying the new soil.  The irrigation system was installed by the end of the day, with a company sign and caution cones by the sidewalk where a hose crossed it.

Overall, we are very satisfied.  We are continuing to use their services for mowing, and will likely use them again for any other landscaping jobs we need.

They completed their first round of spraying, and they did a terrific job; my yard looks great. They came on time. The price was less than anybody else had quoted, so I was very satisfied with them. I don?t have a contract with them yet, but they are going to come back and do all the other sprays throughout the year. I would rate them highly.

I contacted Gary about the job. He personally visited my home to discuss plans for the patio. Following his visit, I had the plan for the job within the week and signed the contract within a couple of weeks. Gary left materials to help make some initial decisions about the type of pavers and retaining wall I wanted installed. Because it was summer, I knew that the time frame for the work would not be until the end of summer/early fall and this was communicated early in the process. About a month and a half before the work started, I met Gary at The Brickyard in Bayview to pick out all of my paver colors, retaining wall bricks and reviewed the patterns for laying the pavers. I received messages from Central Services as the date for the work drew closer, they kept me abreast of any delays (we had recently had rain which did push the work out about a week). The work did start and the crew was great. They were really nice and I received comments from my neighbors about how respectful they were. With any glitches or questions, they contacted me to update or to gain direction about how to proceed (for example, when they removed the patio it chipped the neighbors old retaining wall on my side and to address it in a way that made resolved the look of the final product, we added a rounded step coming off of the alley between the houses - a win-win approach). There were only a couple of small miscommunications, for example the original plan included planting four arborvitae and I had sent a change order to make them burning bushes instead. They showed up with arborvitae for planting later in the week, but as soon as I mentioned it they apologized and the proper bushes were ordered and planted. The work was completed within the week and looks fantastic. It was well worth the money and wait for the final product. I have also received rave reviews from the neighbors about the patio.

I used them before I became a member of Angieslist and that was about 3 years ago. My yard was ripped up and they put new grass in. They were very professional and if I had to call or ask questions, they would talk to me and answered my questions. So, it was good to communicate with them.

Gary came out went over all of the information of what I wanted an what they would do. Sent me the estimate for me to work with. ( The only one of five landscapers who got back to Me). I then called them a year later when I was able to have the project started. They came back out went over all of the information, sent me the landscape plans ( with cost numbers ) to which I made a couple of changes to, Gary got back to me with the cost of the changes and if there would be any problems in doing them. Kept me informed as to when they would be able to get to it and called before they came. Work was done well, fast, kept things neat were willing to make changes at the last minute. Overall the work was done in two weeks(over Thanksgiving). The job was done very professional.

Gary Bohr, the owner of Central Services, came at the appointed time to view our yard and to discuss our needs. Within a few days, we were sent a very detailed proposal as to what he suggested be done and the costs. After selecting Central Services to do the work, a beginning time was scheduled several weeks in the future. Unfortunately, due to heavy rain, and the resulting "lake" in our backyard, we had to reschedule. My husband and I had planned a trip during the middle of May and wanted to be home for the work. The Central Services crew arrived the week before our trip and put in long hours every day, even on Saturday, to finish up most of the work before we left. The crew was very professional and polite. Each day it cleaned up any mess that had accrued. At the end, it power washed our driveway. Whenever we had questions about anything, Gary was quick to call us, even on a Sunday, and on a Friday evening on the way to a ball game! We were very impressed by the work done on our yard. It looks great!

Job was handled professionally and cordially from start to finish. Would definitely recommend them. They also belong to BBB & NARI.

VERY PROFESSIONAL, PUNCTUAL, AND PROMPTLY RESPONDED TO ALL PHONE CALLS. WE ARE ALSO USING THEM FOR FERTILIZATION, WEED KILLER TREATMENTS, AND GENERAL LAWN CARE (MOWING, ETC.)