ComplaintsforCreative Scapes Lawn & Landscaping, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Document uploaded and is an outline and a description of the issue. The original proposal was for $821.11. I had requested dormant pruning of bushes that is done when bushes are dormant in February or March. Also confirmed that the proposal was for a dormant pruning. This means that the bushes should be cut way down - a common term in the gardening/landscaping industry. Also, said that I wanted to be there numerous times in emails and on the phone, when the work was scheduled because of a prior experience with them. On Feb 13, 24 they sent me a text saying they would be there that day. I said do not come today that I want to be there. They came anyway and trimmed the bushes and not a hard or dormant pruning that I requested - just a trim and left dead sections and branches. They send kids to do the work. After a bunch of emails going back and forth with a lot of excuses and blame I called the office. Owner returned the call. I could tell he was nervous because he was talking a lot and overcompensating for himself – basically nervous chatter. When the conversation got to the point was using analogies that did not apply to this situation asking if I read the proposal. He also let it slip that he just thought I wanted the same thing done as was done the last time (In 2022). Also, the horticulturist said that if they returned to do the dormant/hard pruning that it should be done within the next 2 weeks. In an email he wanted an additional $177, on the phone he said $150. I countered and said I would meet him half way with $75. He did not reply. This has not been done or resolved. As a customer, a woman, that is almost 70 years old I was treated very disrespectful. No one who is spending their budgeted money for a service should be treated this way. Not once did he admit that he made a mistake or sincerely try to resolve the issue. Instead, he waited for the 30 day due date to pass and send a new invoice with a 3% upcharge. This was intentional.

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  
  
  
  What **** ****** is saying is somewhat inaccurate.  Here is our version:
  
  First off, I want to emphasize that at Creative Scapes we take pride in our commitment to professionalism and excellence in all aspects of our operations, including our hiring process. We employ skilled and experienced professionals who are dedicated to providing high-quality service to our valued clients.  It's important to us that our clients feel confident and reassured in the expertise of our team members. We strive to maintain a workforce comprised of individuals who are knowledgeable, reliable, and committed to delivering exceptional results.
  
  **** ****** contacted us on completing a hard trimming of her bushes on the 29th of October.  I quickly responded on the 30th and asked if she would like to meet or just have me stop by on my own.  On October 31st, she responded back, giving me permission to stop by and look at everything in person.  She mentioned that the bushes are the same ones we trimmed before.  One November 8th, I sent over a proposal to **** ****** for the pruning she requested.  Below is the scope of work we agreed upon.  Notice that the scope of work nor the attached photo link which was attached to the proposal doesn’t mention reducing anything significant and/or cutting anything in half. Only trimming and shaping during the plants dormancy which is what the quoted price reflected.
  
  Scope of work: 
  all boxwoods and barberry will be pruned from around house
  taxus bushes will be trimmed on top as well as sides
  ivy will be cut from within taxus and then buzzed down and blown out
  ivy will be pruned from concrete patio
  ground cover / weeds will be buzzed down around boxwood and barberry on side of house
  ALL resulting debris will be hauled away
  
  view job photos here:
  ****************
  
  
  **** ******* did send me an email on November 15th asking if the service was scheduled for February/March, I replied back that would work for us.  On November 20th, I followed up with **** ****** as I had not heard back regarding the proposal and if she would like to move forward.  On the 23rd, the proposal was approved which I then created a work order and sent it to our operations manager for scheduling.  Our operations manager did reach out to **** ****** on January 10th to schedule a crew over to do the pruning which was sooner than what the her and I discussed.  We immediately rescheduled the service for February, based on **** ****** request.  With it being winter, I told her we would do our best to complete the work on a Monday or Friday as February can sometimes be tricky scheduling work with the snow, ice, rain and mud.  On February 13th, we had a break in the weather and went out to **** ****** property, contacting her first per her request, to do the work scoped on the proposal.  **** ****** was a little concerned she wasn’t home; we did tell her that we would have landscape manager who has 35+ years of experience on site during the service.  Attached are photos of the work that was completed after our visit which reflects the agreement in the scope of work. 
  
  On February 20th, 7 days after the work was completed, the customer sent an email mentioning that the work was completed per the scope of work.  I responded immediately, same day, and asked her to send me what was different than the scope of work that was listed on her proposal.  She mentioned she had a conversation with one of our managers during a previous visit about reducing and cutting back her plants by 1/3-1/2, which wasn’t information that she gave to me.  She requested a dormant, hard prune which is what we completed.  At this point, it was determined that the customer and I, (the sales person), were on 2 different pages.  To rectify immediately, I told her we would certainly work with her on the pricing.  I had calculated it take 9 man hours to do the work she wanted.  I offered to only bill her for 3 man hours and not charge for any trips or dumping of debris (a $60 value).  A total of $177.00.  From this email, I didn’t receive a response until now, when the BBB reached out to me for my side of the story. 
  
  Regarding my phone conversation with **** ******, first and foremost, I want to assure you that it was never my intention to come across as nervous or aggressive during our conversation.  I certainly didn’t see it that way as I thought the conversation went well, even though we didn’t exactly agree.  I told her I would email her over a solution right away, which is what I did.  I pride myself on maintaining professionalism and always providing excellent customer service. Any miscommunication or misunderstanding that may have occurred was unintentional, and I apologize that she felt otherwise.  I was only making the point that we did the work which the proposal reflected.  She admitted to me that she didn’t read the scope of work because she didn’t need too..  If she would have read what we were proposing to do, there wouldn’t had been any issues with the work that was performed.
  
  
  I value customers’ feedback and take it seriously. Customers satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to addressing any issues they have.  Which we did in this case.
  
  I am currently unsure of the next steps to take regarding this matter. My proposal to provide 9 man hours of work for the price of 3 hours was intended to be a fair and reasonable offer.  Additionally, I would like to address the issue regarding the invoice that was automatically generated through our ********** system.  ********** automatically applies a 3% late fee as stated in our terms and conditions, listed on the proposal that was not read.  Please be assured that this was not done intentionally or with the intention of causing any inconvenience or upset to **** ******.  If she had no interest in paying her invoice, that should have been discussed.
  
   
  
   
  
  BBB, please help!
  
   

  Business response

  04/10/2024

  
  
  I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to follow up on the response I sent regarding the complaint we received. I initially emailed you directly as per your request, but I've been notified that you might not have received it. I apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.
  
   
  
  I will resend my response to the complaint to ensure that you receive it this time. Once you've received it, could you please confirm with me that you've received and taken care of my end of the issue?
  
   
  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. Let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with.
  
  

  
  Zak W*******
  

  Customer response

  05/20/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******
  

  Customer response

  06/08/2024

  Also - per 6/10/24 call from customer the business has sent this account to collection

  Dormant or hard/winter pruning is a style of pruning that allows you to greatly reduce overgrown bushes as well as to maintain the plants structure and to improve their longevity.  Also, if they have become too large for their location.  It is done in the winter months when bushes are dormant or before they start their spring growth.  I know this and Zak W******* should know this.  The Operations Manager told me when he was here in 2022 to request the work in the fall so that I could get on the winter schedule normally February/March.  That is exactly what I did.  This was also included in a December newsletter from his company.
  On Feb 23, this email was sent directly to Zak’s email address on the same thread as he sent to me asking which parts of the scope of the work that was not completed. 
  “On the phone yesterday, Feb 22, you said you wanted an additional $150 dollars to complete the work (hard pruning or trimming back by approximately half - I will discuss this with your horticulturalist).  I will meet you half way and pay an additional $75 dollars and then we will be done with it.
  Let me know so we can mutually agree and resolve this.”
  He said in his reply that he did not receive this.  I take exception to this since this is how everything was communicated and there was no problem with all of the other communications.  I took the initiative, February 22, to attempt to resolve by calling his office directly rather than rely on email.  When he returned my call all he did was yell and belittle me.  In his BBB replies he make it sound like he is a wonderful conscientious business person.  He is not.  By the way, he conveniently skipped over important facts in his reply to make it sound like I am the one that is misrepresenting details.  I called the Office on the Feb 14th and told the Office Manager that the requested work was not done.  Not 7 days later as Zak said in reply.  He waited 7 days to contact me on Feb 20th.  And, I repeatedly said that I wanted to be there when the work was scheduled and gave them some flexible options or give me a little notice so that I can make arrangements to be there.  He said in his reply, that I had a little concern about not being there.  Not true.  This is my property and my responsibility and I want to be there when any work is done to ensure that all goes well.  On February 13th, the Operations Manager sent me a text that morning that they would be there that afternoon and I told him not to come because I was not able to be there.  They came late morning (not afternoon) without my permission to be on my property.  And again, I will say that if I had been there this would not have happened
  He had an opportunity to resolve this but he let it pass.  The deadline would have been by the end of March.  His horticulturist told him this as well.  And since then has made no effort to resolve other than to send harassing emails, mail or phone calls regarding the invoice for the work that was not completed as I clearly requested and he knows it.  I do not request work with a plan not to pay.  But I do have a problem with paying for work that was not done.  In addition, it does not make any sense to lightly prune bushes (a few inches) in February only to spurt their growth in the spring.  If that was the plan then I would be spending over $800 every few months.  They are now larger than they were in February. 
  Since the window to complete a dormant pruning has passed it is too late to resolve. 
  BBB, please let me know what I can do to resolve this and to stop this harassment.
  

  
  

  Business response

  06/15/2024

  **** ****** did not reply to my response in April until she received a notice from our collection agency.  She is actively avoiding payment to our small business, resorting to dishonesty.  Here is my previous response to her initial complaint, which remains unanswered.

  What **** ****** is saying is somewhat inaccurate.  Here is our version:
  

  
  First off, I want to emphasize that at Creative Scapes we take pride in our commitment to professionalism and excellence in all aspects of our operations, including our hiring process. We employ skilled and experienced professionals who are dedicated to providing high-quality service to our valued clients.  It's important to us that our clients feel confident and reassured in the expertise of our team members. We strive to maintain a workforce comprised of individuals who are knowledgeable, reliable, and committed to delivering exceptional results.
  
  **** ****** contacted us on completing a hard trimming of her bushes on the 29th of October.  I quickly responded on the 30th and asked if she would like to meet or just have me stop by on my own.  On October 31st, she responded back, giving me permission to stop by and look at everything in person.  She mentioned that the bushes are the same ones we trimmed before.  One November 8th, I sent over a proposal to **** ****** for the pruning she requested.  Below is the scope of work we agreed upon.  Notice that the scope of work nor the attached photo link which was attached to the proposal doesn’t mention reducing anything significant and/or cutting anything in half. Only trimming and shaping during the plants dormancy which is what the quoted price reflected.
  
  Scope of work: 
  all boxwoods and barberry will be pruned from around house
  taxus bushes will be trimmed on top as well as sides
  ivy will be cut from within taxus and then buzzed down and blown out
  ivy will be pruned from concrete patio
  ground cover / weeds will be buzzed down around boxwood and barberry on side of house
  ALL resulting debris will be hauled away
  
  view job photos here:
  ****************
  
  
  **** ******* did send me an email on November 15th asking if the service was scheduled for February/March, I replied back that would work for us.  On November 20th, I followed up with **** ****** as I had not heard back regarding the proposal and if she would like to move forward.  On the 23rd, the proposal was approved which I then created a work order and sent it to our operations manager for scheduling.  Our operations manager did reach out to **** ****** on January 10th to schedule a crew over to do the pruning which was sooner than what the her and I discussed.  We immediately rescheduled the service for February, based on **** ****** request.  With it being winter, I told her we would do our best to complete the work on a Monday or Friday as February can sometimes be tricky scheduling work with the snow, ice, rain and mud.  On February 13th, we had a break in the weather and went out to **** ****** property, contacting her first per her request, to do the work scoped on the proposal.  **** ****** was a little concerned she wasn’t home; we did tell her that we would have landscape manager who has 35+ years of experience on site during the service.  Attached are photos of the work that was completed after our visit which reflects the agreement in the scope of work. 
  
  On February 20th, 7 days after the work was completed, the customer sent an email mentioning that the work was completed per the scope of work.  I responded immediately, same day, and asked her to send me what was different than the scope of work that was listed on her proposal.  She mentioned she had a conversation with one of our managers during a previous visit about reducing and cutting back her plants by 1/3-1/2, which wasn’t information that she gave to me.  She requested a dormant, hard prune which is what we completed.  At this point, it was determined that the customer and I, (the sales person), were on 2 different pages.  To rectify immediately, I told her we would certainly work with her on the pricing.  I had calculated it take 9 man hours to do the work she wanted.  I offered to only bill her for 3 man hours and not charge for any trips or dumping of debris (a $60 value).  A total of $177.00.  From this email, I didn’t receive a response until now, when the BBB reached out to me for my side of the story. 
  
  Regarding my phone conversation with **** ******, first and foremost, I want to assure you that it was never my intention to come across as nervous or aggressive during our conversation.  I certainly didn’t see it that way as I thought the conversation went well, even though we didn’t exactly agree.  I told her I would email her over a solution right away, which is what I did.  I pride myself on maintaining professionalism and always providing excellent customer service. Any miscommunication or misunderstanding that may have occurred was unintentional, and I apologize that she felt otherwise.  I was only making the point that we did the work which the proposal reflected.  She admitted to me that she didn’t read the scope of work because she didn’t need too..  If she would have read what we were proposing to do, there wouldn’t had been any issues with the work that was performed.
  
  
  I value customers’ feedback and take it seriously. Customers satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to addressing any issues they have.  Which we did in this case.
  
  I am currently unsure of the next steps to take regarding this matter. My proposal to provide 9 man hours of work for the price of 3 hours was intended to be a fair and reasonable offer.  Additionally, I would like to address the issue regarding the invoice that was automatically generated through our ********** system.  ********** automatically applies a 3% late fee as stated in our terms and conditions, listed on the proposal that was not read.  Please be assured that this was not done intentionally or with the intention of causing any inconvenience or upset to **** ******.  If she had no interest in paying her invoice, that should have been discussed.

  Customer response

  06/27/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******

  I had to re-open the complaint because I was delayed in answering due to the death of a close friend and neighbor.  So, I did not answer because you sent to collections.  I was in the process of answering when I received the collections notice.  That was the file answer on 5/20/24 in the Communications History.  He claims I did not answer.   I have responded to all BBB requests.  Last time they requested additional information.  And, I replied to all emails from Zack W******* and have proof of everything that was sent or received.
  Here is the description of what I wanted done as was listed in his company newsletter.  This was communicated in my original request and questioned in a follow up email after the proposal was sent and he confirmed that dormant pruning would be done in Feb/Mar.  So, should I have questioned the language in his proposal?  I did.  Should he have asked for clarification when I questioned the proposal?  He did not.
  

  This is a newsletter I received from them December, 2023:
  From: Creative Scapes Lawn & Landscaping, LLC <contact@creativescapes.us>
  Date: Tue, Dec 5, 2023, 10:03?AM
  Subject: Leaf Removal, Gutter Cleaning, and More
  
  Dormant Pruning
  
  ?Were those shrubs on the side of your house GIGANTIC and blocking your view and/or hiding your home last spring? This winter is a great time to reduce them while they are dormant. Be sure to get a jump start on spring and contact us today so we can quote and schedule your work!
  Dormant Pruning
  (In the newsletter there is a picture of dormant pruning of bushes.  It is attached on the file history and as a file.  Was not able to post it)
  
  I guess I am confused because am I expected to pay for work that I did not get? Or was not done?  I am also confused why a business owner would continue to bill me for something knowing the work that I thought I was getting and expected to get was not done.  He said he wanted more money ($177 was quoted in an email, and $150 was quoted on the phone) to do this job.  He is billing me for $815 dollars for work that he was willing to do for $177 or $150 more but was not done.  Doesn’t make sense.  I countered that offer in an email but he did not respond.  Now it is too late to resolve unless he wants to wait 8 or 9 months to 2025 since “dormant pruning” is done in late winter. This should have been simple or easy to resolve. All they had to do was come back and do what was requested.    Why has it turned into this?  Am I supposed to pay this so he will stop harassing me?  The job was not done!  Now I have to wait until next year to get the dormant pruning done that I had scheduled for 2024.
  And Zack W******* has made a vague attempt to resolve and his communication and professionalism is seriously lacking, which according to his response - he takes pride in!  Where was the effort to achieve customer satisfaction?  And he is calling me dishonest.  Yet, he is billing me for work not done and was bullying me on the phone when I attempted to work it out.  I had to hang up on him which would take a lot before I would do that.  I apologize but he is twisting information.
  
  
  Here is a copy of my answer on 5/20/24.
  BBB Answer 5/20/24
  This is an accurate version of what happened providing facts from emails, texts, phone calls and conversation.
  I am a gardener.  It is a hobby.  Zack W*******’ business is called, “Creative Scapes Lawn & Landscaping LLC”.   That is his business, yet he claims to not know the difference between a hard dormant pruning and a trim.
  Description:  Dormant pruning is a style of pruning that allows you to greatly reduce overgrown shrubs and trees, as well as maintain plant structure to improve the plant’s longevity.  This practice is commonly done in the fall.  You only want to dormant prune when the plant is in its “resting” period – starting in late fall season and ending in early spring.  This process helps to allow the plants to be pruned into a much smaller size, increasing the plants “shelf life”, not allowing it to outgrow the area it has been planted in.  Also, it will help to ensure the long term health and vigor of these landscape plants if completed on a regular basis. -******Nursery
  
  October 29, 2023 – clicked on the link to request services.
  Hi, I would like to get an estimate on hard pruning bushes.  These were trimmed before by you but a hard pruning was suggested.  He sent a proposal on 11/8/23. 
  When I received it, I replied on 11/15/23:  Question.  I spoke with your botanist (I think) last time you were here and I told him what I wanted to do.  He said to schedule a dormant or hard pruning in Feb or March.  Just to be sure, is that what this estimate is for?  I was not expecting this to be done until Feb or March.  (He said to request it in the fall so it could be scheduled in February or March.)
  He replied on 11/15:
  Yes, I was thinking early to mid-February (weather permitting).
  After that response, I approved the proposal.  This proposal was quite a bit more than the work done in 2022 when the bushes were more overgrown and the ivy had taken over.  So, I had no reason to think that his estimate was for a trim only and not a dormant pruning as I had requested.
  This is a newsletter I received from them December, 2023:
  From: Creative Scapes Lawn & Landscaping, LLC <contact@creativescapes.us>
  Date: Tue, Dec 5, 2023, 10:03?AM
  Subject: Leaf Removal, Gutter Cleaning, and More
  
  
  
  
  Dormant Pruning
  
  ?Were those shrubs on the side of your house GIGANTIC and blocking your view and/or hiding your home last spring? This winter is a great time to reduce them while they are dormant. Be sure to get a jump start on spring and contact us today so we can quote and schedule your work!
  
  
  Jan 10, 2024 at 2:49 pm received text from Operations Manager.  We have your shrub pruning scheduled to be completed tomorrow.
  I replied:  On Wed, Jan 10, 2024, 4:40 PM wrote:  Can it be done Friday instead of tomorrow?  I want to be home when it is done.
  Then after I thought about it and how cold it has been I sent another text.  Date: Wed, Jan 10, 2024, 5:32?PM   Definitely do not come tomorrow, Thursday.  I was not expecting this to be done until Feb or March.
  I repeatedly told them by email and phone calls that I wanted to be home when the work was done. I explained that I work remote on Mondays and Fridays or give me adequate notice so that I can make arrangements to be home.  Also, the temperatures in January were too low to complete this kind of work.  It could shock the bushes.  Office manager replied that my winter pruning would be scheduled in Feb and the crew has detailed notes.
  I replied,
  Thanks for following up.   Could I have more notice so that the scheduled day works for me as well?  Appreciate it.
  Feb 13, 2024 at 7:45 am I received a text from the Operations Manager:  Sorry for the late notice, we had some uncertainty with the weather, but we have your pruning work scheduled for this afternoon.
  I replied at 9:22 am as soon as I received and read it, Can you do it on Friday?  I said that I wanted to be there when it is being done.  Last time one of the people doing the work was removing a bush that I searched for a couple of years to get.  I am not at home today.  I called the Office Manager around 11:30 and she said they were already there and had been there for 30 minutes and the Operations Manager was on his way.  (He said in his answer that I was a little concerned that I would not be there.  I was adamant that I wanted to be there due to previous experience with this company. His answer was that there was a landscape manager going to be there with 35 years of experience.  I do not recall this.  And the first time they came the manager came and gave the kids instruction on what to do and left. Also, I absolutely did not wait 7 days until Feb 20 and say the work was completed per the scope of the work.)
  When I got home I saw that they had come anyway (without my permission to be there) and only trimmed the bushes and not done the dormant/hard or winter pruning that I requested.  I let them know immediately that they did not do the work I requested and came when I told them not to come when I wasn’t there. I was told that the crew, about 3 guys, was there for an less than an hour.  I called the office because the issue was not being resolve by emails.  She said she would have Zack call me.  I told him that I did not think I should have to pay additional money for the work since it was not what I had requested.  He started yelling and asked if I read the proposal.  I said no but he would not let me finish what I was going to say.  He started saying something about reading the bill in a restaurant before you pay it (or the menu or something) which was irrelevant.  I did read the proposal which is why I replied to the proposal to confirm that it was for a dormant pruning.  He was trying to make me feel stupid and was belittling and bullying me.  I was surprised that a business owner would treat a customer that way.  In my opinion, he did not read the request and he is the one who made the mistake.  Not me.  I was only calling to try to resolve what has now turned into a big problem.  He mention in an email to try to make it right that they would come back but it would cost me an additional $177.  On the phone he said $150.  He continue to rant and I knew that this conversation was going nowhere and told him I had to go.  He keep ranting so I hung up on him
  Later I replied to the most recent email which had the extra $177 on it.  On the phone yesterday, Feb 22, you said you wanted an additional $150 dollars to complete the work (hard pruning or trimming back by approximately half - I will discuss this with your horticulturalist).  I will meet you half way and pay an additional $75 dollars and then we will be done with it.
  Let me know so we can mutually agree and resolve this.
  He did not reply. 
  On Feb 22 phone conversation, he said his Operations Manager said there was approximately a 2 week window to complete the job of a dormant pruning if they were going to make this right.  That window ended in March.  As of today, 5/20/24, those bushes look exactly the same as before they trimmed them.  Why would I pay over $800 for something that would only last for a month because of new growth and he should know that if he is or hires highly skilled professionals.  And why would they leave dead sections if they are professionals?  Now it is too late and personally, I do not want him on my property.  By the way, in June of 2022, his Operations Manager came and told the crew what to do and left.  The workers were 2 high school kids out of school for the summer.  One was a relative of his, cousin or nephew, and the other was his friend.  His friend is the one who clipped a bush down to its base and was in the process of digging it out.  This was a bush that took me about 5 years to find.
  Since then I have received numerous emails, voice messages and invoices – sometimes 2 a week.  I spoke with an attorney and they said this was harassment.  They also said that maybe this is what he does to get paid and doesn’t care whether you are a return customer or not.  The BBB website says that most people go ahead and pay it and do not use that company again.  Personally, $815 is too much to pay for a light trim that was completed in 1 hour.  I had no reason to believe that their intention was to do a light trim.  What should have been easily resolved has turned into this.  Most businesses would sincerely try to resolve the issue and be done with it and have it behind them.  Not this guy!
  

  Customer response

  07/20/2024

  Thank you for your assistance on this matter.  

  The original proposal is attached as a document.  I was not able to copy it here since it is a PDF file.   It was not signed since it was sent by email.  It was included in the original email as my request for dormant or winter pruning of bushes.  I agreed, by email, after I confirmed that the job was for dormant or winter pruning which is cutting bushes way down as described in the newsletter from Creative Scapes Lawn and Landscaping and in previous documents that I have provided.  I do not see any warranties on the proposal.  Their was follow up emails to make the job right by Zack W******* after I complained that what I requested was not done.  There was no follow through.  I am aware that the proposal if for pruning and that is why I confirmed that they would do the dormant pruning as I requested. 

  This in information listed on the website for Creative Scapes Lawn and Landscaping, assuming that they would do the job as requested.

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  We offer comprehensive tree and shrub care services. Our offerings include: - Pest Management Program: Integrated approach to managing insects and diseases. - Fall Fertilizing and Soil Care: Soil analysis and adjustment for optimal plant growth. - Tree and Shrub Pruning: Professional pruning for all tree sizes. - Tree and Shrub Removal: Safe and efficient removal of dead or hazardous trees, with thorough cleanup. Contact us for expert tree and shrub care solutions.
  
  
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  Creating and Maintaining Lawns and Landscapes is what we do best. We pride ourselves by doing things the correct way for our clients. We welcome you to become part of our growing family. Creative Scapes is commited to your needs. If you ever have any questions about us, landscaping, or anything else–we’re one phone call away!
  

  Creating and Maintaining Beautiful Lawns and Landscapes Since 2007

  Testimonials
  We pride on the excellence of the work that we do for our clients. We would love for you to become part of our growing family, you’ll never need to maintain your lawn again, we’ll handle it for you!
  
  SERVICES
  Our mission is to create and maintain lawns and landscapes which will provide our customers with a lifetime of gratification and value, as well as establishing a trusting relationship with our clients throughout the coming months and years. We value team work, responsiveness, consistency, and exceeding expectations.
  
  
  SATISFACTION ALWAYS
  
  
  TAKE CONTROL WE DO
  IT ALL!!
  When you need something done right, you have to do it yourself–at least, that’s how the saying goes. We have years of experience and a passion for what we do. Let us take care of your project and make it a success you can truly appreciate. Contact us today and see for yourself how easy we can make your ideas a reality.
  
  
  Our Vision
  Our vision is to be a well-respected landscaping company in the Cincinnati area.  We partner with our clients from imagination through execution to create meaningful, enduring landscapes and continue to be a problem solver for all their outdoor needs.
  
  
  Tree/Shrub Removal & Care
  We offer comprehensive tree and shrub care services. Our offerings include: - Pest Management Program: Integrated approach to managing insects and diseases. - Fall Fertilizing and Soil Care: Soil analysis and adjustment for optimal plant growth. - Tree and Shrub Pruning: Professional pruning for all tree sizes. - Tree and Shrub Removal: Safe and efficient removal of dead or hazardous trees, with thorough cleanup. Contact us for expert tree and shrub care solutions.
  
  
  Team Work | Exceeding Expectations | Responsiveness | Consistency 
  Creating and Maintaining Lawns and Landscapes is what we do best. We pride ourselves by doing things the correct way for our clients. We welcome you to become part of our growing family. Creative Scapes is commited to your needs. If you ever have any questions about us, landscaping, or anything else–we’re one phone call away!
  

  Business response

  08/16/2024

  Standing by our orignal response as it has not changed:

  What **** ****** is saying is somewhat inaccurate.  Here is our version:
  
  First off, I want to emphasize that at Creative Scapes we take pride in our commitment to professionalism and excellence in all aspects of our operations, including our hiring process. We employ skilled and experienced professionals who are dedicated to providing high-quality service to our valued clients.  It's important to us that our clients feel confident and reassured in the expertise of our team members. We strive to maintain a workforce comprised of individuals who are knowledgeable, reliable, and committed to delivering exceptional results.
  
  **** ****** contacted us on completing a hard trimming of her bushes on the 29th of October.  I quickly responded on the 30th and asked if she would like to meet or just have me stop by on my own.  On October 31st, she responded back, giving me permission to stop by and look at everything in person.  She mentioned that the bushes are the same ones we trimmed before.  One November 8th, I sent over a proposal to **** ****** for the pruning she requested.  Below is the scope of work we agreed upon.  Notice that the scope of work nor the attached photo link which was attached to the proposal doesn’t mention reducing anything significant and/or cutting anything in half. Only trimming and shaping during the plants dormancy which is what the quoted price reflected.
  
  Scope of work: 
  all boxwoods and barberry will be pruned from around house
  taxus bushes will be trimmed on top as well as sides
  ivy will be cut from within taxus and then buzzed down and blown out
  ivy will be pruned from concrete patio
  ground cover / weeds will be buzzed down around boxwood and barberry on side of house
  ALL resulting debris will be hauled away
  
  view job photos here:
  ****************
  
  
  **** ******* did send me an email on November 15th asking if the service was scheduled for February/March, I replied back that would work for us.  On November 20th, I followed up with **** ****** as I had not heard back regarding the proposal and if she would like to move forward.  On the 23rd, the proposal was approved which I then created a work order and sent it to our operations manager for scheduling.  Our operations manager did reach out to **** ****** on January 10th to schedule a crew over to do the pruning which was sooner than what the her and I discussed.  We immediately rescheduled the service for February, based on **** ****** request.  With it being winter, I told her we would do our best to complete the work on a Monday or Friday as February can sometimes be tricky scheduling work with the snow, ice, rain and mud.  On February 13th, we had a break in the weather and went out to **** ****** property, contacting her first per her request, to do the work scoped on the proposal.  **** ****** was a little concerned she wasn’t home; we did tell her that we would have landscape manager who has 35+ years of experience on site during the service.  Attached are photos of the work that was completed after our visit which reflects the agreement in the scope of work. 
  
  On February 20th, 7 days after the work was completed, the customer sent an email mentioning that the work was completed per the scope of work.  I responded immediately, same day, and asked her to send me what was different than the scope of work that was listed on her proposal.  She mentioned she had a conversation with one of our managers during a previous visit about reducing and cutting back her plants by 1/3-1/2, which wasn’t information that she gave to me.  She requested a dormant, hard prune which is what we completed.  At this point, it was determined that the customer and I, (the sales person), were on 2 different pages.  To rectify immediately, I told her we would certainly work with her on the pricing.  I had calculated it take 9 man hours to do the work she wanted.  I offered to only bill her for 3 man hours and not charge for any trips or dumping of debris (a $60 value).  A total of $177.00.  From this email, I didn’t receive a response until now, when the BBB reached out to me for my side of the story. 
  
  Regarding my phone conversation with **** ******, first and foremost, I want to assure you that it was never my intention to come across as nervous or aggressive during our conversation.  I certainly didn’t see it that way as I thought the conversation went well, even though we didn’t exactly agree.  I told her I would email her over a solution right away, which is what I did.  I pride myself on maintaining professionalism and always providing excellent customer service. Any miscommunication or misunderstanding that may have occurred was unintentional, and I apologize that she felt otherwise.  I was only making the point that we did the work which the proposal reflected.  She admitted to me that she didn’t read the scope of work because she didn’t need too..  If she would have read what we were proposing to do, there wouldn’t had been any issues with the work that was performed.
  
  
  I value customers’ feedback and take it seriously. Customers satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to addressing any issues they have.  Which we did in this case.
  
  I am currently unsure of the next steps to take regarding this matter. My proposal to provide 9 man hours of work for the price of 3 hours was intended to be a fair and reasonable offer.  Additionally, I would like to address the issue regarding the invoice that was automatically generated through our ********** system.  ********** automatically applies a 3% late fee as stated in our terms and conditions, listed on the proposal that was not read.  Please be assured that this was not done intentionally or with the intention of causing any inconvenience or upset to **** ******.  If she had no interest in paying her invoice, that should have been discussed.
  
   
  
  BBB, please help!

   

• Initial Complaint

  03/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In April of 2021, we began the process of hiring Creative Scapes to work on the landscaping of our home. On 4/14/2021, Creative Scapes started the work. We paid them approximately $6000 to completely redo the entire landscaping in the front of our home. Of that, we paid $500 for a yard repair, where a tree was removed. While none of the work was great, my complaint is about the yard repair. This cost removing old plants, adding new plants, fixing a wall, as well as yard soil /grading repair from a previous tree removal. This was the most difficult company I ever had to work with. My contact at the company, Zak W******* was very forgetful and we constantly had to remind him of what we talked about. Almost everything was done incorrectly by the new and novice workers. Almost everything had to be corrected. It was excuse after excuse whey things were not done correctly. The edge lines were a disaster and ended up doing them myself after they were done. This company was way overpriced. I paid what the cost that I thought was way to high because I wanted exceptional work and I believe that you get what you pay for. Not in this case. When they removed the wood chips from the yard from where the tree had been removed, they added back soil. It was very loose clean soil. They leveled out the soil and added straw over the top. I immediately questioned why they did not dome it. In all of my life I have never seen dirt or soil get removed and replaced without doming it so that it flattens out after sinking and settling. When the worker would not agree to fix it, I argued with Zak about it and his response was that they would come back in the fall and fix it if it sunk. It certainly did. I contacted Zak in the fall. He came out to look at it and then sent and invoice and wanted to charge and additional $200 to fix something that should have been done correctly in the first place. I have went back and forth with Zak and they refuse to take responsibility and fix the yard.

  Business response

  03/09/2023

  The customer loved our work once completed:

  From: ******************** <********************>
  Sent: Friday, April 16, 2021 3:10 PM
  
  
  Hi zack! Thank you for the work your crew did over the last couple days. Everything looks good and you had a professional group of guys, which we appreciate!
  
  The only thing that they forgot to do was remove a chunk of cement that we talked about yesterday and today. Wish I would have caught this before they left but I was busy in a meeting.
  
  The wall looks great and the pavers look really good as well.

   

  Second, this work was completed in 2021.  Why now, 2023?

   

  Third, I did offer to help out with sunken part of the yard.  See email below as well as attached proposal.  This was a very reasonable offer that I made but was turned down. 

   

  From: Zak W*******
  Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 2:21 PM
  To: ********************
  *** ************** *************
  Subject: RE: Yard grade
  
  Hi *** ******!
  
  When we spoke in person I made it clear that we will not be charging you for any labor to fill in the settled area (no fault of ours).  The quote is for materials, our machine rental and the soil delivery/fuel.  Please let me know if you would like to move forward.  Again, below is the scope of work that was presented to you which wasn’t an issue until now (see below)
  
  Thanks,
  
  Scope of work:
  · soil will be delivered and installed to fill in low, settled areas
  · all will be graded, seed and straw applied
  · new tree (ivory silk lilac) will be installed, mulch ring will be created
  · note: customer is only being charged for labor to install tree and mulch
  · note: customer is only being charged for 50% of soil, seed and straw cost

   

  Lastly, the customer hired a lawyer as he was attached to later emails.  I was advised by my attorney to stop negotiating with *** ****** at that point.  

   

  *** ****** spent the afternoon placing false information all over the internet about myself and Creative Scapes which I'm ill about.  I will be looking into this more as I feel I'm being slandered and falsely accused.  My numerous positive google and BBB reviews speak volume to who I am as well as my companies culture. 

   

  Finally, I've attached the agreed to proposal which includes our warranty information as well as scope of work to which was performed.  I suggest this be looked at prior to reading through the accusations.  

   

  Customer response

  03/14/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

  Zak from CreativeScapes gave me his word that he would be back in the fall to complete the work if the yard sank in. When they did the work I told them that it needed to be domed. I knew it would sink. During our conversation on site, he assured me that if it did he would be back to fix. Why would I agree on this if they were going to charge me to come back? I would not have paid them until it was done correctly if that were the case. I made this perfectly clear and you can see in the email exchange that he said he would come back to fix. As I knew it would, later that year in the fall, I messaged him. I asked him if they could plant a tree at the same time. He said he would have to charge for extra soil and equipment to plant the tree. I agreed to this. When I receive the estimate, the cost was outrageous so I opted out of planting the tree. I said that I just wanted them to come back and fix the grade, that I paid $500 for. Zak was getting confused and I tried to explain but he obviously didn't read the messages that I sent to him thoroughly. This was a big pain point with us because this happened very often throughout the process. I don't know if he just didn't understand or if he was playing dumb to avoid having to finish the work. He refused to be reasonable and I gave him every opportunity to make things right. I gave extra time as stated in my email to do the right thing. He obviously decided he was not going to. When I said that everything was good, it was only after numerous times they had to come back and fix things, which is all beside the point.
  
  I paid $500 for a service that should have been done right. It wasn't. They can either fix it or refund the money I paid for that service. I never agreed to pay $500 and then another $200.
  

  Regards,
  
  ***** ******
  

  Business response

  03/16/2023

  We have yet to see where we agreed to come back and repair the yard free of charge.  We offered to come back and add additional, seed and straw for the cost of the material, he then contacted a lawyer.  

  Customer response

  03/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.
  
  Creative Scapes stated: We have yet to see where we agreed to come back and repair the yard free of charge.  We offered to come back and add additional, seed and straw for the cost of the material, he then contacted a lawyer.  
  
  Why would they give me free labor and half off the materials if the job was complete and they weren’t obligated to fix it? Zac came back to the site to look at it. He tried to talk me into planting a tree. In doing so, he sent us a proposal that added an extra cost to work the soil around a new tree and the cost of the tree. I entertained planting and paying for a new tree but declined it after seeing the outrageous cost. He stated later on that he was only charging labor to install a tree and 50% off material cost, however the proposal clearly made up for the lost profit plus some. The reason he was giving 50% off materials was because the additional 50% cost was the extra material needed for the tree. The 50% off was for material that they already owed us to fix the area that was sunk. We told him that we just wanted to fix the soil and this is when his story changed. I think this upset Zac because he thought he was going to get a sale out of his mistake to cover the cost. He then kept referring to the proposal, saying he would fix it for several hundred dollars as stated in the proposal. If we are not installing a tree, why would we still get charged the same amount for the materials when extra was needed for a tree? He was trying to back out of his word and then charge us for fixing the work that we already paid for. When he was there looking at the sunken soil, he was complaining about the cost of fuel and how the cost of his materials had went up, which is probably why he was trying to charge extra. I hope they understand that this is part of a permanent record and anyone who will read this can VERY CLEARLY see all the loopholes in their story.
  
  Any way you look at it, it comes down to the fact that we paid for a service that was not done correctly. It’s not that it was done correctly and they would be fixing something that mother nature caused or something that we did to mess it up. It simply was not done correctly the first time, I told them at the time the work was done and Zac said he would fix it if it sank. Not only did we have a verbal agreement, it’s also stated in the email screenshot that I provided in the original complaint. I also told them in my email last year that I would not be talking to them any further about the issue and would be pursuing the matter by other means if they did not honor their agreement. So, none of this should come as a surprise.
  
  Soil should be domed and 2 to 3 inches higher than the surrounding area when a tree is removed. Any other kind of area excavated may need to be higher depending on how deep it was dug. When the work from Creative Scapes was done, it was already domed with wood chips and had not yet had time to settle. They dug up all the woodchips, making a crater, filled it with loose soil and leveled it to the rest of the yard. Common sense will tell you that after it rains a few times and the dirt settles, it will sink. I told the employee who did the work and I told Zac the second they said they were finished. Zac said he would come back and correct it if it sank in, which I knew it would. I tried to tell him this at the time the awork was complete and he wouldn’t listen. He was confident it wouldn’t sink in. They obviously didn’t have experience with this because they would have known better. He gave me his word in a verbal agreement and as you can see in the first screenshot that I included with my complaint, he said he would fix it in the fall. This means they fix the job that I already paid for, not come back later and charge me again for something that I already paid for. If they would have done it right, he would not have to come back to fix it.
  
  As he stated in the email on May 28th, as shown in the screenshot, just weeks after the job was completed, he said:  “Regarding the soil / seeding. We can touch this up in the fall if needed.” It doesn’t say, we can come back and charge you again for the same job that you already paid for. They mentioned in the last reply, “We have yet to see where we agreed to come back and repair the yard free of charge.” But as you can see in the email weeks after the work was done, they said they would come back to touch up the work that we already paid for. Zac seemed to always miss the details. He seemed to always skim the emails that I sent him missing important details and this is apparent here because it is very clearly stated right in the screenshot included with the original complaint.
  
  As far as an attorney is concerned, I never hired an attorney. If I would have, they would have received a letter from them. I did copy my attorney on my final email so that they had it for record but I have not yet talked to them any further from there. This would be an open and closed case in small claims court. I have been trying to avoid all of this and get them to do the right thing.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******
  

  Business response

  03/20/2023

  ***** did contact a lawyer.  The lawyer was copied to each email to me as I was answering questions and doing my best to help him out.

  From: ******************** <********************>
  Sent: Friday, March 18, 2022 3:13 PM
  *** *** ******** ********************************
  *** ************** ********************
  Subject: Re: Yard grade

  The quote for the tree did include us paying for 50% of the soil.  He opted to not plant the tree which was fine, I certainly didn't argue or try to convince him.  I still offered to come add additional soil, seed and straw for only the cost of materials, equipment and delivery, ($191.80).  I'm not sure if ***** knows, 1 yard of soil cost over $42..

  Creative Scapes never made a deal to come out for free.  From the first email ***** has been inaccurate with his information.  He's still inaccurate.  Rereading our emails, I feel Creative Scapes was being extremely fair in the offer to bring back additional soil to help out the customer.  This was not and is not a warranty issue, however we wanted to help out.  Reading through our 240+ google reviews and almost 50 BBB A+ reviews you will find that's what Creative Scapes is all about.

  Customer response

  04/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

  Creative Scapes has not resolved the issue. In fact, they are just continuing to play word games so that they can cheat a paying customer out of a properly completed job for which we paid a lot of money for. 

  Facts: I told the worker that that the soil needed to be raised for when it's settles. I brought my concerns to Zak the same day. Zak agreed to come back and fix it if this happened.

  Common Sense: If Zak would have said, I will come back in the fall to fix it, however we will charge you more ifit sinks, then I would not have agreed to pay them and would have insisted that they fix it right the first time.

   • Job was not done correctly = fix it
   • Already paid = no additional payment 

  Again, this would not be a warranty claim or something that was done right and forces of nature messed up. It was never done correctly from day one and it was known to everyone. As you can see in the past emails, we were in agreement for them to come back and fix. While he says they never agreed to do anything for free, that is true however, we already paid them for the service. Zak never said they would come back and charge us again, which would be right to assume since we already paid. Zak agreed to this in the beginning because he didn't realize what was going to happen, though I knew and I tried to tell him but he wouldn't listen. Only after he realized he made a mistake and they already had our money, did he try to back out of keeping his word. I was indeed worried about them coming back to fix, from the beginning as well, which is why I sent him the email trying to get it in writing, which I did. Zak and Creative Scapes can play with words however they want but facts are facts.

  Zak made a mistake that will cost his company money and will eat into their enormous profits. Instead of doing the right thing, he is playing word games, making up excuses, and telling lies so that his company doesn't have to pay for his mistake. This is unethical as a business. Zak can say what he wants about their reviews, that doesn't give them the right to cheat customers. Without getting any credit, I have been very patient for a long time and still trying to resolve without of legal intervention, hoping that they will do the right thing. I was hoping to resolve this matter with minimal effort, however I will have to pursue other means if Creative Scapes does not agree to finish the job that we already paid for without additional cost to us.

   

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired them to put in a stone patio. When they did they used the wrong grout twice and admitted it because it came up both times within weeks. They admitted to not knowing what they are doing and hired a third party to remove all the rest, regrout it correctly and seal it. The next issue is the sealant started coming up a few days later. The guy sealed it again, came right up again, Then hot pressure washed it off and sealed it again. It came up again. He pressure washed it off again, it blew up some grout. he put back the wrong color grout and also said he doesn't know what to do because the sealant won't stick. During all this, a white circle developed around each stone causing a major issue. At this point, the landscape company won't even return my calls. I call the stone manufacturer, they came right out, took a stone back with them. Their official response was the stone was installed incorrectly from the beginning causing moisture to stay under the stone and cause the white rings. Because of this, they will not warranty the stone with the landscape company. The stone and everything was bought and from the landscape company. It was the product they recommend.

  Business response

  03/25/2022

  I disagree with *** ******.  This is a natural stone product that has natural flaws.  This has been made into a legal matter which is now being handled by our attorney.  

  Customer response

  03/25/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

   

  The company that this landscaping company bought the stone from came out to look. They said the stone was ruined from the landscaping company installing incorrectly and they would not warranty the stone because of such. The landscaping company installed the incorrect grout. Landscaping company even admitted this. This grout retained water and ruined the stone. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******
  

  Business response

  03/29/2022

  Again, we disagree with what we are being accused of which is why we have hired an attorney to represent and to defend us.

  Customer response

  03/31/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

   

  I do not have it in writing. They told me they would work with the landscaper to come up with a resolution. Then they told me the landscaper would not call them back. I am attaching a picture of the patio for everyone to see how terrible it is. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******

   

   

  Business response

  04/12/2022

  As mentioned before.  I disagree with what Creative Scapes is being accused of doing / not doing.  This is being handled by our attorney.  

  Business response

  05/05/2022

  The materials used for the patio is a natural stone.  Material pulled from the earth.  What *** ****** is seeing are natural flaws.  Not something Creative Scapes did or didn't do. 

  Customer response

  05/06/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

   

  1. I attached a picture. Does that look natural to anyone?

  2. The actual stone manufacture will not warranty this because they have said it was installed incorrectly. 

  3. They tried sealing this stone 4 times and it never took because it was installed incorrectly. So still no sealer to this day. 

  4. They used the wrong grout multiple times and admitted it. The stone had to be chemicals stripped multiple times to remove the sealer. This clearly damaged the stone.

  5. The wrong grout never fully removed. It went under the stone and held water and is still doing so now. Its easily provable to this day this is wrong. I have had 3 companies come look at this and all of them said it was wrong and the stone is damaged. 

   

  How much more proof could anyone possibly want?

  He knows what he did was wrong. he admitted it was wrong multiple times and refuses to make it right.  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******
  

  Customer response

  05/10/2022

  Here is the invoice. This was all they gave me. No warranty was discussed because the job was never even finished. It was never sealed. Once the project was done we would have had a walk through and discussed everything. 

   

  I also attached a pic of the mismatched grout that was used after they blew out the incorrect grout for the second time. 

  Business response

  06/03/2022

  According and confirmed by the natural stone supplier which *** ****** is referring to, the stains are most likely naturally occurring efflorescence (natural salts coming through the stone).  Since efflorescence is naturally occurring and impossible to prevent or predict completely it is not covered under any warranty. They did mention that all staining should go away after several weather cycles.  There was no evidence of improper installation of the patio.

   

  
  
  
  
  

  Business response

  06/08/2022

  Creative Scapes has never applied a sealer to *** ******'s patio.  This is why Creative Scapes is disputing these claims made against them.  According and confirmed by the natural stone supplier which *** ****** is referring to, the stains are most likely naturally occurring efflorescence (natural salts coming through the stone).  Since efflorescence is naturally occurring and impossible to prevent or predict completely it is not covered under any warranty.  There was no evidence of improper installation of the patio.  

  Customer response

  06/09/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, reasons for rejection are included below.

  At this point they are just flat out lying. They applied sealer 3 times because it never would take and finally gave up. 

  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩