All Season Lawn Landscaping

Review: Dear Sir,

I need advice about overpaying “All Season Lawn Landscaping.” The bill for 10/27/2014 was for “repair pipe and sprinklers and install in irrigation controller for the front yard.”

The bill was $166.50 dated on November 30, 2014 and paid on December 11, 2014. The controller was never hooked to work the sprinklers. I have told [redacted], the business owner, a number of times the sprinklers were not working. I have to water portions of the back yard because the water does not cover where the sprinklers are. I have to water all the plants and shrubs in the front by hand. In November and December there was enough rain, we did not need to water. From January it has been a problem. I have to hand water some section each week in the back and front yards.

Another thing, On December 27, 2014, “[redacted]” ground up the front yard because tree roots had raised the lawn so high, the rain water was flowing to the back yard and rising to the back door. [redacted] hauled off several trailers of the ground roots and dirt and put in two drain pipes. He had not given me a bill for the work, but on the January bill I added $500.00 stating it was for hauling and drains making the check $655. The monthly lawn fee was $155. Then when the February bill came, there was no acknowledgement of the $500. There was a labor and material charge for 3” drain pipes-$220.. He had placed the pipes 10 inches deep and when I saw the ground getting wet after a rain, I dug up where the pipe was lain. Two-thirds of the pipe was old and leaked in a number of places. This was verified by two professionals and not just my opinion. When the lawn was first dug up, I signed a contract with [redacted] for sod. I signed it and he gave it back to him. The next week I called the office and Cherry said he would mail it. I asked for a copy six different times. On March 24th I called and Cherry said he would bring it when he came the next service day. At that time, I told her I had decided to have him plant the seed that required about one third the waters as regular grass. He said I signed a contract for sod and contracts can not be broken. Since he had not prepared the ground as we had agreed, I was disappointed. The time he was to come work and bring the contract was April 1. That would start a new month and I called and said don’t come for I don’t want to pay you anymore money. [redacted] said I signed the contract and that was binding; therefore, I owed him money. The contract stated I would pay first half in March and the second half with the regular lawn payment and I believe that $1.300 should be refunded. I should have been refunded some of the monthly payment since he did not prune the bushes or get the sprinklers to working. He never got the yard prepared for the sod but said he ordered it for March 30th. I had told him to lower the soil to its original height. It was not done at that point, I thought it was best to get another Gardner.

Can you give me advice on what to do since he was not doing what I had requested? He said what I wanted would not look good and that I still owe him money.Desired Settlement: Wants refund for the $1300 The contract stated I would pay first half in March and the second half with the regular lawn payment and I believe that $1.300 should be refunded. I should have been refunded some of the monthly payment since he did not prune the bushes or get the sprinklers to working.