Posted by
–
Opening Times.
Doug’s team did an amazing job removing a large obstructive and failing planter, putting in a firepit and a custom grill/burner with counter, and adding small planters; they were flexible and finished on time. The pricepoint was significantly unbeatable compared to 5 other bids. We also appreciated Doug’s expertise in recommending a resurfacing company to repair and resurface the peeling concrete paint, making our entire yard come together for ideal backyard hosting. A year later, the work remains in excellent condition.
We had a wonderful experience with Doug, Ramon, Jason and team. They were very professional and timely. Always showed up on time and did wonderful work. Very fair and reasonably priced for all the work that was done. We can’t say enough about how accommodating they were with all of the little surprises that popped up along the way. We had them redo landscaping in the front yard as well as add turf, cement pads and replace wood railing on our backyard deck with aluminum railing. They also were able to do lighting and sprinkler work. We couldn’t be more pleased with the final product. They helped us accomplish our dream outside home remodel. So pleased to have gone with Del Mar Landscapes to get this job done. Would highly recommend using them for any jobs you have.
Doug and his team worked efficiently and collaboratively to make sure our backyard vision was brought to life! They arrived on time daily, kept me in the loop and made sure that everything was done correctly. I really appreciate their thoughtful, communicative approach. We’ll be hiring them for any and all future projects! Highly recommend!
This is an overdue review. Del Mar Landscapes did a fantastic job installing our front patio living concept. It was a significant job to install a retaining wall, a modern horizontal fence, concrete pathways and a patio, a planter box, drainage, and pergola installation. The team was professional, arrived on time, hardworking, and easy to work with. We are very pleased with the result and received many compliments from our neighbors.
My husband and I are extremely pleased with the high-quality hardscape and landscaping work done by Del Mar Landscapes, owned by Doug Kepner. We felt we received solid value for the price, especially in comparison to what other companies offered in their bids. I don’t write many online reviews, but I feel compelled to give a shout-out to our wonderful crew of Jason, Jaime, Junior, Jesse, and Aviv, under the leadership of the many-talented Ramón.
We had sought four bids on this complicated front and back yard project, which involved multiple dumpsters’ worth of demo, new concrete, a retaining wall, drainage alterations, irrigation, and planting, while also accommodating tricky slopes and some existing hardscape areas we wanted to keep. Del Mar Landscapes won our business for three reasons.
First, although owner Doug Kepner’s cost estimate was lower than the other bids, he assured us that he wouldn’t be cutting corners quality-wise, employment-wise, or insurance-wise. (He attracts and retains excellent workers by paying and insuring them properly, and in his words, “These guys don’t know how to do a half-assed job.”) Del Mar Landscapes’ cost savings were due to two facts: Doug was willing to offer us many of the materials and rental items like dumpsters at his own cost, and he has no office staff or rendering staff to add to the costs of the actual construction. The larger landscaping companies we consulted had professional-looking packets and offered 3D computer renderings to help us visualize the project. While these perks were appealing, the competing bids also came with significant markups on every line item, presumably to pay for the additional overhead. Working with Del Mar Landscaping means having a more direct relationship between what you pay and the construction work you get. The downsides of this are that you don’t get pretty pictures to look at, and you may need to refer to your own written notes when double-checking changes and additions agreed on orally after the initial contract is signed.
The second thing that won us over was our confidence in Del Mar Landscapes’ ability to be flexible and change things on the fly in response to terrain challenges, or simply to things we changed our minds about. Doug, Ramón, and the team were able to draw on their expertise and present us with options in response to actual site conditions, which included a few surprises along the way. (For example, during demo, some buried drains and sewer access points were discovered in inconvenient spots, and the slopes of the existing hardscape made the transitions we had originally envisioned to new concrete areas impossible without some clever adjustments they recommended.)
Third, Doug’s pride in his top-notch crew was obvious, and that pride convinced us that we would be very happy with their work. This proved to be the case. They showed up promptly and cheerfully during the two hottest weeks of the year, kept the worksite immaculately clean and organized, and everything they touched looked fabulous. I was struck by the fact that everyone on the worksite seemed to enjoy each other’s company, and when overhearing my compliments for a teammate’s work, others would often chime in to brag about each other’s particular talents. I still remember the serene enjoyment on Jaime’s face as he stuccoed our beautiful new retaining wall like the master craftsman he is. Ramón did a stellar job of accommodating our last-minute changes and additions gracefully, with transparency about what the half-day of extra labor would cost us.
Our neighbors are very happy with the transformation of our front yard, and we look forward to inviting them to enjoy our new backyard, too.
Before, during, and after photos of the backyard attached. (In case they load in a different order, the one with patio furniture in it is the after!)
Julie Ann Sih
Leave a Reply