Strata Earthworks

Mr. V. Thank you so much for taking the time to review our services, and for expressing such kind words! Knowing that we have left our customers happy and smiling, is a proud reward for the work that we do! Thanks again, and all our best to you and Mrs V.!

This is our first negative review, as unfortunate as that is, but mostly because of the misunderstood and unwarranted nature of it, which makes it exceptionally difficult to accept. So, for a background: The customer had a raised front porch slab that had sunken 1-2" in areas, due to poor/ NO soil (loose mortar sand) compaction. We quoted the removal and replacement of the porch slab, to include expansion material along the brick perimeter (none previously present), 1-2 tons of compacted fill dirt import (based on the amount of surface displacement in the slab x 2.) However, upon removal of the sunken slab, we found a much deeper 8" deep void throughout, and the slab along the outer 3 porch walls was literally suspended on the inner brick wall, but the slab along the house wall was unsupported, and this is where it was sunken max. 2" below original grade. When my installer text me the pictures showing measurements of the deep void, I immediately contacted the customer and explained our findings, sent him a picture, and asked if he could step outside and see it for himself, as I was away hauling materials but would be back shortly. I suggested that we use crushed gravel instead of dirt, and gave him a price of $300 to purchase, haul, place (via shovel), and compact 4 tons of crushed gravel. Our cost for the gravel was $120, so I was charging him $180 to haul the 4 tons of gravel, and the 3 workers to shovel it into the raised porch and compact it (which took most of a day). He agreed to the $300. However, when I returned with the gravel and saw the loose, soft, mortar sand in the porch, I decided to check existing compaction with a probe rod and it went to the handle with very little effort. I thought about it, and then contacted the customer and suggested that we rent a "Jumping Jack" trench compactor to compact the 2.5' of loose fill with it, prior to placing gravel, as our plate compactors for concrete and pavers are not designed to compact 2.5' of soil. I explained that we could rent and pick up the jumping jack, use it, and return it, for $200 (rental is $120).. In understanding that this was an unforeseen subsurface surprise, and nobody wants surprises with construction projects of necessity, I certainly had no intention of taking advantage of the situation, and I thought I was helping, give the circumstances, when I offered to rent the JJ and place the gravel for $500, but instead I received a very curt text that he would opt out of the jj rental, but agree to the gravel, which was completely his choice, and merely a suggestion. Other than that, we installed the porch slab, which came out very nicely.( Before/After pics posted on our page, for your viewing.) Given the misrepresented/ misunderstood comments about our text conversation, I called (N/A), then emailed hoping to better explain that there was just no way to account for all the gravel when pricing the job. Considering that he's a previous General Contractor he, if anyone should understand that such situations require a change order for additional work. I also tried to explain how he had misrepresented what I told him about not having seen the void for myself, until I arrived with the gravel, he took as something completely different, but he still won't acknowledge that he may have misread the situation, and add to this whole unfortunate situation, that the job came out great, and he was quoted a very fair price, yet he gave us a 2.5 quality?? and 2.0 for value?? (Pics posted here on our HA site.) I truly am shocked with this customers reaction, but I suppose eventually, we will all run across someone extremely mistrusting, or who prematurely jumps to a conclusion. As for Strata, we plan to continue, to perform quality work, at a fair price, for great Wilmington area customers... and perhaps correspond less via text, just to better clarify, discuss, and avoid any potential misunderstanding's.