Get matched with top yard drainage pros in your area

"Woods Basement Systems: A Scathing Indictment of Deceptive Practices and Customer Disregard My experience with Woods Basement Systems has been profoundly disappointing, prompting this urgent warning to potential customers. Despite direct communication to their executive leadership about my intention to share my negative experience widely, I have received no follow-up or attempt at resolution. This silence speaks volumes about their disregard for customer satisfaction. My specific project, a basement waterproofing in a bathroom closet, was plagued by a series of misrepresentations, operational failures, and a shocking indifference to customer commitments. Initial Deception and Broken Promises Woods Basement Systems was chosen based on their purported reputation, and previous successful work on my home over 30 years ago. However, the initial consultation on June 6, 2025, with representative Phil Haxel, set the stage for a cascade of issues. Mr. Haxel explicitly assured me that the necessary work could be done without removing the toilet, stating his team would cut into the wall behind it and go under the closet door. These assurances were critical to my decision. Crew Admissions and Failed First Attempt On July 9, 2025, the crew arrived and immediately declared the job impossible with the toilet in place. When confronted with Mr. Haxel's promise, their response was alarming: they openly laughed, stating that "Phil is notorious for saying whatever he needs to say to make a sale and then expect the crew just to make it happen." This direct admission from their own employees reveals a systemic issue within Woods Basement Systems' sales practices. The crew then advised me to contact the office for a refund, as the job could not be completed as agreed. Scheduling Chaos and Uncommunicated Cancellations Following this, I was contacted by Taylor Beck, who suggested I arrange for the toilet to be lifted, with Woods covering the expense. I agreed, and a plumbing estimate of $320 was approved. My job was rescheduled for July 18, 2025, at 1:30 PM. Despite assurances of a follow-up call from their Customer Care Team, no one called. On the scheduled day, no crew showed up. After a lengthy hold time, I was informed by Whitney that a crew had not shown up for several jobs that day, and my appointment was canceled without notification. Second Attempt: Upcharges, Further Damage, and Damning Revelations A new appointment was made for July 19, 2025, at 1:30 PM, with assurances of their "best crew." However, this visit brought further aggravation. After jackhammering approximately 75% of the floor, the crew stopped, informing me that the system they were scheduled to install would not work and required an upcharge for the correct one. They insisted I authorize the upcharge before disclosing the cost. Feeling I had no choice given my torn-apart basement, I authorized the work. The crew resumed, only to stop again at the actual leak area, stating they needed to remove the toilet's plumbing, incurring additional expense for a plumber. I refused, demanding they find a solution without damaging the existing plumbing. Miraculously, a solution was found. However, in stark contradiction to Mr. Haxel's initial promise, the crew proceeded to cut the door frame of the basement closet, rendering the door unusable. Throughout this ordeal, the crew members consistently vocalized their frustrations with the sales team's deceptive practices, stating that sales representatives frequently make unfeasible promises to close deals, leaving the production team to negotiate "deals" and additional payments from angry customers. They also revealed internal issues, including: * Unfair pay practices. * Unfulfilled promises of salary increases. * High turnover in customer service due to stress from dissatisfied customers. * Regular Tuesday meetings where these issues are raised, yet no action is taken. Conclusion: A Company Unwilling to Rectify Its Failures When I directly expressed my intention to share my experience publicly with Woods' executive leadership, I was asked what could be done to "improve my feelings and restore my faith." Yet, in the week since that conversation, there has been no follow-up, no attempt at resolution, and no acknowledgment of the profound issues I raised. This comprehensive failure—from deceptive sales tactics and broken promises to operational disarray, uncommunicated cancellations, unexpected upcharges, and a complete lack of post-complaint engagement—serves as a stark warning. Based on my experience, potential customers should exercise extreme caution and seek alternative providers for their basement needs."

"Very well. They were in and out. They arrived on time, I didn't see any slacking. The job was done lickety split, and they cleaned up after themselves. I'm very pleased with the results, and I've already spoken to a few neighbors who've commented on how nice my landscaping looks. I've also added a post to Nextdoor, and there are commenters who indicate that they'll be giving Frankie's a call."

"Top notch service- had new mulch put down throughout by entire yard in addition to having old plants removed and new ones planted. Very professional!"

"Joe and his crew did an amazing job on redoing the concrete from our existing patio and adding additional space. We more than doubled our space and it looks great Thanks Joe"

"The people from Life Outdoors were great to work with. We had 2 retaining walls replaced along with new grass planted between the 2. They did excellent work and are very friendly & knowledgeable. I will definitely use them for future projects."

"Honest and provided recommendations on how to monitor current cracks, did not try to oversell or fear monger"

"It didn't go well. The company did not complete the job, they left unfinished work. I contacted the owner several times, he would give me dates and she never followed up. He became very hostile when I addressed my concerns to him. At that point, I decided that I did not want him to continue to work."

"Brad and his crew came out to help us with water coming into our basement. They sold us on a drain system and dug a perimeter around the majority of our basement, added rocks and pipe and then sealed it back up with cement. They also installed a new sump pump in the same location as the old one. Unfortunately their system has not stopped the water coming into through the cove joint. We’ve had Brad out twice and he insists that their drain system is only designed to catch the hydrostatic water coming from underneath. The sump pump hardly ever does off, even with a flooded basement. This is not correct as a properly installed system should be catching water from the cove joint and sending it through the system in the floor and to the sump pump. I would never use or trust them again. We are out thousands of dollars and still have a flooding basement."

"Finding someone trustworthy that does a great job with great customer service is hard to do. When the project is expensive it makes it more nerve wracking to decide who to go with. If you are lucky enough to find someone that checks those boxes, they become your go to people for your projects and as well as who you recommend. A few years ago I had Hoffman replace my driveway and was completely happy with their service from initial contact to completion. Years later I’m still completely satisfied with my decision to use them. Recently I decided to pour a shed pad and replace an old back patio. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind on who I should call. Like last time the entire experience was top notch. Jessica is amazing to work with from the start and is very friendly and communicative. The owner Mark really cares about the quality of work and clearly appreciates your business. His son, who runs the concrete crew, is also awesome to work with and really cares about a customer-first approach and performing quality jobs. The rest of the crew is also very engaging and respectful and performs high quality work. If you or someone you know is looking for concrete work I cannot recommend them enough. I have a high expectation for work done at my house and they exceed those expectations. You cannot go wrong giving them a call and having them perform the work. They will continue to be my go-to company for all things related to concrete."