Get matched with top retaining wall installers in New-douglas, IL

"This company was so professional, friendly and courteous. The owner was definitely hands on and was there throughout the entire process. I will definitely use them again."

"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!"

"We contracted with Allen Outdoor Solutions to landscape our home. A decision we have come to regret. Here is a list of some of the problems with more details to follow: -A whopping 40%, or more than $5,000, increase in the contracted price -Inaccurate measurements in the design that resulted in significantly higher costs -A project that was supposed to begin in May but began in July -A project that was supposed to be 3-4 days turned into 4 weeks with elements still not fulfilled -Calls and emails that went unanswered / unreturned -Inability to fulfill parts of the contract (trees/plants) -Agreement from the owner to replace a specific tree went unfulfilled as of 21 Aug 2022 -Agreement from the owner to extend the warranty on another tree went unfulfilled as of 21 Aug 2022 -An invoice dated almost 4 months prior to receipt & dated before the contract was even signed! -Introduction of new fees that popped up when the contractual relationship began to deteriorate -Unacceptable plants/quality of work -Bills presented as contracts -Not honoring the terms of the contract Of all the issues listed above, the most egregious are issues with the billing. Our latest invoice is 40.4% above the contracted price! This is after 2 items totaling $2,850 were removed because the company was unable to provide the contracted service. You might think if your bill was 40.4% above the contracted price, a company would reach out to you and engage in a conversation to talk about it. No such luck here. We were emailed an “invoice” with the increase and with an expectation to pay it – no explanation, nothing. When we brought it up to them, the response was, ‘we were waiting for you to say something.’ Who does that? The contract stated the cost of cobblestone was $300 for 150 Ln/ft but sent us a bill that says it’s $4,800. They’re argument is 1) they told us at some point the increased cost (they did not!) and 2) we should’ve known it was wrong on the contract. Just like I didn’t know if a hydrangea should cost $75 as the contract says, I had no idea the cost of a cobblestone. While the latest bill was a true invoice, the preceding two were in the form of modifications to the contract. Why present us with “contracts” when they clearly had invoices at their disposal? Think through that one… Another big issue has been wrong measurements The contract stated 850 sq/ft of sod (including regrading soil amendments) was needed. They mismeasured, not because the design was modified to include more sod, they simply got it wrong. The actual amount of sod used was 1100 sq/ft. No conversation or phone call just an email from an employee saying “I forgot to add the city area for sod and will need to make the adjustment to the invoice.” A 29.4% or $662.50 cost increase due to undermeasurement, and they didn’t think it warranted at least a phone call to discuss it. To add insult to injury, on the last invoice, they tacked on an additional $2.50 onto the contracted amount of $2,250 making the total for this item $2252.50. How petty is it to add $2.50? I don’t get it. In another example, the contract says they would need 13 yards of mulch and in fact, they are trying to charge us for 13 yards of mulch. However, earlier invoices say they used less than 10 yards of mulch. In yet another example, the contract says they would need 150 Ln/ft of cobblestone. They actually used 240 Ln/ft. We thought we were making some progress towards a resolution when we received a bill that showed they were charging us $500 for the cobblestone on 3 Aug. Only to find out later that day when we spoke to the owner, Mr. Allen, and he told us that the bill was no good. Here’s the kicker. Several days passed after that conversation with Mr. Allen on 3 Aug about our insistence that he honor the contract and fix the remaining errors in the invoice. After trying to get a final and accurate invoice on 2 separate occasions (August 8 & 10), we received an email on Friday, 12 Aug that says the company can’t honor our request to reduce the fees…. we never asked that, we asked them to honor the contract! The letter then gives us two options, pay the balance due (with the errors listed above and others) including the full $4,800 for the cobblestone or return the product by allowing Allen to remove the materials from our premises. The letter further states, “Please consider the options above and contact our office. We look forward to coming to a resolution in the matter, and do not want to see things escalate further to include a fee for restocking of Hydrangea, collections, or other legal action.” On Monday 15 Aug (1 business day after receiving Mr. Allen’s email on the 12th!!!!) we received an email letter of demand from Mr. Allen’s attorney for immediate payment as “invoiced on April 22, 2022.” We signed our contract on 23 April 2022 – how can they reference an invoice dated before the contract was even signed?! And what happened to Mr. Allen’s desire to avoid legal action?! A little about us – we are an active-duty military family. We’ve lived in many states and overseas and dealt with many contractors over the years. This is the absolute worst experience we’ve ever had with a contractor. We bought a home in the CWE because we fell in love with the neighborhood and STL. All we want to do is improve our home and enjoy our new community. There are other issues, but I won’t belabor the point. Oh, how we wish we had made a different decision about the contractor – we would have avoided Allen Outdoor Solutions like the plague. To end on a positive note, Chesterfield Valley Nursery had no problems supplying one of the items Allen Outdoor Solutions was unable to provide. Chesterfield Valley Nursery was easy to work with and very professional."

As 30+ years experience carpenters, we are always prepared to take on your projects with precision and care. We pride ourselves on being courteous and polite, ensuring a positive experience from start to finish. Our approach involves actively listening to your needs and preferences to deliver tailored solutions. ???? We understand the importance of clear communication and collaboration to bring your vision to life. From the initial consultation to the final touches, We are dedicated to providing exceptional craftsmanship. ? We are ready to start, so contact me today. \n

I am owner operator of my business with a few very reliable and professional employees to ensure the job can be done in a professional and timely manner.

AB Excavation is a locally owned and operated excavation and land clearing company based in Highland, Illinois.\nWe specialize in land clearing, grading, and site preparation for residential and small commercial projects. Our work includes small lot clearing, new home site prep, demolition and haul-off, pond and water feature excavation, and culvert installation.\n\nWe take pride in doing the job right the first time, showing up when we say we will, and communicating clearly with our customers from start to finish. Whether it’s clearing property, prepping a build site, or handling drainage work, we focus on quality workmanship, efficiency, and fair pricing.\n\nWe serve Highland and the surrounding areas and work closely with homeowners, builders, and property owners to get projects completed safely and on schedule.

"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."

"Well, because Angi is so well known and highly rated. I trusted that whoever they were connected to would also be highly rated. What a lie and it makes Angi look horrible for my first time out. The company named Frankie's Landscaping LLC - 9034874931 immediately said they would start mowing and landscaping on Friday. I'm waiting for them, I called and message them asking for the price then, they replied saying their schedule is full."

"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."

"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."