Get matched with top gravel or loose fill paving install, spread or scrape pros in Saint-paul, MN

"I have been hesitant to write this review because I think Al and his team were tremendous people:  punctual, honest, hardworking.  I think they also did a pretty good job, but there is one thing that became clear to me soon after the job was done.   I had asked--very clearly--for new, high quality growing soil.  I have poor quality clay soil and things don't grow well in it.  I was so clear that I wanted tons of new, high quality soil (which I paid for) to replace the clay (or be on top of the clay.  I thought I received that, but I admit that I did not monitor every aspect of the job.  Within several weeks of the job completion, previously planted perennials and bulbs started flowering.  This would have been impossible had the soil been replaced, as some had quite shallow roots.  Throughout that first gardening season, with the new landscaping, it was clear I had my old crappy soil.  I did not contact Goodfellows to give them a chance to make it right, so that's my problem.  <br /> Overall, many things worked out well:  people worked quickly, they were pleasant, and they followed the design that I provided.   I think the price we paid was on the high end (the $13,000 does not cover all the materials), but the job was big, involving half of our urban front yard.  I don't know if corners were cut on the soil, but I had been emphatic about wanting a high-quality soil, so I was so disappointed when I clearly did not get it.  .   I am not sure if I would hire them again (one can only indicate YES or NO on the Angie's review).  I think, like so many vendors, they have strengths and weaknesses.  <br />"

"ASPM removed my weedy backyard and replaced it with pea gravel. They also got rid of the Virginia Creeper and Boston Ivy covering my two-story house and garage, as well as eliminating all the suckers and volunteer growth around the perimeters of my property. They were fast and did a fantastic job. I would recommend them without hesitation."

"Our home was build on a hill. Jamin helped us design and install boulder retaining walls and steps to manage our slopes. He is very talented and easy to work with."

"This business did a great job on our yard. "

"We love the work and craftsmanship on our new walkways and stars. Scott and his crew did a fantastic job! I would highly recommend them! "

"We had a different landscaping company come out and install "flagstone" over our existing limestone path. Not only did they do a horrible job, they also destroyed our drain tile which I had flagged for them and left large ruts in our yard. It took them 6 weeks to come back and "fix" the path and "repair" the drain tile. The path looked even worse than it did before the "fix", I had to run the skid steer because the two guys they sent out did not know how to operate one, and they had to use drain tile I had on site because they didn't bring any. To top it off, when they replaced the drain tile, they didn't use a union on one end, and just set the pipe up next to the old pipe, and for some reason they took the sock off as if they did not understand what it was for! It was a complete nightmare. Enter Lester and his crew. They came out, and even though the stones were not the right material for a flagstone path, they were able to take them all out and reuse them to create a beautiful path. Choosing the right company is so important for any project, and I can confidently say that "In The Rough Stonework & Landscaping" is the right place to hire for any of your stone work or landscaping needs! We will be using them again in the future!"

"The crew was on time and and finished ahead of schedule. It was a large crew of about 8-9 people, mostly younger men, but supervised by older experienced concrete workers. One group excavated the old steps, while other groups came behind them, mixing the concrete, installing the molds, pouring and fine finishing the surface. The two sets of steps are connected by an S-curve walkway, which they also installed, and which needed a little more finessing to make the curves symmetrical on either side of the walk. They executed it perfectly. Ralph Dvorak, the manager, was very helpful and offered suggestions. He came by at the start of the job, and again at the end to do a final quality check at the end. We had one hairline crack in a lower step about one year later, but Ralph stopped by with special caulk to color-match and patch it. It's invisible now. Were were very pleased with the quality of the work and the crew's professionalism."

"Granite & Marble Direct's customer service team of Angie and Daniela began working with me on a custom bathroom vanity project.  They were extremely helpful in listening to my thoughts and ideas of what I wanted, and began working closely with me to achieve exactly the outcome and look we were hoping for.  The level of communication via both phone and e-mail kept was incredible, and very helpful.  They always got right back to me and answered questions quickly. <br /> They fantastic show room with many stone options to choose from and a bunch of slabs in their yard out back.  Angie called me later that week and said she had done some digging and actually found a quartz remnant that would work for my project!  Alex (the owner) was out shortly afterwards to do a great detailed measurement of my vanity to ensure that we had everything measured exactly right to get a great fit.   <br /> The level of attention to detail, customer service and quality of work I found at Granite & Marble Direct was beyond my expectations, and a rarity in this day and age in the level of professionalism typically given to the customer.  I vetted many other Granite places before deciding on Granite & Marble Direct, including major retailers like Lowes, Home Depot, Twin City Granite, and a few others that didn't come close to these guys.  And I wouldn't go or recommend anywhere else in the future except here. <br /> As all projects go - nothing is perfect, and we had a hiccup in the size of our stone remnant that came up just a few inches to short after Alex had come out and done the measurements.  This company not only stood behind their product and estimate, but ordered a full slab of the stone piece at their expense to be able to still get me the counter top that I wanted.  They also provided an upgraded edge design on my vanity counter, and two sinks were included in the price of the estimate. <br /> The final install, was also a great experience as a fantastic install team arrived on time and was quick to get the counter top installed and looking great.  Even here we had a slight issue, with some of the edges needed to be sanded down, and they did what needed to be done exceptionally well, without complaining, and got the job done right. <br /> I wanted to go into extensive detail on this job, because I know custom projects are not easy, but their team of individuals and ownership really stepped up and made this a great experience for me and I couldn't be happier with the outcome.  I would not go any place else if you are looking for counter top installation.  These guys have an incredible selection of styles and designs and can order any type of product if they don't have it in stock.  Incredible customer service and a great attention to detail and quality of craftsmanship make this one of the best run companies I have worked with! <br />"

"I first had an estimate done six years ago. It was so high that I put off doing the work. The recession hit hard and we put the work off some more. South Minneapolis has tons of homes that have beautiful tan-colored flagstone around the front door and the front steps. The steps were disintegrating and there were large holes in the stair rise. I plugged it with concrete patch to keep animals out. <br /> I called Marcus Wise because he lives in South Minneapolis and works almost exclusively on home with hand cut stone like ours. Other bidders who don't normally work on homes built in 1931, just wanted to tear it all out and start over. That would have cost more than I could afford and would have given me front steps that wouldn't fit the house or the neighborhood. <br /> This is Marcus' specialty. He stopped by for a look and quickly ruled out the need for a complete tear out. He had a stockpile of flagstone in his garage that he uses for jobs like mine. The plan was to replace just the failed stones and re-grout where needed. <br /> Much of the replacement stone he had at his place. But he made a special trip to another and quot;bone yardand quot; to find stone that more closely matched the existing stones for patina. <br /> The final results were wonderful. I was worried we'd have a patchwork of new and old stones that wouldn't look right. They match and looks like it's always been that way. <br /> He took great care to explain what he was doing and why. He told us how to care for the steps going forward so that we avoid some of the problems of deterioration in the future. <br /> It was clear from the start that we were dealing with a craftsman and the final work was the proof. <br /> Because of his skill as a stone cutter, knowledge of the home in South Minneapolis, he was able to do a top notch job at a great price. <br /> Bottom line: Everyone else wanted to do a complete tear out. Marcus had the skills to save the classic steps at the home we love. <br />"

"In beginning of June, we paid our deposit and then found out that the plan was to install siding in September. We asked if there was a possibility to move that timing up and they were able to squeeze us in mid-July. Was super excited but then received an email about a week before we thought the siding project would start asking if we wanted the outer corners to match the color we had selected and if so, there was an upcharge and that "non-stock colors" were running about 45 days to order so they would need to push back the date by 45 days. This was never discussed during the sales process. I expressed my concern and Joni was able to locate the outer corners and adjust the schedule to start in end of July and agreed to cover the "upcharge" since this was something new to her as well. Then, she told us that we need to pick soffit/fascia colors, but that anything other than white would require a week or two delay. But then she called back and said she was able to pull some strings and find the color we had requested. So, lots and back and forth about dates. We also had a mason scheduled to come after the siding install so we had to communicate all these changes with him. it was a bit frustrating with all the date changes. Seems like things that CHI should already be aware of and should know to prep the customers upfront and let them know the dependencies on starting the project. When the job started, the team all showed up on time every day. They did a really nice job on the siding and soffits/fascia. That is why I gave them an “A” for quality, but was disappointed with the following: 1.) Poor communication from the start to the end of the actual work. Pat saw some rotting wood while doing the work and replaced it. He never mentioned the cost or asked about it before proceeding forward with the work. While we appreciate his proactiveness, I feel like he should have asked us (if he was going to charge us for it) before doing the work. In any event, he told us about it after the fact and I just saw a line item on our invoice for the work. He also barely communicated with us while he was here. Didn't know when the dumpster was getting removed or what to do with the material left. 2.) We have found numerous screws, nails and sharp metallic options around our house. No one even mentioned that we should be careful moving around outside. This is especially bothersome as we have little kids running around. 3.) Everything was collected on the final day, BUT the porta potty. There was no communication around when it would be picked up either. To be fair, the job was complete on Friday morning and it was picked up by Monday afternoon, but it would have been nice for someone to let us know the plan since it was sitting in our driveway. My biggest complaint with this company is their lack of communication. This is a lot of money to be spending and the project management is less than desirable."