Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Mid July 2023 I called Olson Landscaping and Design asking for a quote to get my automatic sprinkler system up and running so that the entire yard would be watered at night so that my water tank would be full when we get up. I'm on my own water well, not city water. The owner's son, Cody, came out and looked at everything. He told me I could get everything working properly by putting in a new sprinkler clock and installing 3 solenoids, they called me later with a quote of $800 and something dollars. I said yes do the repair. Cody came out on July 21, 2023, installed the clock and then told me that I have a broken water line and it would cost at least another $1200 on top to the existing quote and could go up from there depending on what they find when they dig up my yard. He said the East and North sides of the house were set to water at night and that I could turn on 2 stations on the west side manually and water them during the day, then take a hose and sprinkler to water the rest of the yard. I said if that's the case then I don't want the clock and don't want any of it. He said the clock is already installed and so I am required to pay. I was trying to do the moral thing so I reluctantly wrote him a check for $625. Later i realized that when the sprinkler system starts it doesn't turn off. Someone else in the house turned the water off without me knowing it, then I called Olson to find out what I should do. The owner had me try each station and I told him that no water was coming on in any station because I did not realize the water was turned off. He said he'd send Cody back out to check things. I also informed him that no manual was left for how to run the clock and that Cody did not show me how to run it. Cody came back out and told me the water had been turned off, and that he turned it on and that everything was working on the East and North and that all I had to do was the same as before. Richard, the owner screamed at me again & again no refund

  Business Response

  Date: 09/17/2023

  On July 11th, Wanda called us for a non operable irrigation system.  We went out to diagnose and noticed her clock wasn't working and the irrigation box had no solenoids.  We advised her she needs a new clock and solenoids to make the system automated. She was quoted $850 to install new clock, manifold and 3 valves in the back irrigation system.  She agreed to this price, wanted it done as soon as possible. 
  We installed the new clock and started the front system to ensure everything was working correctly before installing the solenoids in the back.  We then inspected the back system and found multiple breaks that would need to be repaired prior to installing the new solenoids.  She was advised of the repairs needing to be done before the solenoids could be installed.  We showed her the system in front was automated and showed her how to manually turn on the sprinklers in the back that were not broken.  She was given a ball park estimated price of $1200 to repair all the breaks, but that would depend upon what was uncovered when we started digging it up.  She said she can't afford that so I walked her through the system again to show how to manually turn on the back sprinklers. Since we did not install the solenoids, she was charged $600 instead of the $850 that was quoted.  She was happy and satisfied. 
  Approximately a week later, Wanda called back saying the clock wasn't working and she wanted a refund.  We went back over there, ran through the system, the clock was fully functional and we found that someone had turned the water off to the system outside.  We showed her that the water was turned off by someone, and this is why it wasn't working.  We explained this all to her, walked her through the system again, gave her the Operators manual for the clock, and she was happy again. She texted us, said she was happy, the employee that did the work was a nice guy and would not be requesting a refund.  
  About 2 weeks later, she called back again, said the clock didn't work again.  She was told to go through the Operators manual because we know the clock is functional, it wasn't working because she didn't leave it alone after we set it.  The clock that was installed was brand new and working fine, she or someone else at her property were turning water off and messing with the clock.  
  This is a customer that cannot be satisfied.  She was charged less than originally quoted since we found she had a lot of repairs that had to be done before the system would function automatically. We did our best to satisfy her, explaining things over and over and going through the system with her to teach her how to use it.  She was given the Operators manual, which she fails to mention.  With the cost of the clock and trips over there to resolve her issues, there will be no refund issued. 
  I am attaching copies of the text messages mentioned to back up my statements.  We will not comment further on these unjust claims.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/27/2023

  Complaint: 20509886

   I am rejecting this response because: 
  
  
  
  There were solenoids, maybe they weren’t working properly but they were and are there.          2. The front system was never working properly, when the clock turned it on it would keep running the cycles continuously and would not shut off.      3. They quoted me $850 to do the whole job just as they stated and then they said the price was going to increase by at least $1,200 maybe more so I told him to cancel the whole thing, uninstall the clock and he was not to charge me anything since he could not do the job for the agreed on price but he said the clock had already been installed and that I had to pay for it. 4. I was never ever shown that the front was being turned on and off correctly by the clock, I was told that it was but I was never shown and it was definitely not happening  5.  I most definitely made it very clear that I was not happy and that I was not satisfied, I actually began to cry at the thought of paying for a clock that I did not want so he was very clear that I was not happy nor satisfied. 6. I paid him $625. Not $600 and I told him that I did not want this clock now that the whole system wasn’t going to be fully automated for the $850 that I was quoted, he knew that I was very upset but he pressured me very hard for payment and he refused to uninstall the clock that I did not want  7. I called back right away because the system would not shut off, I did not wait a week to call back.   8. No the clock was never ever fully functional and nobody showed me it was functional because it never was. 8. Yes, someone did turn off the water because it was the only way to get the sprinklers to stop going. 9. They did finally give me the operators manual after coming out a 3rd time. 10 . I was never ever happy and he clearly knew that I wasn’t, I began to cry more than once so there’s no way that he ever thought I was happy, that’s totally ridiculous. 11. He repeatedly did not show up when he said he would, every time he said he was coming I set aside the day and then he would not show up and not contact me until I reached out then he had one excuse after another for having to reschedule 12. If the clock had worked properly, it was installed in a spot that was extremely difficult for a short person, or really anybody to use 13. I told him that I wanted him to blowout the system and uninstall the clock and refund my money but he refused. 14. There’s no way that you can read the entire list of texts and believe that I was happy, I made it clear time and again that I was unhappy, I was trying to do the Christian thing but when I called Richard repeatedly screamed at me, telling me that there would be no refund and slammed the phone down in my ear and he refused to answer my calls so he was clear that I was not happy and clear that I wanted a refund. When I said that Cody was a nice guy and that I wouldn’t ask for a refund I thought that the clock was working but when I discovered it wasn’t that’s when I called and demanded a refund which resulted in Richard yelling and slamming the phone in my ear and refusing to answer my calls. 15. I left the clock alone after they set it until I discovered that it still would not shut off once the clock turned it on at 3 AM, we messed with the clock and turned the water off because the clock would not turn the system off so we had to and that’s when I changed my mind and decided a refund was the only solution.    16. I would be satisfied if they did the entire job for the $850 that I was quoted but they did not. 17. I have not used the clock, everything has been watered with hose all summer the clock is useless. 18 Yes I was charged $625 instead of $850 because they did not do the job that they said they would do and they did nothing that benefited me at all. 19. When I said that I would not request a refund I believed that the front system was automated to turn on and off in the night but it was not. 20 Please uninstall this totally useless clock and refund my $625 immediately.                             

  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  Wanda Lousberg