FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
Our goal is to find out what you need and want, and deliver it to you as accurately as possible within your budget. We believe in doing things right the first time, which saves you money in the long run. We strive for high quality in everything that we do. We are always transparent with our pricing and will let you know if we think a budget is unrealistic. Once we give a written estimate, we stick to that price unless a change in the work order is made. We don't tell you a low ball price to get the job and then charge more once we are on site with your yard torn up. The price will be the price, and we pride ourselves on being accurate. We always do our best to be fair to everyone; meaning you the client, our employees who work hard, and ourselves who are running a business. We pass on all of our discounts for plants/irrigation supplies, etc, and run specials for returning clients and those who give us referrals. We also pay ourselves and our workers a living wage, and are licensed, bonded, and carry workman's comp insurance as well as general liability. If anything were to happen to anyone on site, we are covered. To that end, while our prices are competitive and fair, they are not rock bottom. While we are not the absolute cheapest you will find, we are still a smaller company who does our best to keep costs affordable. However if you are looking to hire based on the lowest possible price ONLY, we may not be the best fit. But as Grandpa Bernie always said, cheaper is more expensive! We always recommend to do some thinking about what you can afford to put towards your project so you are ready to get started. Because we live in Alameda, we do offer a 5% discount for all Alameda residents. And because we like to support other local businesses, we offer anyone who works with us a $100 gift card to the local business or local charity of your choice. It's our way of giving back and supporting local community!
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
We have an online consultation form that you can fill out so we can learn about what you're looking for. From there we usually have a phone call so we can discuss the scope of your project and up an in person site visit. Once on site, we will talk through ideas, give a ballpark estimate, and move forward with the next step of design and a more specific scope of work along with a budget. For regular maintenance services, we can typically give a general price over the phone and then we will come by for a site visit before putting you on our schedule.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
John is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island’s Landscape Architecture program, but that is not where his journey began. He grew up placing rocks alongside his father and grandfather, so the art of stonework is literally in his blood. John has always had a love for plants and nature, as well as a skill for drawing. He recognized that he could take his family craft farther than the stoneyard, which is why he decided to study Landscape Design and marry his passions and skills. Spyce is a creative entrepreneur who has worn (and wears) many hats! Her love of design started back when she was a teenager making flyers for her rock band, but then extended into the more tangible spaces when she bought and flipped her first house in 2005. Since then, she and John have flipped quite a few more distressed houses, as she loves when an unused space is transformed into a beautiful area that people can enjoy. Spyce is also a published author, prolific performer, and a licensed CA real estate sales agent with Better Homes and Gardens in Berkeley.