Paige Singer
5/5
I am NOT easy to work with. The term “Micromanager” doesn’t even cover me. I know exactly what I want and it is usually not where it was just placed. Whatever it is will definitely need to be moved 2” to the left or turned upside down. And whatever curved border line is in the plan is wrong, so will most definitely need to be adjusted. ALL of the forty boulders which have been residing on my property for 40 years told me they wanted to be unearthed and moved to enjoy new views, so that should be a fun day. Oh wait, and that crushed granite I chose that was just dumped in the cul-de-sac? Nope. It leans towards black and grays and I’m going for browns, so please take it back. I don’t want a blue pool. I want a brown pool… with a beach entry and boulders framing the edges. My chickens need their own water line. I want to run everything (lights, water feature, irrigation) from an app. My outside copper bathtub needs to be framed in boulders, but don’t hit the tub or I’ll end you. One more thing. The pool’s waterline tile that was just set? It isn’t right. Please tear it all out and do it again. Yes, I know it’s 9:30pm, but the pebble sheen crew is coming at 7am, sooooooo. Y’all need to work till 11pm. I’m tired, so I am going to bed. Now that my character is crystal clear, HEAR that through all three months of my backyard remodel and all the various crews, EVERYONE was patient, respectful and friendly. Luis (owner) was direct, communicative, and reassuring. Juan (PM) was available, positive, and excellent at translating my awkward wants. From the Venezuelan baseball crew who did the demo work to the whip smart and efficient electrician to paver artist, Flores (I know I butchered that spelling. Why, WHY did I take French in High School?!), and the many organic cuts I had him perform on the geometric pavers, along with his crew (I enjoyed my conversations with the Prescott native about parenting), to the irrigation (Irving, I’m certain he thinks I’m a nutter) and planting crew who suffered multiple boulder moving days (the 40+ dudes were JACKED UP! I need to move more boulders) to the random dude who just wandered in to fix my pulsing fountain… ALL were more than friendly and tolerated my hovering with respect and patience. On top of their cordiality, the final product was RIDICULOUSLY GORGEOUS. And the icing on the cake? The final invoice (easily accessed by a link and paid by a credit card, YAY reward points!) showed the project’s financial damage came in UNDER the quoted amount. Of my many, MANY home renovation projects, that has never happened. NEVER. Bottom line… If Botanist of the Valley were able to tolerate my helicoptering AND put together a phenomenal renovation, all under their quote, then ya… you should totally go with ‘em.
UPDATE: November 2024
B of V continues to rescue me. From replacing burned out mini landscape bulbs that are so alien even the internet is confused, to problem solving the electrical issue in my chicken coop... effing roof rats chewed the wire (I hope it shocked the bazinga out of them) to today's issue in which I was CERTAIN (and still am) that my Hydrawise irrigation system was intentionally drowning my cacti, so had clearly lost it's mind. It hadn't. Today, Emo came out and, strangely enough, didn't make me feel like a complete nutter, even though I would have sworn on my second born's life (the first one would be too offended if I used her that way) that the system had gone and lost it's cotton pickin' mind. Or at least that a solenoid was bad, please? It wasn't. Maybe the new app was wonky? No. Let me prove it's bonkers... I couldn't. They left having solved the problem (that wasn't actually a problem). The point is, two years after the remodel, I needed them ASAP today and Luis (owner) responded to my frantic text within the hour, then sent two guys out to (not) fix my "problem" within that day and I TOTALLY APPRECIATED THIS! So, don't feel like B of V will abandon you once they have your dough. They won't. They'll have your back for years.
