When was the work done?
The work was done in June, 2010. What was involved?
Ken did our entire back garden which included clearing everything away and starting over. He put in two patios, decking, a footpath, grass, flowers and a wall. We have trees in the garden so we incorporated those into the decking and patio.
How did you choose Expert Decking Landscaping and Patios?
We found Ken on the Pickapro website. We did speak to a few other landscapers and some of the work quotes were crazy. Ken was the first guy to get back to us despite the fact that he lives on the southside which is quite a distance from where we live near Howth. Ken came, spoke to us about the job and gave us a price straight away. After the first meeting with Ken, we came up with a new idea and Ken was good enough to listen and draw up new plans. We liked Ken right from the beginning and we said "we’re going with this guy".
Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Ken Eccles?
Basically. We don’t have a big back garden so there's only so much you can actually do with it. Our original idea we first ran by Ken changed a little bit but he was able to adjust and come up with a new plan.
Did Ken introduce new ideas?
In our case it wasn't really necessary to come up with new ideas. What Ken is very good at though is visualising what your ideas are and putting together a plan. Ken gives you information on what can be done but he's not pushy wanting to do things his way. Ken listens, is open and gives you what you want.
How did the project run?
Despite the fact that Ken had a long journey to make every day, he arrived at the same time every morning and went straight to work. There was never any messing about. He would keep us up to date on how the job was progressing and get stuck right back into the work.
What was the biggest benefit to you of using Expert Decking Landscaping and Patios?
Two things really. First of all I would say that one big benefit is Ken's ability to visualise what I wanted. Secondly, it's Ken's attention to detail. I can't find a fault in any of the work Ken did. Everything was cut exactly as it should be and there are no gaps anywhere, it's just perfect.
What's your favourite part now?
Just looking out at the whole thing. I can see it from my kitchen and my dining room and it’s just like, "is this my garden?". I absolutely love it! There's a good bit of pine wood and it reflects the sun all the time, it's really bright and uplifting. Before it was kind of grey.
Would you recommend Expert Decking Landscaping and Patios to others?
Definitely, I certainly would. Whether you have a big job or a small one, I think that Ken would be able to visualise your plan and give you what you want.
Any tips for other people?
Make sure that you have one plan in your head and talk to lots of landscapers because the difference in price is just unbelievable. Also, don't just let the person doing the work choose all of the materials for you, it needs to be what you like. You'll need to put a few hours in to travel out to where the stone and wood is, but that's the only way to make sure you're getting good quality. The internet is brilliant to get ideas but there's no comparison between seeing the real thing.
