A Satisfied Customer from Sandymount, Dublin on 07-Jan-2011
When was the work done?
The work was carried out just after Christmas last year. It would have been January or February 2010. I remember because at the time we were worried about frost.
What was involved?
It wasn’t a big job. We had a small, square garden with a patio but it looked awful, very bland. The garden was uneven and first needed to be levelled down to the height of the patio. It was then raised so that you could step up to it and it created the illusion that the garden was larger than it is. I had an old shed that needed to be broken down and removed and a new one put in. Like I said it was a small job, not a lot of money involved.
How did you choose Apco Garden Design?
Colm had been driving in the area and I got his number off the back of his van. For the consultation, Colm brought his garden designer with him who did up a 3-D plan detailing the work that could be done. The plan not only detailed the look of the garden but also had the names of the plants included so that we could study them online. It was very professionally done and gave us confidence that they could do the job. I had spoken to two other landscapers but Colm was more cost competitive than the others. The plan, the cost and the fact that Colm could begin the project quickly were the main reasons we chose him. I wanted the job started and completed as soon as possible.
Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Colm Henry?
We wanted the garden to be more aesthetically pleasing to look at from the house while maintaining the grass because I have a son who plays football out there.
Did Colm introduce new ideas?
The ideas came mostly from Colm’s garden designer. Colm was more involved with the organisation, practicalities and supervision of the project.
How did the project run?
It was excellent as Colm was quite the foreman. He was in and out giving instructions and supervising everything. Colm had a very good rapport with his workers and always kept me informed with what was going on. If Colm said he was going to do something, he did it. The guys doing the work were terrific, really amazing. They worked all day and completed the job in super fast time. The whole project took just under three days. They did a super job cleaning up and even painted my old fence though that wasn’t part of the job. I never would have asked Colm to do it but one day he came up to me and said that he’d like to give the fence a fresh coat of paint. I was impressed by that and very happy with how the garden turned out.
What was the biggest benefit to you of using Apco Garden Design?
I suppose for me it’s the fact that Colm arranged everything and put it all together. He brought in his designer and workers and managed everything from start to finish. I didn’t have to do anything except pay the check!
What’s your favourite part now?
I would say all of it. The whole garden looked great in the end.
Would you recommend Apco to others?
Yes I would.
Any tips for other people?
Definitely get a designer to put ideas onto paper first so that you can see it. If you can also get them to label the shrubs or plants it’s helpful so that you can look them up online and really know what you’re getting. This will also allow you to see what they will look like when they mature.