Ashlar Landscapes

We saw the reviews for Forest Hills Design group (now Ashlar Landsacpes--Ed) on Homestars and decided to call them. We met with Daimon and were very impressed with his knowledge and his ideas for replacing our retaining wall. We received a detailed quote for the work to be done and that was the price we paid. We are very happy with the result. It was better than we could even have imagined. Working with Daimon, Terry and Scott was a very pleasant and stress free experience. They are professional, reliable, knowledgeable and approachable. There is no guess work with them; they arrived when they said they would arrive and informed us when weather prohibited them working. We are so happy to have found them. Not only do we highly recommend them to anyone seeking landscaping work but we hope we will have the opportunity to hire them again when we decide to take on additional projects in our backyard.

We met Daimon of Forest Hills (now Ashlar Landscapes--Ed) after meeting with 2 other contractors. He was the only one who was able to listen and understand what we were looking for while coming up with some other great ideas that complemented ours perfectly! We needed our entire backyard landscaped as it was completely bare. Daimon designed a beautiful plan that included a large stone patio, walkways, and tree rings to go along around several large trees.
Daimon showed up on the day he promised with a crew of two, ready to get to work. They moved quickly, and he easily accepted a few changes we wanted to make as they went along. The end result is BEAUTIFUL! Since the project was completed at the end of July, we have had numerous dinner parties and BBQs and the compliments on our yard are nonstop.
Bottom Line - we would absolutely recommend Forest Hills to anyone! We were so pleased with the outcome and working with Daimon was one of the best experiences we have had with a contractor. He was so knowledgeable and helpful throughout the entire process. We know that for any future work we want done we will definitely use Forest Hills Design Group!

A huge thank you to the other reviewers who evaluated Forest Hills Design Group (now Ashlar Landscapes--Ed) since their reviews were what first directed us FHDG's way.
It is with great pleasure that I offer this testimonial regarding landscaping work carried out at our home by FHDG. If you are reading this review then like us you are on “Homestars” seeking help in finding a reliable and honest contractor.

After contacting a number of companies, we eventually narrowed our search to two. While both had received very favourable reviews on this site, we were amazed by the substantial price difference between both (almost 20%). Since we felt the other company had given us an inflated quote and as we had a limited budget we went with FHDC (I have to confess with some second guessing as per the adage “you get what you pay for”). Giving us some comfort was the positive first impression that Forest Hills owner, Daimon Ferguson, made when we met him.

From start to finish this was a dream project (I am in no way connected to Forest Hills less the enthusiasm of my review raises that question). Immediately after meeting with Daimon we received a detailed quote. He committed to commence the work on a specific date and he did! We had been prepared for work on the project to stop and start as other client demands surfaced. However, Daimon and his team turned up early each morning and worked non-stop through supper time, until the project was completed in record time.

Daimon is the consummate professional, he takes great pride in his work and his attention to detail is amazing. He couldn't have treated our project any better if it were his own home. His guidance and suggestions as the design evolved were invaluable. Even once work started he was extremely flexible to design changes to make sure we were 100% happy with the final look. He had tremendous patience as we hummed and hawed about what we actually wanted, eventually guiding us to a project that we both love and which has greatly enhanced the value of our home. We have already had people at our door asking for his card.

We had waited a long time to do this project and couldn’t be happier with the final result. The quote and final invoice were exactly the same, no hidden costs, even when our design changes expanded slightly....

Working with Daimon was such a pleasure, honest and sincere, he was a true professional and we are delighted to sing his praises to others seeking a recommendation and look forward to having him involved with future projects. Go with Daimon and FHDG.....you truly won’t be sorry.

My wife and I having nothing but glowing words for the job just recently completed (July 2009). Daimon did an outstanding job transforming the front of our house with stone the length of our walkway and on our porch as well as a beautiful new garden wall. Not only was it quick and on budget but was done well ahead of the original schedule.

It was a pleasure dealing with Daimon and I valued the input and design concepts he presented. I have absolutely no hestiataion in recommending FHDG (now Ashlar Landscapes--Ed) to friends and family. We are already planning a follow-up session with Daimon and his partner on some horticultural work and will absolutely engage them again for future work planned in our backyard.

A big thank you to FHDG for the outstanding job. Mike

Forest Hill Design Group (now Ashlar Landscapes--Ed) does great work.
We initially met with four contractors. We were impressed with FHDG from the very first meeting. The owners and staff are friendly and professional. They provided us with honest and accurate advice. It was a stress-free, problem-free project from beginning to end. The finished product has definitely met our expectations and we continually receive compliments from our neighbours and guests.

When you're making a significant investment in a service, it's not just about the result, but also how it was done. I'm very pleased to report that the FHDG (now Ashlar Landscapes--Ed) team of Daimon and Terry proved to be an outstanding choice in every respect. It was easy to see that these guys CARE about their customer and the service they provide - right from the initial consult and quote to the final product. Daimon was incredibly helpful in the original design, selection of materials and suggestions for making it all look great. For example, the natural stone steps garner stares from passersby every day. And to top it all off, they worked diligently and quickly getting the job done in just one week. Did I mention attention to detail was top notch? Companies this good book up very quickly - better call them soon. You won't regret it.

I had my front steps and interlock replaced with the tumbled Unilock stone by this team.

These guys worked quite fast - it actually took them less that a week from start to finish.

We picked this company out of seven different proposals because: 1) they provided a very detailed estimate, 2) they were always available and very easy to talk to, 3) their price was not the highest, and 4) they guarantee their work.

And they turned out to be a good pick, since they also were quite eager to swiftly accomodate all additional requests we made at no or reasonable cost.

It's also important to note that their attitude towards us, customers, remained very professional until the very end of the project. I could safely ask any questions and expect a good professional response.

The end result changed the front of the house look completely. Bypassers often stop and tell us how nice it all looks. I may not be very objective at this point, but we're probably the only house in the area with such beautiful front steps and interlock :).

We hired Forest Hills to design (now Ashlar Landscapes--Ed0 and build a patio and walkway in our backyard - it was a truly great experience and we would recommend them to anyone!
We weren't really sure what we wanted done, and Daimon came out to our house several times with design ideas and options for us to choose from. He was always available to answer our questions and easily accommodated several changes during the process.
The project was completed within our time frame and budget - no surprises. We are so happy with the results and can't wait until the spring so we can enjoy our backyard again!

First of all, I would like to affirm that no one in my household is personally connected with "Forest Hills Design Group" in any way, shape, or form. Furthermore, I don’t usually post reviews on the Internet. It was so difficult to find the right contractor, however, that we would like to help others avoid the aggravation. A positive referral is definitely warranted in this case, since we received better than average service from Forest Hills Design Group.

Here is our story...

We wanted to get an interlock patio done in our backyard, and we solicited quotes from many different companies we found through stone suppliers, local flyers, and the internet. Several organizations did not even respond to our e-mail and voice mail messages, or they wanted a deposit to visit and provide an estimate.

Of the three companies that responded with a quote, the first company, (that shall go unnamed but does a lot of advertising in our area) came to our house but offered little or nothing beyond fast talk – no written estimate, no brochure for us to see the available product lines, no advice, no follow up, not even a business card. The representative eyed-balled our backyard and spat out a bunch of numbers without measuring anything, leaving us with little more than a vague verbal estimate based on 300 square feet. The second company, which advertises heavily in our area as well through flyers, came to our house and provided a more professional estimate. On follow up, however, they were reluctant to provide contact information for references.

Finally, our best experience by far was Forest Hills Design Group. From Day One, when Mr. Ferguson came to meet us and discuss our needs, it was clear that he listens closely, and had plenty of suggestions of how to complete the job. He suggested stones and designs that would be right for our familiy’s needs (e.g safe stone surfaces for babies and shallow step heights for seniors). The next day he e-mailed us a detailed written estimate for scope of the project, along with a list of references, plus a number of digital photos of their previous work, showing their workmanship and design. All of the references were delighted with F.H.D.G.’s work and added that they would use them again. We concur.

With F.H.D.G there were no surprises, no hassles, no hidden costs, the job was completed in a reasonable time, and the results are fantastic. The team of Daimon and Terry kept us informed at each stage of the project and worked in a respectful and orderly fashion that did not intrude on our lives or annoy our neighbours. Our backyard is much improved.

Thanks for reading,

Marcos in Maple

We recently had an interlocking stone driveway, front entrance steps, walkways and garden wall installed by Daimon and Terry, co-owners of Forest Hills Design Group. From the detailed written estimate (complete with photos and references from previous jobs) through a design incorporating both our ideas and theirs, to hands-on construction by the owners themselves (with 2 assistants), Daimon and Terry proved to be knowledgeable, competent and professional in all aspects of interlocking stone installation. They communicated clearly, listened closely to our ideas and answered all questions gladly. They are authorized Unilock contractors, and explained the importance of using proper base materials (which several contractors doing similar work at other homes on our street did not use) and quality stone. The finished result was beautiful! As part of their service, they filled the gardens with topsoil and seeded the lawn where it had been trampled during construction. They even kindly planted a large Japanese maple for us that we would have struggled with. When it came time to settle accounts, there were no surprises. Daimon and Terry honoured their estimate, and quoted reasonable prices as we went along for an additional walkway and 3 pillars that we asked for. Their work is guaranteed for 3 years. Forest Hills Design Group is not a large company; your project won't be done in one day by legions of workers swarming everywhere and making a big mess. But Daimon and Terry do a careful, meticulous job in a most professional, friendly way. We highly recommend them and their exceptional work!