Hobson Landscapes

Landscape Contractors & Designers
Toronto ON M1N 2N6
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Reviews for Hobson Landscapes

Average customer rating:
9.9 10 (55 reviews)

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johnner
johnner
15 reviews Toronto, ON
8/10

Complete backyard Reno, Porch, Deck and Paver Walkway

First of all I would like to start by saying overall we are pleased with the result but getting to that result had some bumps along the way creating more stress and problems then I was hoping for during this reno. Ted is a very nice and honest contractor and does decent work however there are some major problems in the area of communication.

There was a lack of good communication both between us and Ted, and between Ted and his crew. There was very little attention paid to details and virtually no review of the details before hand. We tried to discuss all these things before the start of the Job but it was left that it would all work out and we didn’t need to do this.

To be fair as well we did have a lot of rain and bad weather for the first part of the project and I know this can create some issues and am factoring that out of this review, it has no impact on my rating.

There were a number of things I would say were not done “as if it was their own house” which is what I expect for a 10/10 rating.

Examples include:
1) not cementing high enough on the fence post that was installed, when I mentioned it they added more, but it was done poorly (rushed I think) and I had to re-do it myself.
2) not taking care when putting in the pavers to use the “nicer” looking side and avoid putting 3 bad corners together. This is another thing I ended up doing myself since it was something I could do in the evening.
3) Adding some cement based caulking at the corner of the house and the cement was done so poorly (I think from a new worker) that it would have caused more problems then it was intended to solve.
4) There were a number of things also done poorly and while His crew attempted to fix them, they were still not done the way it should have been had it been done correctly in the first place but going back a third time seems like too much stress to handle and we can fix it ourselves down the road and frankly I expected a bit of a discount for some of these issues.
5) 2 of the 3 deck lights were visibly crooked and had to be straightened out
6) The lights for the garden and deck took almost 4 weeks to come in yet we were advised to pick them out 1 week before the end of the job when this should have been something done when we first signed to contract so that it could all be done at the same time.
7) tried to talk us out of doing a circular herb garden at least 2 times which was in our plans and something we definitely wanted.

We were however very pleased with some of your suggestions and recommendations including the river rock under the fence between our yards and the fact that you re-sanded the entire pathway for the neighbours (due to a few dislodged stones as a result of our fence post replacement request). Also the cedar board in front of the shed was a great idea. I was also very pleased with the attention and quality of the work done for the window sill (your masonry guy does really nice work).

In summary I would say as long as you are watching what is going on and make sure ALL the details of your project are worked out before hand. Do a detailed walk around with your drawing and what you are planning and make sure it is written down what is expected and is to be done. Sure things can change once stuff actually gets laid out properly but at least you wont come home to surprises that you were not expecting. I would also suggest to Ted that he take the time to really walk through and look at what his crew has done and he would see these things before we did and correct them himself, thus causing us to be pleased instead of stressed about having to mention all these little problems since it felt like they were received with some apprehension.

Aug 14, 2014 edit to correct spelling mistakes and adjust a formatting issue that said 23 times when it should have been 2-3 times. also raised the rating to 8 based on Teds very thoughtful response.

Review has 1 previous version
Approximate cost of services:
$28,000.00
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

While I would like to defend myself on a lot of the problems brought up in this review, I would rather focus on the big picture; that the clients were not happy and I’m responsible for that.

I have certainly learned a great deal from this project. Most importantly on projects with multiple features (decks, fences, patios, gardens, lighting systems) and with complex features (curved decks, curved patios, tight access) I need to budget a lot more for project management and design time. Many times projects like these require hours and hours of consultation, change orders, material sourcing etc. and on this particular project I did not allow enough for this.

Also, I have learned to be more firm on the types of products and services I deliver (ie using lights that are a regularly stocked item at my supplier). I will also be more careful in the future when installing projects I have not designed.

As my business grows, the projects are getting more and more complex and the expectations are getting higher and higher. Its my challenge to take experiences like these and use them to improve my business.

When this project was finished I felt overall proud of the work that had been done. I felt that I had delivered good value for money and although I had made a few mistakes, the important parts of the project were done with attention to quality and detail.

Liana in Davisville Village
Liana in Davisville Village
1 review Toronto, ON
9/10

Bathroom had been roughed in, needed to be "built". Plumbing needed to be rejigged, insulation, vapour barrier, dry walling, pot lights installed, vanity custom fitted, etc

Ted Hobson, of Hobson Landscaping, did a great job on my bathroom build. The job was done seamlessly, painlessly, timely and professionally. His carpentry work is quite impressive. Ted is easy to deal with. I am really pleased with the results.

Approximate cost of services:
$4,800.00
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Company Response

Thanks Liana, it was a fun project, I think the bathroom looks great. Please let me know if there was something you weren't happy with.

will toronto
will toronto
1 review Scarborough, ON
10/10

stone steps

I was impressed from day one. ted was both responsive and patient while we worked through finding a solution that fit my budget. The crew was very professional and did a great job The end result exceeded my expectations and my front yard is now the envy of all the neighbors. I will definitely be giving these guys a call again for future projects.

Approximate cost of services:
$15,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks very much Will. I really enjoyed working on you're project. I love working with armour rock and I think you're yard is definitely tops on the block. Have a happy holidays!

DT - East York
DT - East York
3 reviews EAST YORK, ON
10/10

landscaping - interlock, curb wall

Ted and his crew were very professional and friendly throughout the entire process, from quote to completion...and the results exceeded expectations. They took the time to explain things and made me feel comfortable with the entire project. And the best part is everything looks great!

Approximate cost of services:
$6,000.00
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Company Response

Thanks Derek, thanks very much for everything. I hope you have a happy holidays!

HSears in Toronto
HSears in Toronto
2 reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

Backyard Landscaping, Natural Stone, Garden bed

Ted and his crew were everything you are looking for from a landscape company - courteous, efficient, reliable and genuinely nice. They transformed our small yard from a useless catch-all storage space to a family friendly, beautiful space that we will use year-round. Ted had great suggestions to bring our hopes for the space to reality and we couldn't be happier with the result. Even better, the price was right and perfectly aligned with the quote.

Approximate cost of services:
$10,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks very much Heather. I'm glad you're happy with the yard. I love working on small yards because only a few simple changes can have a huge impact.

Happy holidays!

keith in Toronto
keith in Toronto
14 reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

landscaping

Ted and his team were great! They showed up when they said they would, and remained on site until completed. They did the work they said they would and they made everything look awesome!
I would recommend Ted to anyone

Approximate cost of services:
$14,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks very much Keith. It was a pleasure. I'm glad you're happy with everything.

Judith Danforth/Donlands
Judith Danforth/Donlands
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

Garden Landscaping

I find there are very few contractors who actually listen to what you want and take the time to make sure the details are taken care of, Hobson Landscapes did everything I asked for and more. Ted and his crew were always professional, listened to my concerns (which were very minor in the big scheme of the great job they did) and did a fantastic job. I would happily recommend them.

Approximate cost of services:
$24,000.00
What could this company do to improve their services?
nothing they were amazing
Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
Find someone who will listen to your ideas and then offer suggestions to improve them if needed. Ted spent alot of time discussing plans as I had not used a landscape designer. He is great
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Company Response

Thank you so much for the nice review Judith. It was a pleasure working for you. You are too hard on you're self, you're concerns were as you say "minor in the big scheme" and easy to accommodate. I also really liked the pictures. I haven't had a chance to come back and take any myself.

Have a nice holiday season

Wayne in Upper Beaches
Wayne in Upper Beaches
1 review Toronto, ON
10/10

Full yard overhaul

Ted and his fine crew worked on every part of what is a compact corner property. The only exception was the driveway, but even this had some creative interlock work on one side to blend it with the rest of the project.

The contract included: an extensive amour stone retaining wall; stone slab steps; a complete front porch rebuild; rear deck, fence and storage area; and some interlock brick work.

The experience working with Ted was exceptional from the get go. We had a few contractors quote on our pre-prepared design concept. Ted immediately stood out as personable, knowledgeable, experienced and competitively priced. He fully understood our design intent. As someone who is in the design business, I may have been more “hands-on” as a client during the course of construction. This did not faze Ted. His suggestions regarding a number of details were instrumental in bringing our vision to reality.
While he may have desired to complete the project slightly earlier, we were pleased with the timing overall. And, despite a few additions/modifications to the plan, he remained on budget.

Ted’s team was shortlisted mainly due to reviews on HomeStars. He and crew did not disappoint and have proven more than capable of deftly handling projects that are larger in scale. We would hire them again in an instant.

Approximate cost of services:
$45,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks Wayne. We all really enjoyed working for you and Ruth. You were a great client. Sometimes its harder to have no input from the client than to have lots. That way problems are fixed before its too late, or before its really difficult.

Thanks again

Pierre 57
Pierre 57
3 reviews Toronto, ON
10/10

Front Yard Renovation

Ted Hobson and his crew of wonderful workers just completed the renovation of our front yard and we are elated! The contract included replacing the front porch (pressure-treated wood), re-building the garden wall, and replacing the stones in the walkway.
Ted was very responsive when we asked for a quote, and he provided us with a very detailed plan of what we had in mind. He also made very good suggestions, including the use of India stones for the walkway instead of Interlock. Altogether, working with Ted was a pleasant experience and we had the feeling he was listening to us.
We had to postpone the work for a few months, but when we were ready, Ted and his crew showed up on the morning they were supposed to be here. And the work finished right on time! We were amazed how nice everybody was on that team. Even our neighbour who is doing her front yard by herself kept saying how nice Ted's crew was and how they would give her tips during the day!
I highly recommend Ted Hobson, especially if you want to renovate a small lot in the city. He will bring great ideas, a top notch crew, and you will be amazed with the results!

Approximate cost of services:
$10,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks very much Pierre! We had a great time. Its great to see a few small changes make such a large impact. I was also very impressed with you're neighbor's work too!

Paul  in West Kelowna
Paul in West Kelowna
2 reviews NORTH YORK, ON
10/10

Deck and stone patio

We booked Ted and his crew in the winter of 2009 to rebuild our deck and create an outdoor dining area. From the beginning Ted was very professional offering great suggestions and experienced advice. We wanted to use composite decking but Ted suggested using Ipe hardwood instead and we are very pleased with the recommendation. He created some very professional drawings that helped illustrate our options and explain the project clearly. Even after much planning, there were a few changes made during the project. Ted was helpful throughout, making good suggestions, dealing with any issues in stride and being proactive. His crew was very polite, clean and efficient. We did have a small issue with some grass dying and Ted came back and replaced it for us. They showed up on time, when they said they would, and completed the project on time. Ted was not the least expensive quote we had but we certainly feel we received great value for our money. We would not hesitate to recommend Ted and his crew.

Approximate cost of services:
$32,000.00
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Company Response

Thanks very much Paul. You're project was great fun. You and Harriet were great people to work for. Let me know if I can help at all in the future.

The reviews on this page are the subjective opinion of the Author and not of HomeStars Inc.

More about Hobson Landscapes

Hobson Landscapes provides design and build services for all types and sizes of landscape and home renovation projects. We work hard to provide our clients with personalized service tailored to their specific needs and budget.
Company profile information is not moderated by HomeStars. Ask the contractor to verify before hiring.
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