Tucson Turf
I met with Tucson Turf’s salesperson (Jimmie) to discuss a domestic project turning a grassed area of my yard into artificial turf – measuring about 500 sq ft. The area encompassed 4 established fruit trees and the tree wells surrounding them. In my discussions with Jimmie I indicated my desire to have the tree wells “finished” with some kind of visually pleasing border. In addition I wanted the existing water lines used for irrigation of the grass buried under the turf and capped off above ground in the backyard for future water use (misting, waterfall etc.). I indicated I would be prepared to pay extra for these requirements. Throughout the conversation Jimmie assured me that they accommodated requests like this all the time and they would “look after me”. I signed a contract for just under $5000 and put 50% down, and was given a date for about 2 months in the future.
A week ahead of the planned installation I still hadn’t heard anything about the tree wells or water lines, so I contacted the office (Wendy) by email, and was directed to call Jimmie. So I did. He assured me everything would be taken care of and promised to have his “tree guy” call me. Indeed Randy did call me to schedule a visit, but could only free up time on the evening before the installation. I went over my thoughts on the tree wells with Randy Thursday evening. He seemed a bit incredulous that he was expected to do anything in less than 24 hours, but told me he’d be in touch with Jimmie.
The next day the turf was installed. I met the workers. They were amicable and helpful. Their end-product was a respectable job. Nice levelling and water run-off. Good base excavation and preparation. No visible seam-lines. Good-looking grass.
However, I couldn’t find the capped off water lines. They weren’t done. The tree wells weren’t done either. The turf had been cut in a circular pattern around the wells, but only in a 3-foot radius, not the 6-foot radius Randy and I had talked about. In addition the sand had not been removed from inside the tree wells, but instead lay 3 inches deep right up to each tree trunk.
Of course I called Jimmie who assured me they would look after it. He even volunteered to come over and look after the tree wells himself – which I politely declined. We signed off the call with him promising me he would get back to me. I didn’t hear anything so called him a few days later and left a voice-mail message. He never returned my call.
Over the next three weeks, my fruit trees began to wilt despite aggressive watering because of the thick layer of sand suffocating their root systems. So I paid my own landscaper to cut the turf around the tree wells back to a 6 foot diameter. I then hauled out four or five 5-gallon pails of sand per tree ( half a cubic yard of sand) dumping it in my front yard, which I then paid to have taken away. I bought my own paving stones and lined the tree wells to finish them. The project took me 2 ½ weekends to complete.
Seven months later, without any explanation of the delay or offer of reconciliation Tucson Turf sent me an email invoicing me for the remaining $2420. I’m going to pay it because I signed the contract, which of course only spelled out the turf installation – not the “project” Jimmie assured me would be completed to my satisfaction. I had a conference call with Jimmie and the owner (Toby). Jimmie denied pretty much everything. Toby offered to give me a discount on a maintenance contract for the turf. I thought splitting the difference in the outstanding balance would have been a nice gesture to avoid ending this all on a bad note. But the best Toby could offer was $200 reduction in the final amount (a 4% discount).
I hope that through this complaint other consumers can shop elsewhere and avoid the disappointment I’ve experienced, not in the product – but in the service. I have some nice looking expensive turf. And I like my tree wells – I did them myself! But I will never be able to run the water lines to my backyard without ripping out the turf.
Buyer beware. Apparently Tucson Turf knows how to lay expensive turf, but that’s about all they’re interested in. And they know nothing about customer satisfaction.