Our goal at Pro Grade Landscaping is to attract business that benefits and impacts our communities in a positive way. We take pride in our landscaping work and our standards are second to none. We have designed our web services to accommodate you and make you life easier. You may book an estimate online, plus many more features like; online billing read more...
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Do not do business or enter into a contract for landscape services (or any services) with Prograde Landscape and/or the owner Stephan Bains. We entered into a landscaping service contract in early July, 2019 and provided a $2,500 deposit and he was to start end of July.
We have sent him numerous emails, texts and have left several voice messages. He has not communicated with us since he cashed the $2,500 cheque and has not provided any services.
We noticed some negative reviews but we chose to ignore them as he seemed honest. Now, too late for us, we have discovered that he has 21 judgments against him and/or his company Prograde Landscape. Please do your due diligence and visit the website https://justice.gov.bc.ca/cso/esearch/civil/partySearch.do. Search the name Stephen Bains and you will see numerous civil small claims judgments against him.
Stephen Bains, owner of Prograde landscaping came to our home to provide a quote for some concrete work. Steven seem very professional at first and we provided him a $1000 deposit to complete the work in the coming two months. Steven proceeded to make a series of appointments with us to come and complete the work and then did not show up. After several months he stopped returning our phone calls emails and text messages. Eventually we hired another contractor to complete the work. Despite several attempts, a Better Business Bureau complaint, and ongoing resolutions through small claims BC, Stephen has never returned our $1000 deposit and has not completed the work.
The legal process to have our money returned has proved to be not even worth the effort. We will have to spend much more money to see even a fraction of our $1000 returned. I would not recommend Steven to anyone.
***Update - Two Years later****
I just received an email that Stephen had responded to my review... two years later... and laughed out loud. This is exactly in line with how Stephen operated when we hired him.
I imagine he probably thinks two years is an appropriate amount of time to get back to someone. Maybe he’ll return my calls now too.
Still don’t have my deposit back though...
Two years has made this just an irritating memory of that time I didn’t do my due diligence before hiring a scam artist. Lesson learned the expensive way.
Don’t take my word for it though... check him out on BBB or, even better, search the public court registry for a listing of all the cases against him...
I'm sorry you felt the need to give us a negative review. Sarah's husband did hire us to complete some Kwik Kerb and we set up a time for the job to start within the time frame we agreed on. We got calls from Sarah soon after as she was not happy with the timing. Sarah cancelled the job with almost no notice. We received several threats from Sarah afterwards and decided to stop any future work on site. We stand behind our decision and our hundreds of happy customers.
Great job completed. Timely, cost efficient, knowledgable. Then 2 trees died, I guess we under watered. However it was outside the warranty time so we prepaid the $90 to get 2 more plus the laying of mulch and stuff for the row. The mulch was never done and now the 2 shrubs have died (same 2 as he replaced) - it wasn't due to under watering as all the others are fine. Repeated phone calls and emails (with pictures) have remained unanswered (except for one that said "Sure am Troy I have a meeting tomorrow right by your place so I'll be stopping by after. Cheers!"-April 21st 2015 and again on sept 17th "I will stop by early next week and have a look. Looks like they need to be replaced. Ill follow up soon." - these 2 emails of his compared to about 8 of mine...not to mention about 2 voice mails. Still haven't heard from him. These 2 replacements shrubs were still under warranty when I made the complaint about their demise...interesting to see if he gets back to me now that I've complained. This is my first complaint ever, but geez, I paid upfront and have not got what I paid for. At least call me back Stephen.
From Troy.
Troy I believe your shrubs were in fact planted long ago . We were not aware of this until reading the review. I am always happy to replace something if it was under warranty and yes your trees were bone dry when I stopped in :( however if you feel we owe you a shrub or two please call us to chat!
I hired Prograde Landscaping to do a large landscaping job on two of my parents' properties. The work was completed in full but towards the end there was no communication. However we discovered after the work was done and he was paid in full that the sod company he used was never paid. We received a letter saying that they tried to reach Stephen on multiple occasions and when they did speak with him they were told that we would pay them directly by credit card. I never had such a conversation and my invoice says specifically that we paid Prograde for the sod. The sod company has placed a lein on our house because they can't reach Prograde and he hasn't paid them. Now I can't reach Stephen. His phone goes directly to voicemail and he won't answer my emails. The company name he used to get the sod was a different company name "Green with Envy Contracting". This is not the name I hired him under. I have logged a complaint with the BBB and am awaiting resolution. We want this billed paid and the lein removed from the home.
Kelly hired us to do some work and it was completed to her satisfaction. She decided after working with me for months and praising our work (posted on my website) that she would call the BBB before making contact first to sort the situation in which I agree with her on most aspects. The invoices were eventually paid in full, but what Kelly is leaving out is she had not paid the invoice upon completing the job as stated in our contract. She stated she did not have the money and would have to pay over time after I went ahead and competed countless extras and touch ups upon her request. There was no issue with this as I did not believe she wouldn't pay eventually, Kelly was great to work with up until this point. This non payment on Kelly's side caused a miscommunication between the the Sod company myself and Kelly. The company was told I would have to put it on my credit card as the client did not pay upon completion of the job, this led to them thinking she was paying, this was not the case. This issue is being dealt with, as for my company name, Pro Grade Landscaping is whom Kelly hired and we have some accounts under other DBA's as such required for different suppliers. We are currently resolving the invoices.
We were very unsatisfied with Mr. Bain. He is an extremely nice individual but his service is non-existant. He never followed through with appointments, always having some excuse why he didn't call or show up. We, on the other hand planned our day around these app'ts, even making a special trip back from Nanaimo to be here. He finally came and laid down a portion of gravel, promising to be back the next day. It was so frustrating as we had another landscaper waiting to install our lawn and patio and we had to keep changing our app'ts with him. We finally cancelled our contract and requested an invoice for work done and the balance of our deposit. We have made many attempts but to date have received nothing. I have now contacted CRA and will also pass this along to the BBB. As I said Stephen is a super nice guy and I feel bad having to keep chasing him. From other comments he likely does great work, but I can see where we are not the only ones who have had this experience.
Dorothy hired Pro Grade Landscaping to install a Kwik Kerb stamped concrete border around her gardens. I had prepped her job and it was ready to be curbed. She was made aware from the beginning that weather plays a big role and we cannot work if rain is forecasted. We explained thoroughly that if this happens the work is done on the next nice day. Her project happened to be an hour drive from my office so i called to speak with her and rarely got an answer or call back, most of time I had to contact her via email to get a response. She unfortunately cancelled the project and I regret any hassle I may have caused her with timing however we do our best with the circumstances we are given at the time. Weather will always play a role in pouring any concrete and I would never rush a job or risk quality to complete a job sooner. She was recommended by a neighbour and had no reason to believe our work would not be above and beyond her expectations. (I have been in contact with her regarding her concerns and did not see these comments until recently).
-Stephen
Mr bains took our 2,000 dollar deposit and did not answer phone calls or show up the days or times he promised he did a fraction of the work promised, we got frustrated with the work being three weeks over due and no progress so we let him go.We asked for the deposit back he still has not done this .When he provided an invoice of the work he claimed to have done it was clear he bumped all the original prices by four times the original quote price . Please be aware that Mr bains does not have a business license in Saanich or Langford.
Pro Grade Landscaping was never hired by Suzanne at any point in time. We did work for her father who hired Pro Grade Landscaping to complete a clean up and lawn renovation. We did have delays completing the job but this was due to Suzanne's husband having us sidetracked from the start doing extra work at the property. When we had completed all the grunt work they decided they did not want to wait a few days for the tools to be available as it was a busy time of year and requested the deposit back in full. We were eager to get the job completed and had kept her father informed throughout the process before Suzanne told us not to come back to the job which was a breach of our contract with her father which stated a written notice and time frame were required to back out of any part of the contract. We completed $1800 in work which was exactly what we said it would cost in the estimate and on the contract for much more than we charged. We do have our licence and are fully insured. The work completed included the following:
Product/Service Qty Price Amount
clean up
Remove debris and brush at back of yard. 6 hrs @ 45 p.m.h 6 $45.00 $270.00
Dump fees
Dump fees (old lawn, blackberry bushes and tree limbs) 3 $75.00 $225.00
Lawn tear down lawn area
Stunt lawn and remove debris including cleaning up fence line and around trees, 1 $420.00 $420.00
clean up
clean up gardens additional to original quote. (beds beside patio) 1 $45.00 $45.00
Remove pond
remove pond and dispose of materials. 1 hr @ $45 p.m.h. + dump/recycle fees -$55 1 $100.00 $100.00
Fence prep
Preparing fence measurements and mapping out fence line - pruning of shrubs at gate for fence posts to be installed. 2 hours @ $45 p.m.h. 2 $45.00 $90.00
clean up
Garbage hauling - $240 (PAID IN FULL) 1 $0.00 $0.00
Tool Rentals
Aerator, Dethatcher/Power Rake *no delivery charge. 2 $90.00 $180.00
clean up
remove rotten wood stack at back of yard and side of fence line on the left side of property. 1 $175.00 $175.00
clean up
remove blocks stacked at back of yard under overgrowth. 1 $125.00 $125.00
Tree Pruning
Remove low hanging and damaged branches around yard. Skirt tree 3 ft beside garage in order to see property line and install fence. 1 $95.00 $95.00
Lawn Mow
Mow, trim and blow out front yard. 1 $0.00 $0.00
Clean up side of house
Clean up tall weeds at side of house. 1 $0.00 $0.00
Subtotal: $1,725.00
gst: $86.25
Total: $1,811.25
Payments:
Jun. 23, 2014 $100.00
Jun. 23, 2014 $2,000.00
Total paid: $2,100.00
Amount due:
$-288.75
Working with Stephen was extremly painful. Communication was simply non existant. He would not respond to email, not answer his phone or call back when I left voicemails. Although the work was complete I had the worst time dealing with Stephen and would not recommend.
We were hired by Marjorie to prepare her back lawn for seeding. We had agreed on starting the project over the weekend but when it came to start she had not made the deposit required or signed the contract. After agreeing to a payment plan, that she still has not completed to date, we started work the following week.
Throughout the project Marjorie was rude, overly demanding and on several occasions made numerous threats. We came across a carpenter ant hill that was in the middle of her lawn and informed her that the chemicals we use take a few days to work and we would have to finish the following week. She agreed and we finished the following week. The yard was left tidy and ready to spread seed. We did a walk through and she had no issues with the work done. After we had completed the work we went ahead and helped her with some extras at no charge and advised her on the best ways to get her lawn up and growing quickly. Marjorie was always informed and we stayed in constant communication with her throughout the job.
-Pro Grade Landscaping
Pro Grade Landscaping has a TrustScore™ of 2.5. The average TrustScore™ for other businesses providing similar services in Victoria and the surrounding areas is 3. For detailed information on how TrustScore is calculated, click here to learn more.
The following elements are used to calculate TrustScore:
Customer Reviews | Last 12 Months | All Time |
---|---|---|
Total Received | 0 | 20 |
Approved | 0 | 15 |
Unverified | 0 | 5 |
Suspicious | 0 | 0 |
Overall Rating | 3.1/5 |
Complaints Received | Last 12 Months | Last 3 Years |
---|---|---|
Suppliers & Creditors | 0 | 0 |
Employees & Sub-Contractors | 0 | 0 |
Transparency | |
---|---|
Posted License Information | N/A |
Posted Liability Insurance | Available upon request |
Posted Workers Compensation | Available upon request |
Company Website | Yes |
Social Media Profiles | |
Endorsed by Peers | Not yet endorsed |
In Business Since | 2002 |
Member of TrustedPros Since | 2011 |
TrustedPros does not validate certain information provided by contractors and vendors in conjunction with the creation or maintenance of their profile and we cannot endorse or guarantee the performance of any contractor. TrustScores are provided for informational purposes only. We urge you to use the TrustScore™ in conjunction with the tips provided in our Hiring Guide to maximize the probability of hiring the best professional for you project.
Carpentry, Concrete Work, Decks, Demolition Work, Excavation Services, Fencing, General Contracting, Gutters, Home Restoration, Irrigation Systems, Land Clearing, Land Surveying, Lawn Care, Power Washing, Property Maintenance, Snow Removal, Tiling, Trash Removal, Tree Services, Waterproofing, Window Cleaning
Pro Grade Landscaping has received employee and/or sub-contractor complaints
Complaint: I worked for Steven for a few weeks. When pay day arrived he left town to go camping and stopped communicating with me. Sadly, I did not see the previously posted complaints of non-payment. I do not suggest working for this company if you wish to get paid.
Complaint: I worked for stephen for about a month. When it was time to get paid stephen just stopped communicating with me and started ignoring my phone calls. I began calling Stephen from friends phones where he would answer, and would say that he would come by and pay me but to this day I have not recieved any pay. I took stephen to small claims, but stephen would always no show. I ended up dropping the case, but I would not recommend anyone to him. I was a broke student at UVIC at the time and Stephen really took advantage and set me back financially.
Our goal at Pro Grade Landscaping is to attract business that benefits and impacts our communities in a positive way. We take pride in our landscaping work and our standards are second to none.
We have designed our web services to accommodate you and make you life easier. You may book an estimate online, plus many more features like; online billing, automatic billing for regular clients, with credit cards and debit card payments accepted.
At Pro Grade landscaping, Victoria, BC, we focus on innovation, creativity and being a good neighbour. We ensure quality workmanship, communication and partnerships with our clients so you get the landscape you want.
Some of our services include: complete landscape deign and installation, land surveying, interlocking brick, all types of patios, driveways and pathways, decorative concrete edging by Kwik Kerb , masonry work, retaining walls, lawn renovations, perimeter drains, excavating, tree work, planting, windows and gutters, power-washing de-mossing, and full service property maintenance packages.
We believe our Landscaping and Gardening company can thrive in Victoria and surrounding communities when we focus our business on delivering the highest level of landscaping services to clients, while insisting on protecting our environment and positively contributing to our landscapes and communities.
Main contact(s) | Stephen Bains |
Listed with TrustedPros since: | 2011 |
Residential work | Yes |
Commercial work | Yes |
Warranty | 1 year structural warranty inured on all construction. |
Accepts credit cards | Yes |
Year established | 2002 |
Offers financing | Yes |
24 Hour emergency service | Yes |
Legal structure | Sole Proprietor |
Licensing information | Business does not require a trade license |
Insurance information | Insurance information available upon request |
Check local laws pertaining to license requirements and verify license and insurance details provided by the contractor prior to hiring.