Sure Loc Interlocking - Out of Business

I have resisted writing a review right away to allow myself a "cool-down" period. I was looking at my interlocking this afternoon and decided that it's time to let others know my experience with this company.

I dealt with sales person "Doug" who was prompt in setting up an appointment and giving me a quote. I decided to go with them because I was impress with how quickly they got back to me after I called them. Doug came to my home in person and measured out everything, and I discussed with him a possible issue with the side walkway into the backyard being too narrow to allow machines to pass through. Doug basically promised me the world saying that it's absolutely not a problem, and that he knows someone that can move my A/C unit into the backyard for only "a couple hundred dollars at most", and he'll pass me his contact. Further, to get me to sign the contract, he said that if all else fails, they have enough people to "dig up the backyard portion by hand, all it takes is 5 guys and a bit of time, it's no problem" if even though I was skeptical.

I asked that those details be included in the contract, but Doug who was initial pleasant to deal with and told me that "I am a man of my words", and tells me that the company will have the job done in the next 2 weeks at most. A big mistake on my part for believing him.

Over the course of the 2 weeks, I called his "contact" and also 5 or 6 different companies, all of whom tells me that it'll cost upwards of $1000 to do the job properly in moving the A/C unit to the back, and it's certainly not a $200 job. I called Doug back to let him know of this, who after I had left numerous messages finally calls me back and rudely tells me "I don't know what you want me to do about it, I gave you a good price and I dare you to go find another company to give you the same quality stones we're "giving" you for the same price. " I told him that all I want was a proper job for my home.

When the excavation team finally shows up after 3 months, and with a phone call one morning out of the blue, tell me they are coming in the afternoon, they show up with an impressive fleet of vehicles and crew. Then their boss "Ron" takes a look at the A/C unit in the side walkway, and asks me "why isn't this moved already??"

I tried explaining my interactions with Doug, but he didn't seem to care to listen, and told me "listen, we're not slaves, we can't dig that up by hand". While I would understand that to be the case, the attitude I was getting for not a lack of effort in trying to resolve the issue with this company was appalling. They then proceeded to dismantle my shared wooden fence with my neighbour while still talking to me, and showed no regard for mine and my neighbour's property at all.

After all of that, I was still willing to come to a solution if possible, and after speaking to neighbour who was incredibly understanding, the crew ripped out 2 sections of the wooden fence so they can drive their machines from my neighbour's backyard into mine.

Prior to the excavation crew leaving, they tell me that they will be back within 2 weeks to finish the job, so as to allow the gravel to settle.

My driveway and backyard was left excavated for another 3 months after this. No one returned my calls. No one told me what was going on.

Finally after 3 months since the excavation, interlocks were dropped off on my front lawn and also onto my neighbour's front lawn. I was hopeful by now that they will be back within the week after the drop off. Another 2 weeks goes by, and finally I get hold of their customer service "Rose", who was able to tell me nothing, and that she'll get "Ron" to give me a call back. I got no call back.

The interlocking crew finally shows up to finish the job, and they now say that my backyard has an extra foot of gravel poured on, so there will be a ledge at the end were the interlocking was going to meet the grass. This was not what was agreed to, but I was will to accept this too. However, the crew now tells me that I need to pay another $1000 to build a retaining edge of some kind to stop the gravel from pouring back out from the edge, or the stones at the edge will eventually come loose.. I could not believe it.

I did not take out my frustration on the interlocking crew, as I find out that they are only under contract, and if I did not pay them the balance, they essentially walk away empty handed after their hard work.

If you're still reading this by now, I can tell you that "life-time" warranty will also not happen. I had called and left numerous messages, talked to "Rose" to let her know about this problem with the edge of the interlocking, and given the promise that someone will come by and have a look. I can tell you no one has returned my phone calls after that and no one came to "have a look" for the past 2 years. I ended up spending another $1200 to have a landscaper firm up the edge with several yards of soil, and new grass.

In all fairness, the end result of the work is quite nice. But given the whole experience, I can say that I would warn anyone that isn't willing to have extraordinary amounts of patience and who expect dealings with a long established company to be honest and straight forward to stay away.