Our backyard makeover adventure starts here:

I was so excited when my daughter Amber announced her engagement to a wonderful man during early summer of 2020. I was even more excited when Amber announced that she would like the wedding ceremony to take place in the family homestead’s backyard.

After all, I had been thinking about this backyard makeover project for a couple of years already, and now I had the incentive to actually get it done.

I began searching through hundreds of Pinterest pins, finding examples of what my wife and I would like our backyard retreat to look like. We ultimately formed a vision of what we would like, and it included flower beds surrounded by landscape timbers, several concrete paver walkways, and the showpiece: a circular patio consisting of concrete pavers and a surrounding retaining wall. Ultimately, we would move our firepit into that circular patio, but for now we imagined having the wedding ceremony take place there.

At the time, our backyard looked a bit like a construction zone. Very sandy soil, (nothing but weeds would grow in it), quite an incline in the contours of the land which I did not know how to overcome, and well, it just looked bad.

Now I am quite the handyman, so I had the idea that I could handle this entire project myself. I got off to a pretty good start with the flower bed and landscape timbers. But soon reality set in and I realized I would not make the deadline for the September 12 wedding day.

What finally caused me to get help with this project was after my trip to the concrete paver distributor. I then realized that I needed some expertise in planning and creating the paver walkways and patio. Asking the distributor if he had a list of contractors, he provided a sheet of paper with several contacts. But he verbally suggested I contact Brian Cronk.

 

By now it was mid-July. My first phone conversation with Brian included me asking about his availability, and whether the project could be completed by the September 12 deadline.

Brian made an appointment to visit me within a couple of days, so he could better evaluate the scope of the project. During our visit, I provided several ‘conceptual’ drawings and actual printouts from some of the Pinterest pages I liked.

Actually, it was during this meeting that I made my decision to hire Brian for this project. He was very personable, open, and knowledgeable. He listened intently to my ideas and concerns, without interrupting. And he responded with ideas and suggestions of his own when I asked what he thought.

I think it was the next day that Brian provided estimates, and stated that, yes, he could complete the project before September. My wife and I discussed and approved Brian’s quote right away. No, I did not get other quotes. Perhaps I should have just to say I did my due diligence, but as I said, Brian sold himself the first day my wife and I met him. Based on that, and Brian’s availability and willingness to start very soon, we gave our approval to start.

 

And thank goodness that Brian took over this project for me! So many details involved with this project! Meetings with the brick paver distributor, what style of pavers, what style of retaining wall, how many pallets of each type of brick to order, how much cubic yard of crushed concrete for the base, how many cubic yards of sand, top soil, etc. Can we get all the material in time, even with Covid-19 shutting down so many businesses? How many square feet of sod? Scheduling landscape equipment and man-power to re-engineer the entire landscape with gentle contours rather than steep slopes. Brian managed all of these tasks professionally, so I did not have to.

Brian and Cronk Services crew began working on the project within several days of contract signing. On the days when Brian was busy with other clients, his crew was still on the job, knowing what tasks had to be performed.

There were times when Brian and crew could not show up or may not get started until later in the day. After all, I was not Brian’s only customer/project. But if you have worked with contractors, you know that the biggest complaint is communications and project completion/follow-up.

Brian always communicated with me to let me know if he would not be on site or if his crew had to skip a day for an emergency job elsewhere. And Brian and I would often communicate as to how the project was progressing. Brian is a creative person, and he would ask about incorporating new ideas into our original plan. And he was open to my suggestions also. Brian, my wife, and I, all collaborated in what resulted in the final design.. My wife and I (and daughter Amber) were very, very pleased with the outcome. I am sure I was not the easiest client that Brian has worked with. I added to the scope of the project with an additional 90-foot paver walkway to the above ground pool. I added twice as much area to receive new sod. I made Brian change a few details of the retaining wall even after it had been partially built. Brian never complained about these requests. And despite the added scope of the project, he completed the project comfortably ahead of the September deadline.

 

The wedding venue and ceremony (performed in our very own back yard) turned out more beautiful than we even imagined.

Every day, my wife and I enjoy the view of our backyard paradise. We might stroll down the paver walkways, or sit on the patio drinking our morning coffee. We absolutely love it.

As I look around at Brian’s workmanship, (and I tend to look at things with a critical eye) I do not see anything that I regret hiring Brian to do. We are so pleased with the results.

Thank you, Brian, for partnering with my wife and me, and for contributing your expertise, management skills, and genuine concern for us, during this entire project.

And yes, I recommend Brian Cronk Services for your next landscaping project.

Brian, we will probably have you out here again when it comes time for the front yard!

 

Doug W.

October 12, 2020