jc from Markham

In Sept/13, Markham's ByLaw Dept gave us a punitive deadline Order for a pool fill in. Disappointed for various reasons with quotes from companies specializing in pool fill ins, & desperate with only one week to Deadline, we opened the Homestars.com link to Markham Landscaping Nurseries Ltd. & called Mike Eeuwes. He didn't hesitate to come by immediately to offer a free quote, despite the deadline. That 'gut' feeling said he was right for the job, he agreed to match the best quote, & your site testimonials were encouraging. (Only after work commenced did a neighbour confirm that they had hired this family company in the early 1970's-Mike's father-for a complete landscaping of their new subdivision lot. Their dry stone wall & perennials have withstood the test of time. ) Working with our LIMITED SENIOR'S BUDGET, Mike went above and beyond other companies with suggestions to clear the weed trees & overgrown shrubs improve the hedged border and one side yard with mulch, while using existing slabs to fashion an access yard,& various other improvements to make the property more serviceable for our age and ability. Needing property regrading, he suggested tearing out the rotting deck, pool shed and perennial gardens now in serious decline. He surprised us by suggesting resodding the entire area not mulched, for ease of maintenance and aesthetics-going far beyond any other company's offers or vision. The results: SIMPLE. STUNNING. Work was completed by the end of Oct/13by an efficient and hardworking crew. All follow up issues approved & attended to promptly, & the City approved. We are thrilled with the results! The back yard's proportion and size are in perfect harmony and vastly emphasized. Even without hardscaping, this practical, low cost alternative landscape is beautiful & a child's delight. Proper regrading of the yard now allows these seniors an easy step out from any entry. Any future buyer can see the true, full potential & beauty without us having to make any further investment to the yard, definitely adding property value and opening up the option for us to stay or sell. Brilliant. Thanks again, Mike and Catherine. We're so pleased with the result. Even Mike's suggested changes to the front yard bordering the driveway, to allow the heavy equipment through a very narrow access point, resulted in larger scale to the front yard, by removing ugly, rotting wood retaining walls along the driveway, regrading to a gentle slope for ease of access & mowing, not to mention no more car doors bumping into walls. To maintain the necessary grade by the sunken garage, Mike used Armor Stone in a short, effective course to maintain drainage. It's a modern, stylish look that provides a focal point of interest, while losing the long, unnecessary retaining walls has opened up and emphasized the lot width, which was an unexpected bonus. This was a worry free, professional job done by a hardworking, talented crew. Mike and his Company came through for us under a very tight deadline. We are impressed with the results. Opening up the front & back property volume on our budget limits, while filling in an eyesore is an affordable job that enhanced the saleability by showing off the lot's beauty and potential to any buyer should we decide or be forced to sell. We have a practical, low cost alternative landscape of joy vs challenges. An asset; no longer a liability. Ease of care for years to come will allow these Seniors and their grandchildren to relax and enjoy the refocused garden's delights again. So many well meaning people suggested we " move to a condo ", & there must be other SENIORS OUT THERE , who, like us, aren't ready to move out of their homes, yet struggle with yards going wild with neglect. Why not consider contacting a reputable landscaper and perhaps a real estate agent (low rates on lines of credit now) for an estimate/appraisal for consideration of feasibility & value added. We were shocked & delighted that we may profit from our experience. We're sure your family, too, may not have considered it as a positive option on your behalf.