I don't recommend Pell Tree Service and Landscaping of Phoenixville PA

I sign and oversee $1,000,000 of construction projects each month, month after month, year after year.  For 20 years.  Alls sorts of contracts - surveys, septics, construction, sales, purchases, landscaping.  Even with that volume, I've never seen the inside of a courtroom and most disputes and disagreements can be resolved.

Dead tree, week 2.

So my unfortunate entanglement with John Pell Tree Service of Audubon sticks out for it's unusualness if nothing else.  A $60,000 landscape project where most things died within a month of plantings, 3000 sq ft of yard never grew, 200 sq ft of sod looked bad when planted and died soon after.  Weeds grew so resiliently through our new landscape beds and had root balls the size of softballs.   A big tree died, and 12 rosebud trees (or whatever you call them) looked quite distressed very quickly.

So you can imagine my surprise when John Pell said it was my fault.  And that, frankly, he doesn't warranty his work, and never has, and never will.  And by the way, where's the $5k out of $65k that you owe me?

The idea that this was supposed to be the final hurrah of a $500k reconstruction of a community hall, and instead turned into a disappointing - to say the least- dying, weed strewn apocalypse.  Heart-breaking is not too strong a word.

So old Johnny Pell of Pell Tree Service of Phoenixville PA and Audubon PA quickly learned that this isn't our first rodeo with crappy subcontractors and we have a few tools in our tool bag.

So after some kicking and screaming and crying and being just a pompous self-important asshole, John Pell was smart enough to let his capable office staff take over and figure out a compromise, which in the end, consisted of coming back and spending 60 man/hours improving what to any casual observer was a landscape in distress, overgrown with weeds, trees dying.   And they did a great job, and spruced things up, tidied things up, and did right by me.

So I was surprised, but not really, on thursday, after the final check had cleared that I get an email from John Pell of Pell Landscaping and Pell Tree Service telling me that everything I'm doing on the property is wrong, and fuck you, and he won't ever come back on the property, and don't even dare write him back.

Now, remember, I'm happy at this point.  Satisfied at this point.

So, my point in writing this, is construction is tough, and there is always potential for problems. And how you solve those problems define you not just as a business but also as a person.    And d John Pell's 'I'm the smartest, you're a dumbass' approach to stressful problem remediation just makes me shout 'STAY AWAY FROM THIS GUY'.   There are so many other options of people who actually respect their clients, respect their concerns, and respect their goals and even their fears.

I cannot say loud enough that this guy does not deserve your business.  Every single thing he touched was dying or never grew.



Dead Sod, week 3.

Weeds, weeds, weeds.

Rosebud trees that look beyond sickly.  Week 4.

Grass that never grew a blade.