Empire Horticultural Services?? (Sarasota: new home, landscaping, closing)

[Buckeye Joe]

Has anyone had any experiences with Empire Horticultural Services of Sarasota?

Empire is providing the landscaping package for our new home and we have some concerns and questions which just seem to us are being avoided. We asked about the provided package and the builder's rep said you will really like it & they do a nice job with plants in the front and all along both sides. We got nothing specific as to what plants will be used, or how many. Empire did not provide a list of the plants or the numbers used, did not have a nursery to visit "we have a warehouse where the plants are stored", or even pictures of what to choose from. When we questioned them about substituting different varieties, nothing was volunteered as to alternate species available. We had to repeatedly ask if we could get or use a certain plant instead of what was being offered. Everything seemed a bit odd and they appeared uncooperative and evasive to us during our brief onsite visit.

Their warranty appears to be absolutely useless with a loophole big enough to blow a thunderstorm through because they do not warranty any plant which dies due to improper water management, act of God, or maintenance neglect. It rains everyday, and I am supposed to control "water management" if plants die from overwatering? Even Lowe's and Home Depot give a warranty!

Am I being pessimistic or will I have reason for my concerns? Are they a reputable landscape company or just a office ("Suite 227") someplace with a person who buys plants and has someone else contracted to plant them? How can a landscape co operate out of a "warehouse"?? Everything just seemed to be an odd experience and quite different from the experiences we have had with other landscaping companies.

Thanks in advance - Any/all comments will be appreciated!

[Occifer]

No complaints to the BBB and no reviews on Angie's List. It looks like they've only been around since 2010.

Having built a house through a production builder in the past, I can tell you that the landscaping package pretty much is what it is. The better ones will give you several options to choose from, others just give you one basic option. Most of the plants and trees are as young and cheap as possible in order to keep costs down for the builder. I doubt you can change anything.

It's also pretty common for landscaping to only be warrantied by the builder for 90 days after closing, so make sure that the builder is heavily watering it in. Some builders don't like to water heavily after new landscaping is put in because they will have to pay a high water bill, however that's the most important time for new landscaping to have water.

[Buckeye Joe]

Thank you for your reply and checking BBB and AL. We have been talking to some of the local nursery's and have not heard any thing extremely negative, but there have been "issues" in the past was all that one nursery would say. The complaints seem to be more financial related than the actual plantings themselves. The general consensus is exactly what you said, "it is what it is" and every nursery and homeowner said they always have to replace plants or make additions to the original package unless everything was custom designed.

Thanks again