OK,everyone. I will be your test case. We will establish Todd's quality once and for all. I am an engineer in Charlotte and have contracted with him to build a patio and a deck so this will be a good test. The date is 7/29/2011. We signed our contract in early May. 1. Came to visit the first time and was full of energy. He works like a dog. And as I was to find out has a lot of creativity. We went back and forth on the design and each time he came back with something better. I priced four other hard landscape companies (others as well some of which never came back). When I sat down with his price and compared against the others he was the best value. He included sod, irrigation, outdoor and patio lighting, landscaping, in addition to the patio, kitchen, bar area, pergola, wing wall to hide the A/C units, walkways, and two story deck. Negatives: contract not specific or itemized. Positives: Best value, best design; down payment was 5% of total; 3D renderings were professional quality, correct, accurate, in color, and complimentary (unlike others who would not perform without payment, or whose quality were not as professional). I plan to frame one after the job is completed. 2. Todd visited several times even before we had agreed to do business together. He actually spray painted the whole design on my backyard one night with me. Compare this with others who were asking for money to just do a rendering. The guy's enthusiasm was hard to resist: 'this is going into Architectural Digest!'. 'But I might need this and I might need that', I said. 'I am not going to nickel and dime you', he said. Positives: energy and ideas. Negatives: May not always remember this is your house, and get carried away with a design he thinks is right. Call him on it and he will explain: 'but I want this to look like it came with the house'. 'Oh, yeah. You're right'. 2. Todd insisted in doing all of the work with the Home Owners association. He needed some help and I warned him, but he finally got through. I wanted copies of everything he sent to them. He was not as responsive to that as he could have been, but I finally got what I needed. He also of course dealt with the county inspectors for the permits. He does have access to an architect which made me feel better, since we had an issue with beam lengths and spans for the deck. Positives: May not always make appointments on time, but will call. Once called at 8:30 when we had a 6 pm appt. Usually uses emails late at night. I have to cut the guy some slack. Negatives: 1) The inspector want a 6" concrete base instead of 3". The county considers the pergola a structure. Bad news: more money for the concrete - we have to negotiate. Good news: I can do slate or other natural stone if I want. Why wouldn't (shouldn't) Todd have known this earlier? 2) Start of work is next week, but I find out late this week? 3) Asked for a schedule of work, including a payment schedule, but nothing. Is it because the details from the inspector were not yet known? Will it be that different? 4) Asks for a meeting with me on Tuesday next week. Isn't that late considering he has already delivered some brick and concrete? Almost at limit for this entry. Will continue on in separate entry.