Nelson's Landscaping & Irrigation

Wish I would have had access to the prior review before we paid this guy almost $2,000!!. I can't believe Porch still refers this guy jobs. HE IS A CROOK! Seemed very knowledgeable, asked for money up front for parts to rebuild our irrigation system. Never heard from him again. Called him, first he said he spent the money and had to wait for his tax refund. A month later, he claimed he had the money and would show up on July 6. He never showed up, never called us. Finally turned it over to the police. PORCH, YOU NEED TO VET YOUR PEOPLE BETTER! YOU HAD THE PRIOR REVIEW FOR OVER A YEAR, YET YOU'RE STILL REFERRING PEOPLE TO HIM!

DEVON NELSON OF NELSON'S LANDSCAPING & IRRIGATION came to my house on 6-21-16 to look at sprinkler repair. I asked him if he were licensed and he said yes so I decided to allow him to do the repair. He came back on 6-22-16 and required $200 up front because he said I'm not going to spend my money for parts. I gave him a check for $200. Before he came back on 6-27-16 (at which time I asked him AGAIN if he were licensed and AGAIN he said yes), I had called the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board and found his license expired 1-31-15. I also learned that he had never had a license to do plumbing work connected with sprinkler systems. I told him what I found and he said all he had to do was "make a phone call." Then he began ranting about how he wasn't licensed to put up FENCES (??) but said he had done it for several years and to go through what he'd have to do to get licensed wasn't worth it to him because, in his words, he has "people falling all over themselves" wanting him to do work for them. I said I wasn't implying that he didn't know HOW to do the work but I wanted to understand what was going on. He said my $400 job wasn't worth it to him; he said he didn't have time for all this; he said I was "a pain in the ass" who'd just cause him problems and he didn't need this. He said I'd probably post on Google and everywhere else and that if I did he'd sue me for slander. He said he'd give me my money back through certified check so I couldn't say he didn't pay me. He left and after a couple of hours I texted him that if he were telling the truth this time and if he sent my $200 back by Friday, July 1, I wouldn't post about my encounter with him. I said I had no interest in wasting my time trying to warn people about him but, however, he was a jerk for lying to me and I'd do whatever was necessary. I'll quote his text back to me: "And I will send you your money just as soon as possible plus I will send this text to my friend at the police station and I will say that you are harrassing me. And one iota of negative publicity your comments comes from you I will take you to court for slander slander and libel. (That's EXACTLY what he texted.) My second text to him: "This will be my last communication to you. By FRIDAY, JULY 1." His exact response: "Parts & Labor already performed certified check to you this is my last communication to you." I have learned over the years to check the clock when workers come so I know EXACTLY how long he actually worked digging out the sprinkler valve box from 7" to 16" excluding time he talked about his five kids, trying to get custody of one, his ex-wife, his daughter being induced to have a baby and excluding time he spent berating me. I also called the parts store and know how much PVC pipe, elbow joints and glue cost. He spent about $10 and does not deserve to profit at all considering that he never would have been hired if he hadn't lied to me initially. I have not received any refund to date. I've posted on two other websites and learned today that his BBB rating which was B- when I first looked has been downgraded to D-. THE BBB also suggested that I report my experience to the ACLB which I am currently on the process of doing. MR. NELSON HAS PROVEN TO ME THAT HE IS PERSONALLY DISHONEST, IS NOT TRUSTWORTHY, AND IS COMPLETELY UNPROFESSIONAL. HIS LANGUAGE, ATTITUDE AND LACK OF INTEGRITY ARE A DISGRACE TO THE INDUSTRY HE CLAIMS TO REPRESENT, AND THOSE CHARACTERISTICS SPEAK VERY POORLY OF HIM AND HIS BUSINESS.