Home Services reviews in Encinitas, California

My front yard and driveway was a mess! The driveway was cracked uneven and has probably been there since the house was built in 1960. Drought conditions made caring for a vegetation forward yard very costly and consequently hedges that have been in place for 50 years or more we dying. I decided to go water wise and called Install-It-Direct. I am so glad that I choose them for the work. My yard looks lovely and the pavers in the driveway are a dream for me. From start to finish it took 9 days which to me was amazingly fast. No regrets here!

Install It Direct was one of two companies that we went through a full design consultation and estimate process for our small front and back yard in our new construction home. While both bids were similar enough in price, we ultimately choose to go with Install It Direct because of our overly positive experience with Ron, our design consultant.

Ron came with great suggestions and was willing to revise the design and work to maximize our budget. Ron was also straightforward about the pros and cons of turf and pavers and gave advice as to what other home projects we could prioritize next to maximize the longevity of the landscaping project (get gutters!). As first-time homeowners, we were grateful for the extra info.

Our incredibly slow HOA approval process pushed us way past our anticipated start date for install and into the December holidays. Even with the delay on our side and the complete disruption to life from COVID-19, we were impressed that the install team made things work and got everything done in a relatively short amount of time.

Yes, there were some hiccups and slowdowns here and there, mainly due to the state of the world right now, but ultimately, we are happy with how everything turned out. The quality of the work is great, they were able to level our backyard way beyond what we are expecting within our budget. Thanks to the work of Install It Direct we can finally enjoy being in our backyard.

We are so happy with our backyard! The Install-It-Direct team was great. Once we requested a quote, Will came out to the house, offered great options/solutions and scheduled our backyard paver project within 2 weeks! Not only were his recommendations cost effective, the entire project from beginning to end was extremely professional and high-quality. From customer service to craftsmanship, these guys are definitely the best pavers around! We highly recommend them!

Worked with Ron Dombroski to redo the front yard that had been overdue for years. The land was uneven, there were really questionable work from the previous owners that seemed to have accumulated into a mess. Install-it-Direct was very friendly and worked with me to get the front yard into a simplistic design that fit my budget. The best part about this project was the relationship and conversations I had with Ron. I never felt like I was being taken advantage of and he made sure that design was good and worked with me to creatively save costs where it made sense. They are extremely professional and friendly. The most impressive thing about what they do comes all the way down to the quote. It is one of the best things I have ever seen and gave me confidence that this is a solid company to do great work.

On project day - the crew did a phenomenal job. The leveled everything - demo'd some concrete and cleared out a lot of debris and junk. They even finished one day earlier than predicted. I can't really ask for much better. Thanks guys.

This team is top-notch! Patrick, Steve, and Sebastian all delivered exceptional work. They inquire about your requirements, strategize the approach, and expedite the completion process. As the project progressed, they seamlessly handled various mid-project adjustments. We're thrilled with the final outcome!

Project Manager Steve Brown came over and listened to our wants and wishes and he came up with a plan and a price that we felt comfortable with. The very professional installation crew led by Saul started a few weeks later and completed the work in a timely manner despite some rain delays. Saul's crew showed up on time everyday and always cleaned up the work area prior to leaving the job site which was very much appreciated! They installed 1500 sq ft of pavers and 190 sq ft of pet turf with great attention to detail. We asked for small paver walls to be built up around our existing patio deck flush with the deck boards and they did this to absolute perfection! Thank you so much Saul and crew! Meanwhile Steve as our project manager handled all of the material delivery schedules and kept us in the communication loop at all times. Steve also came up with suggestions and solutions that helped us stay on budget. Thank you Steve! All in all it was a pleasure to work with Install-It-Direct and I highly recommend them.

James came out and estimated the job, interpreted my notebook sketch and gave me a very reasonable estimate. Two weeks later, my driveway was finished. The crew was clean, respectful and delivered exactly what I asked James for. One of the best home improvement projects I've ever had done in my 20 years of home ownership. Highly recommend James and Install It Direct!!

Steven, Patrick and the construction team did a great job with my large driveway and side yard paver project.

Update: They also did a great job with my backyard and front yard. Added turf to the backyard and a rock landscape to the front.

Kudos to Ronald and the great install team, lead by Sebastian. Polite, professional, respectful -- and they do outstanding work! Couldn't be happier with the results! They started the work on time, and completed it exactly as promised. As they worked, they were sensitive to noise and disruption and took the time to tidy up at the end of each work day. The results are beautiful. We would recommend Install-It Direct without hesitation.

We are pleased to have the opportunity to write an A++ review for INSTALL-IT-DIRECT, and the outstanding project manager, Sam Muscariello, who managed our project. This was a comprehensive project including design, materials, irrigation, artificial turf, topsoil, mulch, gravel, mulch, lighting, and a myriad of native and other low water plants.
When we look at the before and after pictures, we still have to blink twice, as it is hard to believe the amazing transformation.

This is a cul-de-sac with only a few houses, and now we are the ‘talk of the neighborhood’ with everyone marveling at the transformation, how beautifully done it is, and some inspired to meet with the company for their own upgrades. They also saw for themselves how well organized it was, how the supplies were neatly staged in the driveway each day, how hard the install crew worked and how they completely cleaned up and reorganized every single night before leaving. They also saw how well the crew was managed by Sam, his positive leadership manner, and his genuine care for each phase of the project and for his crew. We are just delighted, and look forward to sharing many enjoyable and comfortable days and nights with family and friends outdoors. See a combination of before and after photos.

We had a good experience with James. We had paver stones installed in our front driveway, front walkway, courtyard, one side of the house and backyard. We also installed a sitting wall that came out nice too. There was a lot of concrete that had to be demo’ed and in fact there was two large piles that took up the driveway at least 5 feet high. We also installed 4 inch drainage system that went all around the house tied into floor drains and our gutter systems. We added a about a foot of filler to level out the backyard and the pavers were set on concrete, geotextile fabric, and leveling sand. Lights were added, polymeric sand was used for the grout and the pavers were sealed to prevent staining. We had two bob cat excavators on our lot for 2 weeks and up to 10 workers working on our house at a time. The project was done in just over 2 weeks and the finished product looked great. I can fully recommend install it direct for professionalism, honesty, quality work and efficiency. Thank you install it direct and to James and his crew.

We went with INSTALL-IT-DIRECT for our backyard project after visiting with a number of different contractors. Emily Ayala, the Project Manager, was so easy to work with. She came with a great plan, listened to our ideas, devised a 3D rendering, and provided sound advice and we're thrilled with the final product. They ripped out our old concrete that didn't match and we've replaced them with pavers and a pergola. Saul and the pavers team did a helluva job. Very efficient and easy to deal with, jazzed up our balcony posts, re-arranged our sprinklers, installed lighting to highlight trees. Very pleased. And the pergola folks, name escapes me, were also great. Installed some new electrical outlets for outside and on the pergola in preparation for string lights we're going to add. They had a few pergola beams that were damaged from the factory and didn't want to install those (even though I barely noticed any issues) until they could get some perfect ones. These guys care about their work. Very happy with the entire experience using INSTALL-IT-DIRECT and dealing with Emily throughout the process was a great pleasure.

This was our second project with Install-IT Direct and we couldn't be more happy with it Chris MacMillan transformed our mess of a front yard into an eye catching centerpiece with turf, a beautiful accent wall around our oak tree (which neighbors didn't even know we had!) and paver-lined planting areas. We also had an aluminum pergola installed in the back of the house. 6 months after the job, we are still getting compliments from our neighbors. Great group to work with, very professional and their work is of extremely high quality. Thank you, Chris and team!

We had such a great experience with Install It Direct and our project manager Emily for our backyard renovation project. We first met Emily with no clear idea of what we wanted other than a modern patio & outdoor kitchen. Emily helped us conceptualize and design something that I know we couldn't have designed alone. We trusted her design aesthetic completely and we appreciated her attention to detail and quick thinking. Using the materials thoughtfully to elevate the space is definitely one of Emily's strengths.
The whole process was easy and quick from demo to completion. Andy and his crew were so friendly and finished the huge job in about two weeks.
Now we are so stoked to have our dream outdoor entertaining space. We couldn't be happier with our experience working with Emily & Install It Direct!

What a great paving company! Brandon B. came out on the first call with a fair and honest estimate on our large project. From that day on we received incredible work and craftsmanship throughout the paving of our new driveway. The crew run by Fernando A. were considerate and very competent every day of the job. I could not recommend this company more. Do yourself a big favor and stop being "sold" what you don't want to spend for something from other paving "specialists" - IID was a dream to work with from day one. Always available and always making sure the customer comes first and is 100% satisfied throughout the project. Excellent guys! Thank you for your honesty, integrity and A+ work.

Having worked in the service/hospitality industry for 25+ years, I know how important it is to share positive experiences on social media. My experience with Install-It-Direct was amazing! They listened and let us collaborate through the entire process. My yard was a nightmare, with drainage issues and tons of river rocks and nowhere for my 2 toddlers to play. We used these guys when we first bought the house two years ago. We installed turf and a beautiful stone block bench on one side. After living with it, and loving it, we called them back up to do the other 2/3 of the yard. Ronald came over and talked to us for about an hour, took some measurements, and quickly got us back a quote. The pricing was very fair, but I wouldn’t know the actual value just yet. As San Diego went through it’s annual few weeks of on and off rain the project stopped and started a couple times. The admin team was great at scheduling/rescheduling. The weekend before the project was to start I self-installed a gutter to be attached to the French drain they were doing and (of course) I didn’t do a very good job. Monday arrived and Diego, Israel, Hector, and Leo looked at it and exchanged a few words, and very politely asked if I would mind if they made it a little more efficient? Basically, they fixed my horrible attempt at gutter building and saved my back yard from ever flooding again. This would be tested the following week. After finishing the turf and french drain project, I thanked the team and told them I would certainly share my experience. That weekend it rained…and rained…and rained some more. Bad news, the french drain trench had sunk a few inches creating a dip in the turf running from the patio to the garage. I called Ronald and he said, “no problem, I’ll get the guys back ASAP to fix it!”. These guys rock! Diego came back and fixed it quickly and I couldn’t be happier with the turf, the french drain, the service, care, and attention to detail these guys put out! Do yourself a favor and let them come give you a bid!

My wife and I bought a new home and trust me I did my research with landscaping companies. I received 4-5 quotes in regards towards our landscaping; both very low to very high.

When I met Brandon from Install-it-Direct. I knew not only found a good company but a great person to help design, implement, and follow up once complete. What truly impressed about Brandon is he took time to educate me on the different options, had many samples sent to our home, and I could tell he cared more about providing great service than about increasing profits. There quote was in the middle of all the quotes we received but I knew we were going to get the best work for money spent.

He provided advice on all different options and gave us the best tips for use of our money with our landscaping, instead of just trying to add items to jack price/profit. Brandon and landscapers/installers Team that came to our home were a pleasure to work with. They were very respectful towards my wife, our two boys, and our home. They were trust-worthy, and very experienced by evidence of the work they completed.

I asked Brandon to have his crew come back out to add some artificial turf in an area were we originally had planned to put bark. Brandon work diligently to align his team to come back out and install at a responsible price.

If you are getting any type of landscaping completed I would highly recommend Brandon and Install-it-Direct. We all have to spend money if you want this type of work done but with his team there is more value placed ensuring the customer is satisfied than increasing their bottom line. We all work hard for our money and I value those like Brandin who don't try and take advantage of my hard-earned money.

Plus they are true professionals, I did get quotes for cheaper but I could tell those types of contractors would inevidebly cost me more money in the long run because the job wouldn't be done right int he first place.

My advice is stick with the professionals like Brandon and his team you will be more pleased in the long run. Its not to often that you meet a contractor that truly cares about providing great service and treats as a friend more than just a customer. That is what impressed me most about Brandon and his team at Install-it-Direct. Below you will see the before and after pics of the work completed. My wife, kids, and I are truly happy with our landscaping and home!

What a joy! Ron came and really listened to what we wanted, and gave us beautiful options to make our backyard dreams come true. The samples of artificial turf that he brought were beautiful, and a wide range of styles and feel, and he was very willing to give us multiple estimates, so that we can make a decision that worked for our needs and budget. I got several estimates, and you can not beat the quality and price of INSTALL-IT-DIRECT. When it came to the install Diego, was incredible. He made sure to check in at every design decision, and when our initial desires were not fitting esthetically, he came up with an even better solution and presented it, rather than pushing something through, or just doing what was supposed to work on paper. They were very efficient with the demo, through installation, and we could not be happier. I highly recommend INSTALL-IT-DIRECT!

Great team to work with! Extremely pleased with the quality of work and the timeframe of completion (<2wks). I also want to highlight the team members - Bill, Patrick, Lucas, and Casper - they were all easy to talk to and seemed to really care to do a great job for their clients. If their managers read this, I would advocate for them to be promoted and/or get raises!

See photos for the desert wasteland that used to be our backyard compared to the beautiful outdoor oasis they installed. Our backyard still looked incredible after the storm so it’s a testament to their quality of work! Of note, the cracked concrete and old IKEA tiles are the sections we didn't change since we didn't have the budget haha. For us, we had a lot of input on what we wanted installed and where, so I think it made for better teamwork and we were really happy with the end result.

What was done:
-- added turf with wavy perimeter
-- decomposed granite with rocks and plants to create zen area by pepper tree
-- installed plants all along perimeter
-- added new mulch
-- extended a portion of concrete walkway and retaining wall
-- added drip irrigation and adjusted drainage
-- added post for market/string lights

Budget: IID was very understanding of our budget and worked with us to create a project that we could afford. I am a pretty strict, frugal person so this is saying a lot!

Designer: Bill
It was a pleasure working with Bill to design the backyard. He would be just as excited about each revision as we were. He did a wonderful job adding the curves we wanted into the turf and seamlessly blending it in with the DG. We wanted to pick our own plants and decorative rocks and Bill was 100% on board. It was super fun picking plants and rocks together at the nurseries/KRC rock. Bill was always very positive and responsive despite our constant questions and revisions.

Project Manager: Patrick
Patrick was very on top of the project. As with any big project, things might get missed or something might not come out how you imagined the first time. However, Patrick was quick to respond to our concerns. I did not need to ask Patrick more than once to address something. For instance, they originally installed a circular ring irrigation device to water the plants on the DG. However, it was watering too wide of a surface area and leaving prolonged wet spots. So we asked about it and within a day or so, they switched them all to drip irrigation and problem solved. We asked if they could stucco more of the wall - the next day, it was done. We reminded them of the conduit line - next day, it was done. Legit it was incredible how responsive this team was.

Installation Team: Lucas and Casper
These guys are MVPs! We had our renovation in July so it was 80s every single day. These men worked endlessly to set up our backyard in record time. They were always super hardworking, energetic, and polite. They were also respectful and kept the area very clean. They were responsive to our questions/concerns. I originally brought up the irrigation issue to Lucas and he immediately told Patrick. I asked if they could use a potting mix I wanted for the larger plants and they re-arranged their work to plant the next day so my husband and I could bring the potting mix. I also appreciated their quality of work. I’ve had several friends comment on how well Lucas blended the seams of the turf so that it’s barely noticeable. Even after the SD storm our backyard looked great! And all the drains they installed worked because we didn’t experience any flooding.

I am pleased to write a review for Install-It-Direct and share my experiences with their team. From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, the entire process was seamless and stress-free, thanks to their expertise and attention to detail.

The salesman, Nate, was knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely interested in understanding our vision for the project. He offered valuable insights and suggestions, ensuring we were well-informed and confident in our decisions. His professionalism and enthusiasm left a lasting impression, making it easy to trust Install-It-Direct with our landscaping needs.

It should be noted that Nate provided a very detailed proposal. I believe this is the very best way to propose a project, as it doesn’t leave things for later. It’s better to define the scope of the project to include even the smallest details. This approach is useful to avoid unexpected omissions during the project.

We were also paying close attention during the project to ensure it was all going according to the plan. For the most part, it was, but there were a few little details that we pointed out. Their response? “No problem.”

The designer (also Nate) transformed our ideas into a beautiful and functional design. His creativity, combined with his experience and knowledge of landscape architecture, resulted in a beautiful outdoor space that surpassed our expectations. The attention to detail and thoughtful placement of plants, hardscape, and features created a cohesive and inviting environment that we now enjoy daily. Honestly, the results were even better than I had expected. An added bonus is a number of positive comments from our neighbors. Nice!

Throughout the project, the foreman, Troy, demonstrated exceptional leadership and communication skills. He managed the work crew effectively, ensuring that the project stayed on schedule and within budget. His proactive approach to problem-solving and eagerness to address any concerns or questions we had were truly appreciated. The work crew, in turn, was diligent, respectful, and skilled. They worked quickly and efficiently, completing the project in a timely manner without compromising quality. They definitely knew what they were doing, and they worked very smoothly as a team.

The level of craftsmanship and attention to detail displayed by Install-It-Direct is exceptional. Their commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction is evident in every aspect of their work. I wholeheartedly recommend Install-It-Direct for any landscaping project and am happy to share my positive experience.

I had been evaluating multiple companies to install artificial grass in my front and side yards. I had been renovating my home/yard and was looking to make a great impression with the artificial grass and then I found Install-It-Direct. From my first conversation with Lidia Surdock, Construction Manager, I knew I found the company I wanted to work with. In a nutshell, their customer service, quality, and care for my project was exceptional in every way. A big shout out to Thomas Jackson, Sr. Design Consultant and project manager for my yard. He took the time to walk me through options, select the right artificial grass, and outline how the entire project will be executed. He was professional, knowledgeable, and provided exceptional customer service. I cannot express my thanks enough for an exceptional addition to my home.