Landscaping reviews in Irvine, California

We hired Black Diamond Pavers for our backyard project after getting bids from system Pavers and Western Pavers. Black Diamond was around 5-10 percent cheaper than the others and had a better labor warranty of 27 years. We worked with Chris Leithem as our project manager and he was great. We were also remodeling our pool at the same time which complicated the process somewhat but Chris addressed every concern and was able to accommodate every request we had. We chose Belgard Melville plank in foundry. Over all we are very pleased and would recommend Black Diamond and Chris if you are looking at pavers for a landscape solution.

We are overall satisfied with the work Black Diamond did on our backyard remodel in June. We had a paver patio and about 500 sqft of sod with benderboard installed. Below are a few points of what went well and what could have been improved:

What went well:
- Ron G. was very responsive and came on-site multiple times to help us develop a design that looked great and was within budget. He also brought paver samples a few times so we can choose the right colors.
- When the work started, it went quick. Took 2.5 days for the team to complete.
- They were able to start the work before family visited so we all could enjoy it.
- The patio is even and graded nicely. The sod is green and healthy.
- Materials were delivered on time.
- They went above & beyond fixing a few sprinkler items without making it a whole process (we used our existing system).

What could have been improved:
- It took some nudging to get on the schedule. After 3 weeks we contacted Ron and he worked hard to pull the team together to get our work started.
- The porta-potty wasn't delivered for the crew.
- Final clean up of the job site could have been better. Outside of the new paver patio, a layer of hard polysand was everywhere. It didn't look great and took me some time to dig up and clean.
- One piece of the benderboard was cut 1-2 inches too short. The crew put a stake in to make it look complete but it's noticeably short.
- It took about 4 weeks to have the unused pavers picked up.
- A portion of the demo wasn't completed in the back corner. This was part of the conversation since day 1 but was missed; and unfortunately the Ops Manager decided because it wasn't explicit in the contract they wouldn't complete the work.

All this feedback was shared with Ron, and he's been gracious to share it with the rest if the team. If the improvement items were there, I'd give them 5-stars.

I couldn’t be happier with the work Black Diamond Pavers did on my front yard. It looks absolutely gorgeous! From start to finish, they were professional, transparent, and detail-oriented.

What really stood out was Ron, the project manager. He wasn’t just managing the project—he was also the designer and estimator, which made a huge difference. The vision we came up with together turned out perfect because there was no miscommunication. Ron kept me updated constantly. If I was home, we’d walk the project together. If I wasn’t available, he’d handle everything on his own and send me detailed updates and photos.

The pricing was very transparent, and while I paid a little more than some other quotes, I got so much value in return: better warranties, top-quality pavers, and the most amazing turf. Plus, you’re not just paying for great materials and installation—you’re getting top-tier project management.

They finished everything on time, just as they promised, and I’m thrilled with how it all turned out. In fact, we’re so happy that we’ve already hired Ron and his team for our backyard next! If you’re looking for a company that delivers incredible results with zero headaches, I highly recommend Black Diamond Pavers.

Over the past year, my husband and I had been searching for trustworthy professionals to completely transform both our front and back yard. It was a large and daunting project, but Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape turned out to be the perfect choice for the job. From our first meeting with Ron G., we felt confident in their vision and approach. Ron not only helped us bring our ideas to life but guided us through every step of the process until the project was finished. Despite working through the busy holiday season, the team managed to complete the transformation efficiently and on time. Their productivity, attention to detail, and openness to feedback were outstanding.

The results exceeded our expectations. Our landscaping was completely revamped with new irrigation, added trees, bushes, and planters, and we also decided to replace our entire driveway with pavers. The quality of their work speaks for itself—this team truly delivers excellence, determination, and speed. Ron G. was especially instrumental in helping us make timely decisions, and any issues that arose were promptly addressed. For example, after the project was complete, we encountered a small issue with the irrigation system, but it was resolved within 24 hours.

Our neighbors and family members have been thoroughly impressed by the transformation and have even reached out to Black Diamond for their own projects. We are thrilled with the outcome and will definitely recommend them to others.

We cannot thank the Black Diamond team enough—Ron G., Omero, Olben, Ely, and Matthew—for their hard work and dedication. You’ve truly helped make our home a dream come true!

We had an excellent experience with Black Diamond and are very happy with our results. We hired them to re-do our long driveway with pavers and add a patio to our front yard. It looks amazing and really elevated our curb appeal. Reasonable and transparent pricing. The team was always professional, friendly, worked quickly, and produced a high quality result. They presented multiple options/solutions for our project. Special shout out to Ron Geronimo and Chepe Gallardo. Don't hesitate to choose Black Diamond for landscaping needs.

We are very pleased with the job that Black Diamond did with our backyard. We've had other contractors work on our house before, but Black Diamond has been the best. What sets them apart from other contractors is that one person is assigned to the project for the entire duration of the project. Ron G, our project design specialist was great! From the very beginning during the design phase to the very end after completion, Ron made sure the project went smoothly and to our liking. He suggested different design options to stay within our budget. Even after completion, Ron would contact us to see that everything is to our satisfaction. Highly recommended!

OC WEST is one of the best professional landscaping company. They did great job!!!

I regret I had recently written an uncomplimentary review of OC WEST which I now find was based on my own erroneous assumption and written prematurely. Now that I’m privy to the reason there was such a disconnect in communication, I will sincerely recant any earlier review I wrote. Desiree

Can’t express how thankful I am. My backyard looks absolutely gorgeous and I know it would’ve not been this functional and pretty if it wasn’t for OC west. You should 100% let this company take your job and make their magic. They also have the best team ever.

My friend referred me to OC West when I purchased my dream home. The outcome of my friends project was just what she wanted; gorgeous I might add! But what she raved mostly about was service, service, service! I was hooked when she said that.
My front and backyard project involved a pool, new deck, hardscape, and sofscape. All new terms I learned from Alex, he made it easy to understand. I was heard, and my design ideas were considered and implanted with expert design advice. The final results were more than we dreamed of. Thank you OC West!!

OC West is professional in all aspects. I found Alex easy to work with; he listened to our needs and remained attentive from start to end. The work was of highest quality; his years of experience sure shows! Thank you OC West, we can’t wait to make memories in our lovely backyard!!

5 stars for OC West Landscape! Alex Karim's designs and collaboration with us was seamless and outstanding. The modern design and drought resistant plant choices not only make our home a show stopper ( people drive by slowly admiring the home ) but also very low maintenance. My husband and I often say to ourselves, 'We get to live here!' Can't say enough good things about OC West Landscape and its professionalism, knowledge, and care.

Was down the road with a landscape architect that we were having some some issues with. Contacted OC West to do an alternate set of plans as a contingency plan. Alex was very responsive and helpful in coming up with an excellent set of plans in fairly short order that addressed all of our requirements and was within our budget. Communication was excellent throughout the process. Although the original architect eventually got the original plans done, we ended up using Alex's plans for the project instead.

We met with several landscape architectural firms before we settled on OC West. Our selection wasn’t based on pricing, or glossy marketing materials, or a polished sales pitch. We chose OC West because after spending time with Alex Karim, we were confident that he would translate our basic requirements and our dreams into the perfect backyard. And we were right. Alex didn’t try and sell us on already developed cookie-cutter designs. Instead he took the time to ask questions, take us to see other yards – including ones designed by other firms – so he would get a sense of our style. Through the entire process from design to construction, we were a part of the team. Every decision was thoughtfully discussed including design elements, placement, and material selection. The construction crew was excellent – polite, conscientious and professional. And we could tell they took great pride in their work. Lastly, when the job was done, they didn’t disappear. They remain accessible and responsive. We highly recommend OC West without reservation.

This review is for Alex and his team at OC West Landscaping who completed the front and backyard landscaping on our new construction home. We couldn’t have been happier with the results. We had previously gone through the painstaking process of landscaping a new construction home about 3 years ago prior to moving to this current home. From our previous experiences, we had learned quite a bit about the entire design and construction process. So this time around, we were much more informed and specific about what we were looking for. We interviewed several landscapers and Alex clearly stood out. We liked that he comes from an architecture background which made his designs much more unique and less generic. He has a great design aesthetic which is so important in eventually getting the look you want. We also really liked that his company offers the full breadth of construction services which means the work was always done by Alex’s employees under his direct oversight instead of having a bunch of sub-contractors doing separate parts of the job such as the sprinklers, lighting, stonework, tiling, softscape, electrical, etc.. That is what happened with our previous house and unfortunately a lot gets lost in the translation, mistakes get made, and the quality of work suffers due to lack of communication between the different subs. Throughout the process, we felt at ease because Alex’s guys were so professional and courteous. They took really great care of our home from start to finish. Alex was on-site daily managing and coordinating the workflow. He was a great communicator and always available and responsive to text, emails, and calls. I felt that his knowledge of materials, design aesthetic, and the construction process was well-above his peers. His crew benefits from his expertise because he has such low turnover and works with the same guys over and over so they know exactly how he likes things to be done. Alex is very picky and particular about getting things right and was always there to ensure highest quality. He was also great about giving us different choices and samples for paint colors, tiles, stone, wood, etc. But he would not give us too many choices to overwhelm us and would give helpful advice if we had difficulty making a choice. His prices were very fair. His contract agreement was very detailed and we ended up paying the exact amount we had negotiated. The only additional charges we incurred were for upgrades to more premium materials that we chose to make later on. He fully stands by the quality of his work. Now over 6 months after job completion, Alex still checks in on us from time to time. In fact, he has recently come to fix some minor cracks that resulted from my over-watering of the plants. The finished landscape looks fantastic and has totally transformed our home. Our backyard is now so functional, relaxing, and beautiful. Our family uses it almost everyday. When people come to visit, they head straight for the backyard, both adults and children, because it is such a draw. The results have exceeded our expectations and we are so grateful to Alex and his team for their amazing work.

A BIG thank you goes out to Alex at OC West. I had been pondering my front yard project for years, with really no idea on how to go about making my front yard dream come true. Over the last two years I spent multiple days getting quotes from landscaping companies in and around Orange County with no luck on making a decision to proceed. That is until I met Alex owner of OC West. He came out, spent a good portion of his day listening to me go around in circles on what I wanted. He took the time to listen and help me with ideas for my space. His communication throughout the process put me at ease. I am so so happy with the outcome and now my front yard is the showcase of my neighborhood. My backyard is my next big project and I will 100% go with OC West again.

Alex and his team are top notch. We love our landscaping all throughout our property! The neighbors have commented on how our home has now increased their property's values. From design to construction, Alex and his team were very pleasant to work with. I will recommend this crew to anyone that needs landscaping because I know that they would be in great hands. Thanks OC West! We are thoroughly enjoying our outdoors.

OC West did an great job in designing and constructing a beautiful landscape around my house. The moment that I started the project, I already recognized the professionalism of Alex the owner. Unlike many contractors in business, Alex was trained as an architect in one of the best universities in the US. Other contractors simply try to sell their clients as much as they can get away with. Alex first understood what our family prefer, and then he came up with proposal to match my taste.
Therefore I highly recommend OC West.

It was great to work with Alex and his team. We completely renewed our front and backyard. Alex was easy to deal with and was always around to supervise and answer our questions. Alex’s team was at our house working Monday through Saturday from 7:30 am until 4 pm. The estimated completion date was 8 weeks. Alex and his team finished the job in 6.5 weeks. The finished product looks amazing and we are extremely satisfied with the quality of finishes and craftsmanship. I would highly recommend Alex to anyone thinking of doing any lanscape redesign.

Alex and his team at OC West were top notch from design through construction. He took our goals of what we wanted in a back yard then added his vision to it to come up with what we feel is perfect for us. He was more than willing to bring ideas and samples until we found exactly what we wanted. He wasn't afraid to steer us away from some of our ideas either and we are glad we listened to him. I highly recommend Alex and OC West for your Landscape needs

We used OC West Landscape and they were outstanding! I was very nervous about completely redoing the landscape surrounding my house, but Alex proved not only to be a perfectionist, but also very knowledgeable, and patient. He listened to what I wanted, proposed great ideas, and made adjustments as needed to fit within my budget. His team handles everything from beginning to end and they are all top notch professionals! I am extremely pleased to add myself to the long list of appreciative customers of OC West Landscape, and I will be referring all of my family and friends to them :)