While on the way home about a block from my home I saw a company laying SOD. I spoke to the person in charge named Jeff Fletcher, an employee of SOD Farms of Palm City. I was looking to re-sod my yard and was on a budget. Jeff told me he could get the SOD and install it for $80.00 a palate so instead of doing sections at a time. I could do the entire yard within my budget.
Jeff told me his expertise was in sprays and has a special spray you can't get in stores, that is far superior to Round-up called Burn Down, and a chemical called Dura-spand that kills all insects. He sold me a $100.00 spray job and said in one week this old grass will turn to dust, and the bugs will be gone. I requested a receipt from Jeff at the time of his spray job, and he gave me one with no questions asked which lead me to believe he was legitimate in his profession.
Two weeks later my old grass was only about 60% dead, and all the ant piles that were previously there were still alive and thriving. I contacted Jeff, and informed him of the situation. He assured me that by mixing the insect and the grass kill chemical watered it down too much. He came out and sprayed again and assured me again that by next week the old grass would be gone. I paid him $100.00 again, but he left without giving me a receipt.
After one week the yard was about 70% dead at this time. I was in a vulnerable position now with a large majority of my lawn dead. I repeatedly called Jeff, but he failed to call me back. It seemed apparent that the Beautiful lawn he promised was all just a scam to put me in a position that enabled himself or SOD farms to try and extort more money from me.in the mean time I was left to purchase round-up and a back pack sprayer to finish the job myself. I called SOD Farms directly and spoke to Jeff's supervisor Mike, and informed him of the situation. He said he would look into the situation, and get back in touch with me.in the mean time I finished spraying what was left of my yard.
Jeff called me back later that day apologized, and tried to lie his way out of not calling me back by saying he lost his phone, when I already knew that was not true. He informed me he had gotten in trouble with his supervisor for this situation, and again assured me he would get me the grass for what he promised $80.00 a palate Installed. When he came out to lay the grass he now tried to extort more money from me. He said that he needed $100.00 a palate. I explained to him, If it were $100.00 a palate; I would never have had you spray the entire yard all at one time. He and his crew continued to lay the grass even though I told him I could only pay what he promised me and that was $80.00 per palate.
While Jeff and his crew continued to lay the grass. I noticed that the grass he put down looked like it was in very poor shape. He assured me it was the dormant season and it would grow back.in a last ditch effort to extort more money from me Jeff shorted me approximately 800 sq. Ft. Totaling almost two palates of SOD. He states that he laid 24 palates. However the palates sold by SOD Farms are 450 ft. Per palate. 450 sq. Ft. X 24 palates = 10,800 sq. Ft. The square footage of SOD that I have to cover is at the very most was 10,200. They shorted me about 800 sq. Ft.in a last ditch effort to extort more money from me. I paid them $1800 dollars cash and have a receipt for that. I ordered two more palates from another company and finished the job myself by laying the additional 800 sq. Ft.
I received a phone call several days later by the owner of SOD Farms Ron Kelly. He wanted to meet with myself and Jeff Fletcher and measure my yard for the square footage in an attempt to have me pay $100.00 per palate. I agreed to meet with them however; I first explained to Mr. Kelly that Jeff promised $80.00 per palate installed prior to selling me his Spray Job. He said that they don't sell SOD for less than $100.00 per palate. And that they are NOT Licensed to Spray.
After I explained to him my side of the story, and offered to give him a copy of the land specs on the total square footage he said that he believed me and a meeting would not be necessary. He told me that he has had many similar problems with Jeff in the past and felt that Jeff may have tried to steal grass without him knowing and sell it to me. He also led me to believe Jeff's job was in jeopardy.
Two months later the grass from SOD farms is about 80% dead and full of weeds, while the 800 sq. Ft. I put down myself and purchased from another company is thriving and doing well. I have a sprinkler system and have watered and fertilized, however weeds continue to grow and take over through the dead grass from SOD Farms of Palm City. I have spoke to mike the supervisor on several occasions and asked to speak with the Owner of SOD Farms Ron Kelly. However Mr. Kelly refuses to call me back and Mike says it is up to Mr. Kelly to help solve my problem.
I was made aware by the owner Mr. Kelly that SOD farms is NOT LICENCED to perform Chemical spray jobs on lawns. However Jeff Fletcher sold me a spray job that he is not licensed to do, which put me in a vulnerable position. I was now left with a partially dead lawn and at the mercy of SOD farms to be extorted for more money.
Today Jeff Fletcher is still working for SOD Farms which leads me to believe that I may not be the only victim out there to this sort of scam. Or maybe Mr. Kelly was right by feeling Jeff was going to try and steal the grass from him and sell it to me. Regardless of what happened, once again the consumer is the victim. I have a yard that is much worse than I had when I started. I am out almost $2400.00 with no answers.
I am fortunate to have a receipt for a spray job from SOD Farms and a receipt from SOD farms for the total $1,800.00 cash I paid. I also have pictures of the grass to show the difference of the 800 sq. Ft. I bought from them, and the dead grass they put down. If there is anyone who has any suggestions or answers please contact me.
Thank You
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