Service First Landscapes Customer Reviews

  “Jay is a pleasure to work with. We received the most detailed, transparent proposal I have ever seen and we understood exactly the scope of work and the cost. Best of all is Jay's customer focus; if we had questions or wanted modifications once work started, he accommodated us. Jay clearly has an eye for landscaping and a deep knowledge of plants. They do great work, do what they say they are going to do, do so in a prompt and timely manner, and know that their success depends on the customers' satisfaction.”

“What a great job! Top-quality and reasonable! Jay and his crew did a beautiful job for us, on time and on budget, just as he committed to. Jay is a true professional, and his company name is right on target...service IS first!”

“Jay came out to look at a sloped section of our yard to see if we need any landscaping or retaining walls to prevent erosion or structural issues. Instead of trying to sell us services we didn’t need, he pointed out how last year was the wettest on record for our area and since we see no signs of erosion it’s clear that what we have is fine and he doesn’t want to sell us something we don’t need. This type of integrity is why if we do need any future work, you can be sure Jay is the guy well call. I can’t speak to the quality of his work, but I can only imagine it would be done with the same professional ethics.”

“Recently did a backyard landscape project. Great design, worked within our budget, great work overall. Would definitely use Jay again!”

“We had three large sinkholes in our backyard and needed new sod and landscaping ideas. Jay and his group were amazing. Jay created a stone walkway and sitting area. He was very detailed; stayed in constant contact; kept job site clean; completed task timely. Amazing difference. We love it and already have visions (thanks to Jay) of a redo next year to our front yard”

“Jay and his team did a great job on replacing my lawn and plants. He provided a very detailed estimate up front and required no payment until job was completed. His foreman Larry was also great to work with. Highly recommended and great company to do business with.”

“Jay created a great design and David and his team did an expert job of installing the new steps and shrubs. Jay made sure there was a variation of colors and leaf texture to make the yard look great. It looks better than I ever imagined.”

“Jay did an awesome job designing a beautiful low maintenance landscape for our front yard. His rates were reasonable and his team did a great job in one day - super service! This is the second project that Jay has done for us and we'll definitely use him again on our next one.”

“Jay was great to work with. Along with his ideas, Jay listened to my thoughts too and, together we came up with a really wonderful yard. He was very easy to communicate with and was extremely easy to contact. Always quick to respond.”

“Jay just finished landscaping my front yard and did an amazing job. Everything is low maintenance which is exactly what I wanted. After the work Jay did to the front, I will have him come back and do the backyard next.”

“We were 100% pleased with the entire process redoing our front yard with Jay. He was fair, honest, and dependable. The work was completed exactly as promised and on time, and we would definitely recommend him. Will be using him for any future landscaping needs!”

“This is the second time we have used Jay's Service First company this year. Earlier in the year he repaired a large drain at the end of our driveway, rebuilt the retaining hill and planted new landscaping. It held up to the spring and summer rains and solved our drainage and erosion problems. We were very pleased with his work. So, when it came time to deal with our front yard, we called Jay again. This time he redesigned our front landscaping, and his team pulled out all of the 11-year-old shrubs that died in the late spring freeze. They were also able to preserve some of the shrubs we wanted to keep and re-plant them in better locations. Jay was responsive to our phone calls and emails, always punctual and professional, as were his employees. Jay's bid wasn't the cheapest of our estimates, but he was competitive. We have recommended Jay to friends, and would use his services again in the future.”

“Service First Landscapes recently built a fire pit and patio in our backyard, as well as remedy an erosion problem with our drainage creek. Jay and his team were professional and hard working for the entire process, beginning with a very thorough estimate and ending with a final walk-through of the project at completion. We were very pleased with the patio and fire pit; both were involved processes but turned out perfect! Service First helped us reclaim a part of our yard we couldn't use previously and made it a wonderful outdoor living space. We highly recommend them!”

“I am a very happy customer! As soon as Jay found out my husband and I were planning on selling he told me to basically "keep it simple" and steered me away from expensive projects that I thought needed to be done. Our back and side yards were a total disaster from both too much shade and too much rain. He told me that the new buyers may want to do something totally different with the backyard and to just do something that would look nice and tasteful. I loved that he wasn't trying to sell us expensive services. It turned out gorgeous and we spent way less than we anticipated! His crew did a superb job and were polite and professional. I can't stop looking at our back and side yards and thinking how pretty it all looks now. If I need any landscaping done at our new home, he will be my first choice again. I highly recommend Service First Landscapes to anyone who asks me.”

“I'm writing a review from the perspective of long-term satisfaction with Service First's work. Many people can put in a retaining wall and other hardscaping but will that wall still be up years later? Will the area flood with heavy rains etc. etc.? Three years ago, Jay & his crew did a major makeover of our backyard including grading, excavations, stone retaining wall, flagstone patio, stone pathway, and other hardscaping. 3 years later it still looks & performs great! No shifting in the rock work even with the wide range of temperatures we've had in GA the last few years. No unusual pooling of water or drainage problems. We started with a good planning session with Jay and the project came out even better than we'd envisioned. We have used him for smaller projects since then and are getting ready to get him to do another one -- prep a hot tub area & expand the flagstone patio size. Jay is always on time, on schedule & on budget.”

“Jay and his crew helped renovate our front yard. We removed all of the dead and dated bushes and replanted a more modern look with a combination of plants and flowers. He also installed two stone retaining walls and put down a few pallets of new sod. He came to the house and walked thru all of our concerns and ideas. He offered his opinions and for certain things a cheaper alternative. Once we agreed on the work, he took the time to go over everything we were doing and did a final walk thru before the crew got there. David was the foreman on the crew and was great to work with. The work was finished in a week and then Jay went over post renovation care. His communication was great on both email and phone. Will definitely use again on our next project.”

“I contacted Services First when I was looking to address landscape and drainage issues that left my backyard barren. Jay reviewed the problem with me and returned with a detailed design to address it to which I agreed to proceed. The crew did a nice job and, after a few months, it still looks great. I held off writing this review as previous attempts to correct the drainage problem had been unsuccessful. Definitely recommend Jay and his team.”

“Jay and his team delivered another stunning landscape project. We used Service First for a backyard project 2 years ago and decided to use them again for our front yard based on how great a job they did the first time. The project just completed and my wife and I are very excited about how it turned out. They truly exceeded our expectations. The quality of the work is top notch and pricing is more than fair. One thing I really liked was they provided us options to help us determine what fit our budget. All in all, we highly recommend."

“I had them plant some trees/plants last year in early spring for my front yard. For the most, the plants survived except 2 evergreen trees out of 3. One of them was planted a second time because the first one died within the first month of planting. The second time it was planted in the same spot, it died again and I believe it was the way it was planted. The tree is a little tilted and I know it's not a watering issue because all three trees get water equally. I don't think Jay's workers did a good job and that's why some of them died. I would not use them again.”

“We are so pleased to have chosen Service First for our landscape project. Jay gave us a vision from day one. He and his team delivered an outstanding product and turned a seemingly useless backyard into something great. We now have a beautiful stone patio and walls to enjoy, entertain and relax. That coupled with great plant knowledge and layout will have us going back to Service First for our next project. Thanks, and great job, Jay!”

“Service First Landscapes has just finished turning our tired backyard into a beautiful outdoor living space. Jay and his team removed all of our old shrubs, leveled our backyard, and installed new shrubs and a flagstone patio and fire pit. A new irrigation system was installed into the backyard as well. This was phase one of our planned project to re-landscape our yard. Phase two we plan to re-landscape the front yard with Jay's input and advice. We are very pleased with the results of Service First Landscape's work. Thank you, Jay.”

“Jay and his team did an amazing job removing our old ugly railway tie wall that was falling apart. They professionally removed it and disposed of it, and then replaced it and expanded a beautiful tiered wall that extended past and up the side of our house. They also installed a series of Tennessee fieldstone steps that came down parallel along the side of the wall leading to our backyard. All work was completed in exactly 3 days as promised, and the cleanup afterward was exceptional. That is often an overlooked part of a job, but to me, it was really important that they left my property as clean or cleaner than it was when they arrived. I have already had several of my neighbors stop by to compliment the work and how nice it looks. I will absolutely consider them again for a backyard patio project we have planned for next year.”

“We got 3 quotes. Design wise they all had similar ideas. Service first was not only the lowest price in general, but also saved us money by telling us we only needed SOME new sod, not the entire yard like the other two companies. The workers worked hard and were very respectful. Jay even had them come by to hand water the new plants the next day because I was out of town. We are fixing our yard piece by piece and will definitely use them for the other areas in the future.”

“We called out Service First to look at our lawn problems and replace a number of shrubs. Jay showed up when he said he would and prepared a very detailed proposal and then came out a second time to walk us through the proposal and make any changes we wanted. He gave us a new proposal the next day and work started in 2 weeks on the day/time Jay said it would. His crew did a great, professional job and cleaned up each day. I would highly recommend Jay and his team and wouldn't hesitate to hire them again.”

“Thanks to Jay’s great planning and execution, total transformation of my yard. David and his crew are hard workers, with attention to detail resulting in a beautiful landscape. The finished project is outstanding, makes me proud. I would definitely use Service First Landscapes again.”

“Starting with the estimate, Jay confirmed our appointment, was on time, personable and listened to our ideas, unlike some other landscapers we had met with for quotes. Our yard has "poor access" for any type of equipment so we knew we might have some challenges. Jay was able to work through them, provide a quote shortly after meeting with us, and the best part is he provided alternatives in some areas of the yard for us to consider. These were even lesser expensive options, not an upsell. He also shared photos of similar projects so we knew what to expect. We wanted to transform an unusable slope of land into a patio where we could place some chairs and a fire pit, plus we needed new sod and irrigation installation. We knew our project wasn't going to be easy or cheap since it had to be dug out by hand due to the limited access. His crew was great, my neighbors who are home during the day were impressed with their work ethic. It was also easy to get updates back and forth. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them or use them again for future projects. Class act, all the way around. Book quickly to get on their busy calendar! Our project was done quickly and looks amazing. We love our new patio/fire pit area! See photos for before and after.”

“This is the second time I used Service First and I was totally satisfied. Jay designed a patio and fire pit area for me a couple of years ago and I knew he was the best candidate to lay new sod in my backyard. David and his crew (who work with Jay) are the best! I highly recommend Service First.”

“Hired this company to do a major landscaping job on our 1.7-acre property. Fixed driveway as well. Very high-quality work done in a timely manner. Doesn't require any payments until the final walkthrough. Jay and his staff are class acts - responsive, helpful, flexible and friendly. Everyone on his staff focused on pleasing the customer. While the work was being done, we asked for several major changes which were made without argument. I wish all service companies were as easy to work with and performed the level of quality work as Jay's company.”

"Jay and team were very responsive. Each step of the way, Jay did as he said. His quote was accurate and very detailed which was very helpful to us to adjust to our budget. His team was also very responsive and worked hard”

“Planning and executing the landscaping of your new home can be a daunting and stressful process. But Jay from Service First Landscaping made things much easier than we imagined -- and the results were spectacular. Thoroughly professional from start to finish, Jay was always respectful of our own vision for our yard while significantly improving on it with his vast knowledge and extensive experience. And when his original (and amazingly detailed) quote came in higher than we could afford, Jay not only happily went along with our own cost-cutting ideas, but also made several suggestions of his own to help us get the most from our limited dollars. The workers themselves were polite, friendly, and completed the job not only exactly as quoted and ahead of schedule, but even noticed a few things we had missed and knocked those out without additional charge. We're delighted with how our yard looks now and can't imagine using any other company for our future landscaping needs. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!”

“We have lived in our home for 19 years. Naturally, our old landscaping was aging - overgrown and some plants dying. We realized that extensive work needed to be done soon. Several neighbors had already updated their yards using Service First Landscapes. Their new landscaping looked awesome with high-quality material and workmanship. Pus, landscape pricing was competitive. Given that, we contacted Jay, owner of Service First Landscapes, who was very responsive to our needs. With his vast knowledge and years of expertise, Jay developed a low maintenance landscape plan. Spending less time & effort on upkeep was very important to us. He then sent us a detailed overview with all the plants, labor, and pricing outlined by zones. Jay was very open to our feedback and readily made a few changes based on our preferences. When the work was scheduled, David and his team (Jay's landscapers) showed up on schedule and worked hard to remove the old shrubs and trees. They prepared the new plant beds & walked through the plan with Jay and us to assure that each new plant was located appropriately. The new landscaping was planted without a hitch. Even rain did not deter David & his crew from their work. When all the new landscaping was finished, we could not have been more pleased. Service First Landscapes did an outstanding job. We HIGHLY RECOMMEND them. Additionally, our neighbors are just as pleased as we are.”

“After 3 bids, this company was best in concept & price. Jay Barnes gave helpful advice and was very flexible to add & delete plants from the original plan as the installation began. This project involved removing all the plants in front of the house and adding plants to the back. He also was flexible in transplanting some of our old plants to new locations. There was a cleanup each day. His crew was polite, efficient, and competent. We encountered an unexpected complex problem with our irrigation system and the company's specialist found and fixed it at a very reasonable cost even though more hours had to be devoted than was anticipated. We couldn't have been happier with Service First Landscape.”

“Jay was excellent to work with. He took a design we had in mind and provided expert suggestions to make it better without up-selling us. He improved it in a cost-conscious way. He took the time to really understand what we wanted and provided a very detailed quote. The crew and materials arrived when scheduled and they did a great job. Jay made sure the work was exactly as intended, which it was. It looks great! We've received many compliments from neighbors and we love the new look. In addition, Jay was able to fix a minor foundation leakage problem. With all the rain we'd had we discovered the problem just before work was scheduled, mentioned it to Jay, he checked it out and suggested a solution. It worked! Great expertise, service, and quality. We're very pleased and highly recommend Service First Landscapes.”

“We had a plan drawn up for a large-scale backyard project by another landscaper, but we decided to get some other quotes. Jay was very detailed and professional and gave us several suggestions that improved the look of our backyard. He is very cost-conscious and looked for opportunities to keep our overall price down. The work crew was very dependable and did excellent stonework. We are delighted with the finished product and have been asked by several neighbors for the name of our landscaper. We would certainly use Service First Landscape again and give them our highest recommendation!”

“We recently had Service First Landscapes take care of, drainage issues, leveling, and plantings in our yard. We had some trouble getting started due to the weather, but we were always kept up to date on the schedule. The crew that worked on our yard was great and their pride in a job well done was obvious. The neighbors have all said how much they liked the end results and were very impressed with the crew that did the work. While we had to wait on Mother Nature to get started the end results were worth the wait.”

“Our backyard had drainage issues and overgrowth which needed to be addressed. We also wanted to create an outdoor space that we could enjoy with family and friends. There was a lot to complete and Jay took the necessary time to review our needs and re-work the plan to stay within our budget with results beyond our expectations! The project started quickly and was completed as promised. We are excited to enjoy our yard again.”

“We've used Service First for several projects. Jay and his team do exceptional work. Landscape designs look great and more than fit our needs. Meticulous care and preparation. High-quality products. Very detailed written proposals so there are no surprises. All this at a very reasonable price. Highly recommended!”

“I was really impressed with the work done by Jay and his team from Service first. Everyone was on time (actually early most of the time) for appointments, and they really took the lead for a couple of young homeowners like us. Jay created a wonderful design idea for our yard and was completely flexible to meet our budget needs. We will absolutely be working with them again in the future for our landscaping needs.”

“Jay & his team are first-rate! My patio & landscape design is unique & beautifully executed. Work was done on time and correctly - and always mess was cleaned up at the end of the day. The quote for the work was very detailed & overall price a great value. After work was completed & completely paid for, I contacted Jay with a concern - that concern was immediately & courteously addressed and corrected - unlike another landscaper I have had in the past that somehow disappeared and never reappear after he was paid. Jay stands behind his work & is truly interested in customer satisfaction!! How very refreshing for a contractor to actually be a man of his word!! Highly recommend Service First!”

“Service First Landscaping just finished a job at my house in Norcross. They transformed my entire backyard from a mud hole with a broken sprinkler system and drainage issues into a lawn that my grandkids can now play in. Jay and Larry worked with me to design and come up with a yard that is now sunny and green. They also created a huge flower box, installed new stairs, and a stone dry river bed that created a lush play yard for the kids. I cannot recommend Service First Landscaping more. Use them and you will not be disappointed.”

“Great service starting with estimation, selection and through completion. The quality of work and materials surpassed my expectations. This is a well-run business where they do what they say and manage the contract professionally. I highly recommend.”

“I have used Service First Landscapes twice now for yard projects and they are wonderful to work with. Jay always gives you a detailed outline of the work you want done and lists what it will cost up front so there is no guessing and no hidden fees. They get in and get the job done in a very timely manner and they don't consider the job finished until you are completely satisfied with their work. Highly recommend them.”

“I used Service First Landscapes to landscape my yard following tree loss due to storm damage. Jay was great to work with and they did a phenomenal job. They were reasonable, prompt, respectful, and polite. I would highly recommend them.”

“We highly recommend Service First Landscape!!! My husband and I were looking to complete a very large project to redesign our front and backyard for our kids. As most would be, we were very anxious about hiring a great company in making sure the investment we were making was a value-add. When Jay arrived for his appointment and before my husband described our ideas, Jay recommended not going over a certain amount of money, which was spot on with our budget. He also recommended switching certain material with what we had in mind to make sure our yard stayed the “natural” look. At that point, we knew Jay was an experienced, honest, dependable and transparent person. His crew was unbelievably professional, efficient and thoughtful. They took their time in completing each project even with some extreme hiccups we encountered. Jay and his team were very responsive and he followed up with us throughout the whole project. We couldn’t have been more thrilled to have hired Jay and his team in creating an amazing and safe place for our kids. Look no further! Jay and his team are truly one of a kind!”

“Service First Landscape took an unattractive piece of my property boarding a neighbor and made it a neighborhood conversation piece. Cannot tell you how many neighbors have made more than positive comments on the design, choice of plants and how quickly it came together. The cost was more than reasonable and the owner of the company was there every day to ensure perfection. Very happy with the results.”

“We had been contemplating redoing nearly all of our front yard landscaping as well as some new backyard landscaping for the past several years. Due to a large Oak tree in our front yard, a major portion of our Bermuda grass had withered away due to lack of sunshine. In addition, we wanted to get rid of the very tired looking landscaping we had and felt we also needed to enlarge our island to reduce the amount of grass. We were impressed with the reviews we read on Service First Landscape and contacted them for a consultation. Jay, the owner, met with us, and we walked the property and after listening to our wishes and desires, Jay came up with many ideas for specific plant selections and a different type of grass. We were extremely impressed with Jay's ideas, and his in-depth knowledge of plants. We asked many questions, and he always had the answers. Once the initial visit was concluded, Jay prepared a very detailed proposal. After making several changes, we were ready to go. The end result was what we had hoped for. A lovely front and back yard with excellent plant/shrub selections as well as perfect plant placements. The front and backyard look great. We doubt you will find anyone any more knowledgeable on all aspects of landscaping than Jay, the owner.”

“We needed to have 25-yr-old tired and overgrown foundation shrubbery removed and then re-landscaped. Jay provided a clear line-by-line description of recommended plants and shrubs and where they would be planted along with color photos of each shrub/plant. He also fixed a downspout that was emptying into our side yard (and flooding it every time it rained) by extending the downspout into an underground pipe. His crew did a great job and Jay stopped by frequently to monitor the progress. We can highly recommend Jay Barnes and will use him again for future landscaping.”