Diaz Group LLC

Roberto Diaz and his team did a tremendous job on our backyard patio, walkways, and steps. Roberto provided us with a very thorough estimate at the start and listened carefully to what we envisioned. He and his team worked diligently and delivered a knockout backyard — worth every penny spent.
Further, Roberto is an exceptional person; we felt we were in good hands and that he understood what we wanted and knew how to get us to the goal.
Very nice people and we highly recommend this company.

After coming to our home promptly to provide an estimate on the job, Mr Castro (logistics/​sales) did the measurements and offered some suggestions. We then advised that we were constrained by a budget and time, that we had already spoken to other contractors, but liked potentially what he and his company had to offer, he responded that he would have our estimate/​proposal by the end of the business day or early the next.
As it turned out we heard nothing. We called him, his office and left a message. Several days later, and after talking with other contractors, we did talk to Mr Castro and another employee of the company. He apologized and stated that the estimate/​proposal was forthcoming. When we finally received it on line it was way above our targeted budget. It was much more than their competitors, but given the information we saw on Angie’s List and the glowing reviews, we thought we would try to work something out — even if we had to go above our tight budget — and in light of our time constraints.
Mr. Castro, and presumably his superiors, balked at reducing the price. We therefore lowered our expectations as to what we wanted and asked that they recalculate the cost. They seemed to take their sweet time about it. Plus, during subsequent conversations between Mr. Castro and my spouse, it seemed that they weren’t particularly interested in our business, once again hesitating to come to a consensus on the final price. We even noticed an unauthorized change in the type of materials being used (a difference in the brand/​type of pavers to be installed). When we brought it to their attention they made the change but the bid was still too high. We didn’t hear from them for about a week or more, by which time we decided to go with a different contractor that was willing to work with us.
Given the great rating this company has had in the past I guess it has gotten to the point where they don’t need to seek out business that doesn’t exactly adhere to price that they set. As it turned out we did go over out budget, but the company we went with took the time to work with us and kept it on budget — and added some extras that they really didn’t have to.
Good customer relations goes a long way.
NO ACTUAL SERVICE WAS PERFORMED OTHER THAN PROVIDING AN ESTIMATE/​PROPOSAL.

They never showed up for an appointment for a quote. Never called or emailed despite the fact I confirmed the appointment via email. Called and they asked me to reschedule. No respect for people time.

We consulted a few landscapers for landscaping our basic Chicago backyard. The others were slow to respond and unreliable, but Raphael responded immediately and with gusto! He worked with us in hours that fit our schedule. He took photos of our yard and created a digital visual for us to consider. He showed us tree examples on his tablet and listened to our long term vision. He was extremely respectful and a pleasure to work with. He dealt honestly with us saying it would take 2 wks before work could start, and in 2 wks it did! What I thought would take 5 days his crew got done in 3! And it looked exactly like the digital shot. They were tidy and complete. And their quote was the best of all. Additionally our neighbors noted a new mark on their garage the day work started. Raphael and his guys did not think they caused it but fully repaired it anyway, no charge. The neighbors were delighted and so were we!

After reviewing several bids, we decided on Diaz Group because of attention to details on the initial visit, helpful recommendations, and it was a one-​stop shop for various related services. Initially, our back and front yards were disasters, several months after we had moved in. The small back yard had four mulberry trees (messy!) and overgrown grass and weeds, and our front yard was an overgrown grass and weed patch. Our goal was to have a beautiful back patio with side planters and a tree, as well as front yard with a mixture of hardscaping and low maintenance plants.
We are happy we followed the advice of removing the mulberry trees and replacing them with one tree. Additionally, our Diaz rep, Rafael, recommended a small tree for the front yard, which was a nice touch. Unlike the other landscaping companies we researched, Diaz Group provided the tree removal and planting services. Also, this company had the most variety of drainage solutions. The underground drainage along with leveling out river rock under our deck were a perfect fit for us.
We initiated the bidding process late in the season, so Diaz was booked up for a few weeks, which we completely understood. I also thought it was a good sign that they were busy because it meant that Diaz is an established company. The process of finalizing the proposal was convenient because we did it between email and phone communication.
Rafael was very responsive and very attentive to details. As promised, his crew came on the scheduled date and time and worked efficiently. The extensive project was done within five days. They did exactly what we discussed in the proposal and were also professional with feedback. Upon review of the work and invoice balance, we noticed that a couple of bricks were loose. We called the company to ask them to secure the bricks, and within 1 – 2 hrs., they came and fixed them. Now, that’s customer service! I should also mention that I had positive interaction with the office staff both on the phone and in person. We received so many compliments from our neighbors too! Also, a family member asked us for the Diaz contact information because she may also use their services.

We have nothing but fantastic things to say about this landscaping company. Not only are we proud to support a local neighbor, but they are professional, have great customer service, and hire quality workers. We had them install UNILOCK interlocking pavers in our parkway and could not be happier. They are used by many of our neighbors for their hardscape installation and we are pleased to have gone with them.

We’ve used Diaz Group to mow our small lawn for the last 13 years. For much of that period, we were reasonably satisfied. Beginning two or three years ago, however, all that began to change. Our statements began including charges for «fuel recovery» and «waste/​debris» disposal fees that brought the weekly charge for the company’s services (which take no more than 10 minutes to complete) to $ 17.50. In addition, each statement seemed to include some ancillary charge for «grub control», aeration or fertilizer that we never ordered or authorized. When I called to inquire about the latter charges, on several occasions, I received a credit after being informed the work was never performed. I now have a son who is old enough to push a mower. I intend to increase his allowance and have him perform the job with the hope he’ll learn the value of a dollar — a lesson the folks at Diaz seem to have forgotten.

I really don’t understand why all the hate, but find it sad people would go to great lengths to slam a family-​owned business, full of hard-​working/​great people. Then again, most people would rather rant than rave about an experience they had on Unilocal,so go figure (Note: Angie’s List has these guys Top Rated)
My wife and I needed some serious work done to the front of our house as the sidewalk was cracked/​broken in several areas as well as uneven causing runoff and pockets of water that would hang around for days after a storm… so we went to Unilocal to start our search.
Keep in mind we already have a landscaping company that helps keep up our lawn, but for a big job like this we wanted to find the best. Upon finding Diaz Group we had some hesitations b/​c of the reviews we found here, but decided to include them in the bidding process to work on our front lawn. Needless to say, we experienced nothing but the best in service and professionalism from Rafael and his brothers.
We submitted a request to their website on a Sunday and received a call back the next day to schedule the initial quote. Rafael came out that week and took measurements, pictures, and listened to our ideas so he could come back with a proposal. 72 hours later we had a very detailed/​thorough proposal that included 5 major components:
*Retaining Wall with drainage system linked to current piping of the house
*Pricing for concrete/​sidewalk removal and Unilock Paver installation
*Rebuilding of garden beds
*Landscaping for gardens in front and back (different trees/​plants etc)
*Professional landscaping lights installed into the ground
What was important is they didn’t just respond to what we asked, but they came up with ideas/​suggestions for the vision of what we wanted to create — nearly all of which we liked/​agreed upon.
While they were a touch more expensive than some of the other bids we received, we decided to go ahead with them b/​c of the level of service/​attention to detail they had provided us, as well as they are a family business located down the street from where we live — Roscoe Village — so we are literally neighbors with these guys. Knowing a neighborhood family would take more pride in our place than other companies felt right — and dealing with a family business meant a lot to us.
Upon agreeing to the contract (they honored an Angie’s List 10% discount as well), we were scheduled in 2 weeks out — an amazingly fast turnaround time for such a busy company (their next opening wasn’t for 3 mos later). Total predicted time for the job: 5 days.
The day of construction was a Monday, and not only did they show up on time — they showed up 30 minutes early to setup appropriately so they could actually start working at 8AM. They had a crew of 12 people — yes 12 — that helped drill and remove over 2 tons of concrete from our house. They worked til 5PM (as promised) and cleaned up until 5:30 — 5:45…so to prove my point — these guys WORK 9 hours a day — not 7.5 hours with 1.5 hours of setup and cleanup.
2 Days of concrete removal and the 3^rd day was to install a retaining wall that ran against the property line of our house and our neighbors. After getting permission early on from our neighbors to install this wall, they became reluctant seeing the actual work would be on their property line. Rafael called my wife at work and explained the situation, and our project was on hold for 48 hours until we could resolve the issue with our neighbor — in which we had to call an audible from the original plan. The trouble for Diaz Group is they had already installed the drainage system for the retention wall and laid concrete, but now we needed to head a different direction, as well as their other jobs were pushed back b/​c our 5 day project became a 7 day job. They not ONCE complained or asked for additional compensation for materials used, or days lost on other jobs.
They came back finished the job as promised and went above and beyond anything we could have imagined.
*The intricate Herringbone design of our pavers has an incredible amount of detailed work, and hundreds of small cuts/​pieces that took hours upon hours to make
*The sod they laid (originally just going to be seed) was brought in from Morton Arboretum b/​c it’s higher quality than what we get in the city
*The plants/​bushes they planted are perfect for our shady front, and the lilies they put in the backyard — perfect for the sun
*The lights are set to timers with the wires run underground (to hide the ugly cord) and go on and off to the times we desire
These guys literally changed our house. So yeah… I’d go ahead and say these guys were another class of professionalism — not only in the work they did, but how they handled themselves. If you have any doubts from reading the other posts — stop reading them, and call Diaz. You want be sorry.
(I offered to pay them more than the contracted amount b/​c we were so pleased, but they refused)

I have used this company for at least 10 years, but when I’ve tried to discuss their service or a change in service, they just blow me off. I find the owners rude and arrogant although the guys who show up to do the work are just fine. I’ve asked them to not fertilize my backyard because of the reactions by my dog and cat. They just ignore me and charge me for it anyway. This year I’m looking for an alternative.

Mr. Diaz & his team were on time, very professional and accomplished the job that single day.
I had the front yard cleaned/​landscaped as well as my backyard. Both yards were covered in dirt, and rocks, and broken glass (this was a foreclosure property we purchased). The group cleaned the soil and installed new grass.
My husband and I are very happy with the work they did and will use them again.

I did not have a positive experience with this company. Their secretary was rude on the phone and unprofessional. Their service (basic landscape/​yard maintenance) was sloppy at times (say they will correct something, but never do anything). When trying to sort out these concerns with the owner, rather than apologize, he acted offended and was rather difficult to deal with. Ultimately, it was not worth the hassle so it was decided to discontinue service.
I would not recommend this company to anyone. I would give ZERO stars, if that were an option.
Diaz Group can keep flagging my reviews for removal, but this is my opinion based on my experience. If they don’t like it, they should have treated their clients better. Wah.

I give them five stars, they did all that was promised and where right on time. I had them take away dirt and rocks, then put in my new lawn and they explained exactly how to take care of it, three weeks in it is looking very nice.

I don’t know what the people that gave them a bad review are talking about because The Diaz Group was excellent — in the work they did and the price and the customer service.
Raphael was very prompt to our appointments (in fact I was late), and the Diaz crew was extremely courteous, efficient, and effective in the job they did for us.
Dealing with condo associations isn’t always the easiest thing, and they were very patient with us. Two months later, we are finally rid of our outdated and messy landscape and have a lovely front yard for our condo.
The family business aspect was also very nice to work with.
My boyfreind is also a landscape account manager and designer for another company, but we went with Diaz Group because they offered a great price, flexibility, accountability, and reliability.
Use them for your projects — big or small :-)

Our Condo Association was looking for a landscaper; we got three bids and designs for the front yard. While the Diaz Group was not the lowest bid, it appeared to be the most bang for the buck and we decided to go with them. Rafael and Ruben assisted me in every step of the way, they are extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. The project took three days and it is obvious that they passionate about the work they do. Any time I had questions or concerns Rafael was quick to respond and open to discuss anything. On the third day of the project we noticed something we did not like, called Rafael and he changed the layout of that area, adding three lilac bushes at the last minute without any trouble.
I highly recommend Diaz Group for any landscaping project you may have.

It started out well. Rafael Diaz showed up in a timely fashion to provide a quote. We accepted the price and scheduled the appointment for 4÷18÷09. I spoke with Rafael Diaz at 9am that morning, since he had not confirmed a time yet. He said he would get the dirt and be over and get this completed today. That was the last I heard form him. I called back at 3pm and the office number just rang — no voice mail available. No call/​no show. Unacceptable and beware of this one!

I had high hopes for Diaz Group LLC but I am sadly (and expensively) disappointed. We hired them to build a patio and a retaining wall in our yard. It cost a LOT of money. $ 4800 which is a lot for us. I hope this review saves you some money.
I was impressed with Raphael initially, but here are the things that went wrong:
1. We sceduled a date the work would start. I know weather is a major concern, but I had to contact them the day the work was supposed to start, only to find out they weren’t ready and would start several days later.
2. The day they started they met with my husband to be shown where everything would be built. However, they had lost the scale drawing I had made for them and my husband had to walk the guys through what we wanted.
3. Later that day, I got a call because Raphael lost the notes he made about what color stones we picked out. I had to try to remember in the middle of teaching a writing class and with no pictures in front of me.
4. Then there were several things wrong with the finished project that wouldn’t have happened if they followed the plan I had drawn for them. 5. The wall is not the shape we decided on and it is not centered in our yard.
6. The Patio itself is off center and shaped differently than we had decided on and drawn for them.
7. They did not put a barrier by the chain link fence or by the wooden fence for the dirt. This was in the estimate.
8. Dirt seeps through the wall every time it rains. I thought they were supposed to retain the dirt, not let it pour through to the patio.
9. One of the top pieces of the wall has adhesive on it and I can’t clean it off. Sloppy to say the least.
10. The plastic pieces that are used to keep the stones from moving are about a half-​inch higher than the stones themselves. It looks awful.
All of this is a lot to have go wrong. I have called and emailed the company at least once a month and have never heard back. I believe in good karma and I would love to resolve this issue. If they ever get back to me and at least attempt to fix what they can I will remove this review. Until then it is $ 4800 down the drain.

The Diaz Group assisted me with complete landscape of my yard (see photos). They are family operated, local to Chicago, and have first class service/​equipment. Ruben Sr and his three sons (Rafi, Ruben Jr, and Robert) provide a wealth of knowledge and service for any landscaping need.
When I first hired them I took three bids and they produced the bid with the best quality but also a reasonable price. Rafi reviewed my property and came back in a week with landscape drawings. He also had a lot of recommendations which helped save money.
The first day of work I could have set my watch to their arrival at 8 am. They always arrived at 8 am and would work until as long as needed to finish the job. Their teams are efficient and the equipment is impressive. They moved two truckloads of dirt/​cement in no time.
Diaz Group initially helped to lay brick pavers in my front yard. They did so well I hired them to do the same in the backyard and then landscape the entire property. Rafi helped pick out all of the plants to make it easier for me. Throughout both projects they asked a lot of questions and kept me informed of any changed. At the end they just want you to be happy and I definitely am.
Since I was traveling internationally they even helped water the plants. This summer they helped landscape one of my properties and I’ve never seen the yard look so good. Today they raked the leaves and in the winter they’ll help plow the snow.
If you want help with any landscaping then I suggest Diaz Group. They are great people to work with and even better landscapers.