Archive for the ‘Testimonial’ Category

Just wanted to let you know that I feel your crew did an outstanding job on the mulch this past week!!  They did a nice job edging the beds, cleaning up the old mulch, and putting fresh mulch down.  The black mulch really looks nice and it was a good suggestion you and your team had.   Great Job!! Cheers, James C. Brett

This is a note to thank you for your good judgement in not spreading salt on our roads the evening of 3/6/13, in view of the weather developments.  I’m sure that these are tough decisions and I want to compliment you on your decision-making.  McLean Mews are most appreciative!  Bill Grove McClean Mews

We have been very happy with the Bladerunner’s snow removal service (and all of their service for that matter). They are always rapid to clear the road during any storm. We never seem to wait for them to show up and I can’t think of any time in the last 8 years that I have lived here where I have felt stranded because they haven’t started to plow. One of the great services they offer is to send email notifications before, during, and after a snow event telling you their plan and giving you the opportunity to decline or add services (examples attached). The Board gets the notices and then we post them to our website, or you can forward it to the cluster (I would remove the bladerunners contact info so you don’t have a bunch of homeowner’s contacting them directly). When there is a snow event it seems everyone at Bladerunners is committed to it, right down to the President as most of the notices come from him.

One of the “extra services” that we have to add from time to time is for a front end loader to remove the snow piled up in the 14 visitor spaces or the mounds of snow from large accumulations. The basic service only covers a plow coming through and pushing the snow into piles. If there is a 6+ inch event, there is only so many places you can push snow before it begins to block edges of the roadway, corners, and general parking areas. The only way to get these areas cleared is with a front end loader and smaller Bobcats. When you order this service there is an extra fee which is by the hour but worth it.

There are really never any complaints about their service. One year someone that lives on a corner complained that when the truck came by there was too much left in front of her driveway versus getting right up to the curb. She lives on a corner that is hard to get and since then they always get closer to her driveway. She complains about everything and hasn’t complained about this in the past 3 years so that is a good sign. Also the Magic Salt does appear to work as the road is never slippery.

I am sure you can find cheaper alternatives; however, I don’t think you will find anyone as thorough, reliable, and RAPID. The last thing I would want to do is change services and then find out 12 hours into a snowstorm that they don’t do snow removal anymore, or their ONE truck has broken down. Good luck in your search!

Jack MacNeil

President

Towns Of Waterford Hoa

Reston VA

Dear Manaager, Heights of Penderbrook:

Glad you mentioned BladeRunners. They are included in our landscaping bidding process. How is your experience with them?

They do a good job and very knowledgeable in the field. I would definitely consider them if your Board is looking for a landscaping company concentrating on going green, in regards to the environment. BladeRunner are on the cutting edge on this movement. Even their grounds men are wearing blue shirts with the “going green logo” so in short they have my endorsement.

Derrick Springfield

Site Manager

Legum & Norman, Inc.

An Associa® Member Company

“Keith,

Blade Runners have been here all morning. I have been outside since 9:00 working on a patio and side garden project so I had an opportunity to observe the workers. Here is my assessment: Perfect. There is not a leaf on the property and these young men work very hard. I even asked them to be careful not to blow towards my garden and they were extremely respectful and courteous. From my perspective, Blade Runners hit a home run today.”

Jeanie
Chancery Square Resident

Eric-

Please give your mowing crew a big thanks from SHA (Stonehurst Homeowners Association). The grounds look awesome! There were loads of small twigs, broken branches and leaves all over the neighborhood- looked like a hurricane had come through our neighborhood. LOL So make sure they get our thanks- they just left now-7pm-

Mary Foster
Stonehurst Homeowners Association

I have thoroughly appreciated Blade Runner’s service to our community, both in landscaping and snow removal. Your customer service has been impeccable and consistent. As an example, last week I was pruning my next door neighbor’s front yard tree for her. One of your crews arrived to perform a mowing and before I had to ask, one of your men came over to me and asked me to pile the branches in the street so that they could remove them. That is customer service.

Thanks again for the great work you do to keep Oak Manor looking well-maintained.

Best regards,

M. Russ

Board of Directors

Dear Eric,

Your e-mail notifications are among the Blade Runners features I most treasure, after you, Mike, Raul and our several crews. Your e-mail notices help me monitor our contract, and I want them to continue to enter my mailbox. Previously, Elaine Ely was my colleague on the Grounds Committee, but she quit a few years ago, so she does not need to receive your notices anymore. I think I asked Raul to cancel e-mails to her sometime last year, and it appeared that had happened. So if you can pick up from there, that would be good. Otherwise, leave me on your list and delete Elaine. She still cares, but she has chosen not to be involved on the “responsible” level, so she should be off the list.

I also hope you got your billing situation straightened out. For the first three 2011 payments, you billed Sycamore Ridge Condo Association at the 2010 rate. We have since paid the arrearage, so I hope billing is now on track too.

Not that it matters, but I got two of the appended e-mails from you. Identical. I just thought you’d want to know.

Jo Allen

President, Sycamore Ridge Condominium Association

Eric,

I want you to know that I am getting nothing but compliments from our residents about the landscaping work. Even the biggest complainer in the HOA began his latest whine with the qualifier that “the common area looks much better.”

I know first-hand from my own career that quality service delivery doesn’t “just happen.” It takes a lot of hands-on supervision and attention to details. We appreciate very much the successful efforts your company is making to keep our neighbor looking first class.

BTW, we are having our first social event of the season this Sunday starting at 5 PM. It is a very informal wine party at the gazebo with some snacks. I don’t want to impose on your weekend, but if you and/or Mike want to stop by with your wives and meet some of our residents then you are most welcome to do so.

Thanks much,

Merle Russ

 President and Grounds Chairman Oak Manor HOA

We are a small homeowner community serviced by Blade Runners. This past winter we were asked to try a new de-icer compound called Magic Salt. We were impressed with the treatment on our roads and sidewalks. It was a very effective first treatment and continued to provide a level of protection after the initial covering of snow was removed. It does not appear to have stained streets or resulted in any damage to grass areas adjacent to our sidewalks. We would recommend its use to others looking for an effective de-icer treatment for roads and/or sidewalks.

Paul Antsen

Stonehurst IV Community Association

Fairfax, VA

The Stonehurst Homeowners Association has used Magic Salt to assist in removing snow and ice from our streets and sidewalks last winter. We have found Magic Salt significantly improved the removal of snow and ice from our sidewalks and prevented ice accumulation from melting snow. The plowing of our streets was also enhanced when Magic Salt was used in treating the streets before the snow began to fall. We are very pleased with the improvement we achieved by using Magic Salt in lieu of other deicing materials. Most importantly, Magic Salt provided protection on our new sidewalks from spoliation as compared to deicing materials we used in the past.

Robert Peter

President

Stonehurst Homewoners Association

The guys who will here to clean up, weed and mulch did a wonderful job. I am amazed how many people called and complimented the work. I am excited that this property will finally start looking it’s best.

Ron Crigger

Hawthorne Village

Fairfax VA

It’s been a great move for the community

 Eric,

I just wanted to tell you that Duke Street is extremely happy with the service that your company provides.  They are always very complimentary and it has been a great move for the community.

Dear Raul and Eric,

Dear Mike and Eric

I wanted to let you know that at the board meeting Thursday night, a few of the directors said that they and other residents had noticed what a great job the crew did recently on a couple of services. 

1)     They wanted to compliment the shrub shearing, especially the meticulous clean-up.  I even saw no traces of missed clippings as I walked to work on Friday. 

2)      Second, they complimented the look of the leaf mulch.  It stays in place better and is thinner for less build up.  We would like to go with that at each mulching if possible.

3)      They mentioned the general appearance of the neighborhood as excellent.  We had some die-hard believers in our previous service, but even they are saying they are very pleased with the overall appearance of the grounds. 

Thanks so much for making us look good! 

Shelley Vance

President ,Cambridge Station

You folks have done excellent work, both for the Association and for me personally (my back yard is beautiful!).
Thanks to you.

Byron F. Knight
bf_knight@yahoo.com

Thank you Eric for the direct line phone numbers. Yes they will be very helpful. I want you to know that I again received some wonderful comments about the lush green beautiful lawn we now have at our Falls Church, Church of Christ. I tell them that Blade-Runners deserves all the credit (pats on the back) for the excellent condition of our property. So many cudo’s Blade-Runners folks.

Sincerely thankful,

Kevin Thie J

Thank you Eric.

Your company and staff live up to your motto: “Always with quality and courtesy.” We are very impressed with the people who have been working at Annandale Unitied. Thank them very much for us. —

Markp  

This is the sort of thing that shows you a different from our previous company! Look at this before and after picture of the roadway after a routine mowing.  Our old company would have just left this mess in the street.

Shelly, my back yard was mowed yesterday and they did a fantastic job, particularly since it was so tall!  And the mower blade was sharp so it was a clean cut.  Thank you for coordinating, and please pass along thanks to the “guys” for a job well done.  Have a wonderful week-end, GPagin, Edgemoore, Darnley Place.

In all of my years of managing this building, as a sideline to my real job of supporting the CFO, I have never seen a more detailed and more perfect spring cleanup. The property looks better than it ever has. The diligence of the workers and their supervisor was astounding. I reluctantly made a small suggestion to them about tossing the rocks that had moved away from their beds adjoining the building, and they were instantly responsive. I did tell them I was not sure I should be telling them what to do (leftover from Links Pond policies), but they were most willing, and I told their supervisor as he checked up on their work. All over the property they explored places and piles of debris that had never been touched! So congratulations to all. I am so glad you are in our corner.

All the best,

June Swan,International Registries, Inc.

This note was on a handwritten card and we had to share it with you:

Eric and Blade Runners,

A heartfelt thanks on behalf of the First Ballston Commons Community for your conscientious and diligent snow removal efforts this winter. We appreciate that this has been a particularly trying season and despite it all we have recived excellent, proactive service and many unexpected personal gestures. Keep up the great work , best wishes for a happy , healthy 2010.

Sincerely,

Darcey Bennett and the First Ballston Board.

Communication is an area where Blade Runners really stands out. Prior experiences with other landscaping companies as well as other community contractors were routinely disappointing when trying to contact someone to answer a question, review an invoice, submit a proposal, etc. Blade Runners has been responsive, accurate and available by both phone and e-mail. This is a far cry from our previous landscaping contract with which the site manager seemed to always lose the job specs and the owner would return a call the next week – from a golf course in Florida. Raul has done an excellent job as our site manager in notifying us when and how specific services or projects would be done. Communication also appears to be strong within the Blade Runners team, with our onsite crew regularly well-prepared before they drive onto the property on how they will approach and complete the job.

Good communication makes us feel that our good partnership with Blade Runners will continue to improve year after year. Thanks for staying in touch.

Michael Ellwood
Tallwoods HOA
Springfield, VA

Raul:

 This will be our first year with you all during leaf pick-up. Eric talked about your innovative strategies, but I have not seen them in action. (Though your  efficient mowing and herbicide techniques likely mean that this effort will be just as efficient!)

 Call or e-mail with any reminders or suggestions. The community looks good – we have had a number of residents and visitors tell us that – and that is in large part due to the efforts of Blade Runners.

 Michael Ellwood

Tallwoods HOA

The Danbury Forest Community Association would like to thank you to being a sponsor of our community fundraising event to benefit America’s Severely Wounded Warriors, a.k.a. The Wounded Warriors Project (WoundedWarriorProject.org). Your generous donation is greatly appreciated. In addition to the great work that Blade Runners has done for our community for many years, I appreciate your commitment in supporting the brave members of our armed services.

Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Frank Divita
President
Danbury Forest Community Association

Raul –

I just wanted to pass on what an OUTSTANDING job the guys did the other day on the tree work, they were great and worked very hard. I am very pleased with the way the job came out.

Im not sure if you use the same crew to do our complex, BUT the crew that comes out are a bunch of hard working guys.

Not sure if you all have a christmas bonus that you give them but I can tell you that they would deserve one if you do.

stacy
Bearegard Manor Hoa

Attn: Eric Storck and Terry Turner

The board at Hunters Green Cluster hired your company to correct an erosion problem behind my home. The landscaping crew finished the project last week and I am writing to tell you how pleased I am with the results. The combination of Rocks, Plants, and design turned an eyesore into an attractive area.

Edwin, Daniel, and Mesa, are very polite and diligent in completing the work they obviously take pride in doing a job well. I have lived in Hunters Green Cluster over ten years and have always found your crews to be hard workers who always produce professional results -this crew was exceptional.

I would ot hesitate to recommend Blade Runners to my friends or use them for any future work in my yard.

Virginia Banks
11797 Indian Ridge Rd
Reston Va 22091

Hello Eric and Terry…
I have been very fortunate to work from home last week and watch the wonderful workers who from beginning to end (planting today!) did all the work to dig up and prepare and set in the swales behind the houses at the top of indian ridge from 11799 to 11787…

Ruben came by today too and we walked the swale and talked…I want to thank him and this wonderful crew we have here…..
Edwin and Daniel and Meja who have toiled… each day from early morning to late afternoon during the hottest most humid week of the summer…
they never complained, never slacked… worked SO hard!!

they are so friendly and respectful… the work is exemplary …. the swale is beautiful…it survived the incredible rain of friday too!!! amazing!!!!

the grounds crew rarely ever gets a nod from the residents…and yet we see that they are diligently here in all kinds of weather helping to keep hunters green cluster neat and tidy… they are always friendly and considerate…whenever a homeowner goes to get in or out of the cars, get their mail etc, the workers stop their work in order to keep the dust and clippings from blowing at them..

it is important to hear the good things… in fact, we so rarely say anything… so much easier to complain… YET, it is not… it is actually much easier to compliment and thank our guys for their efforts on our behalf!!!

thanks so much..
come see the work!!! it is NICE…

(now… we know we have many more erosion areas that need this kind of work… this was a considerably bigger project than some would be, so i am very hopeful that we can do more..)

rushing out for a platelet donation… there will be more later!

katharine hunter 703-476-9095

H Katharine Hunter
hkhunter@starpower.net
…. cliche or no… peace, please

This is a company that enters into a partnership when a contract is signed. Any number of times, the Maintenance workers have reported to the Board problems that our residents failed to report. Their vigilance has helped us to avoid difficulties.”

Linda W Friedman
Villa Deste Hoa

Blade Runners is excellent on all counts. The entire staff, including the crews on the jobs, is always professional, friendly and responsive. Our account manager always is informative, providing recommendations and options to suit our needs. The common areas they service are very well maintained. Quality, service and value and results are second to none. I would recommend Blade Runners to anyone without hesitation.

Karen A. Conroy, CMCA, AMS
Senior Community Association Manager
Capitol Property Management

Blade Runners is a landscape company with whom we have had the pleasure of working with for a number of years in various commercial sites that we have managed. We have found Blade Runners to be extremely responsive, professional, and reliable to work with and I highly recommend them for any landscaping or snow removal services.

Tim Kirchner
Owner
Northern Virginia Management

I have truly appreciated my tenure with Blade Runners because I enjoy the relationships I have been able to establish working with property managers and community board members over the years. Its very rewarding to work with a community and make long term improvements to the landscape and grounds. When you can visit a community that has been under Blade Runners care for a number of years, see trees that we’ve planted and or erosion problems we have resolved its very satisfying in that regard. I also feel our full service approach is a great asset to our customers in terms helping with long range planning and problem solving. One stop shopping you could say!

Blade Runners has a very unique approach to grounds maintenance, landscape design and tree care. As a committed employee of Blade Runners for over 15yrs, I would highly recommend our company and the many services we have to offer.

Terry Turner
Branch Manager
Blade Runners Grounds Maintenance
Sterling VA

“This winter’s snow proved to be a great burden not only on homeowners but on the contractors servicing those homeowners. Blade Runners did an outstanding job of providing snow removal and sanding to the communities they served. They were responsive to some unrealistic homeowner requests and performed better than most other contractors I work with.”

Carl Wallen
Armstrong Management

As a Community Manager of nine properties throughout Virginia and Maryland, Blade Runners provides service to four (4) of these properties. I can honestly say that you have provided excellent service, excellent response times and everyone I have had to deal with has been wonderful to work with. A few of my properties have had severe landscaping problems. My Account Manager, Terry Turner, has offered many ideas to assist in these problems.

I would recommend Blade Runners to anyone wanting high quality, quick response and overall high work integrity. I look forward to many years of working with you and your highly competent team.

Diana Fritts Community Manager
Loudoun Management Associates

Dear Blade Runners…
especially to EDWIN LORENO

it is now after noon… on the day I hit the metal drainage cover on my exit from Indian Ridge…
I heard the bad noise, as did golfers and was out of my car bemoaning my lack of attention and the resulting damage…sigh

and, along came Edwin Lorenzo!!! SO VERY nice to me… so patient and caring..
he let me complain and moan and went right about sympathizing with me…
lamenting the sharp metal cover..(the regular curb would not have done any damage)
and went straight work helping me… (in fact, basically took over for me…) to change my tire..
how very very wonderful and thoughtful and caring..

I thank you, so much, Edwin…
I appreciate your time and help, Edwin…
and, I want Blade Runners to know how much I continue to appreciate your efforts on our behalf …
and today…
MY DILEMA made ever so much less terrible because YOU CARED to stop and help me!!!!

H Katharine Hunter
hkhunter@starpower.net

Hi Terry,

I just want to say a HUGE thank you for all the weeding your guys did in my yard on Friday. I’ve been planting some ferns and extra hostas hoping they will hold the soil around the edges of the yard, and to give it some interest until we figure out our master plan for the community. I was just flabbergasted when I saw them working on it, so I can’t say thank you enough.

I want you to know that there are plenty of us who appreciate all you and your crews do. There

But I just wanted you to know that I’m happy to compliment you on all the good work you do. Chris had seen the pond area as he walks his big Lab every day but I haven’t been over there yet, but will just as soon as I can.

Thanks again and have a great week, and be sure to pass on the compliments when you can – I’d like to the crews to know we say thank you -good job!

Suzanne Wolfe
Landscape commitee
Woodwinds Condo Assocaition.
Reston VA

Raul,
I want to thank you for the great job your folks did on restaking the tree. You guys really are the best, and it’s been a pleasure to recommend you to other HOAs in the area.

Jim Rial
President, First Ballston association

Thank you for participating in the 2009 WMCAAI Annual Picnic. Your contribution as a sponsor made it a big success.

These last few years with the varying snow levels proved one thing to us. You all are setting the standard for snow plowing at all of our properties. It’s done right, it’s done timely, and at the best cost of all our contractors! Sometimes we have snow plowers that start plowing early, over treat, and in general run up the expenses – upon comparative analysis we always see Blade Runners as the most cost effective quality snow plow company. When you send the snow and weather alerts I actually use your guidelines to manage our other contractors.

Not to forget the communications! The email service announcements provide me with .almost real-time info on what is happening on the property and how much attention is being devoted to each, especially by the supervisors. Work on site is done to a ‘t’ just as we outlined and wanted throughout the landscaping year. Extra work is done promptly and the sites look great.

Thanks again – and we do hope to work with you and Blade Runners more in the future!

Carol L. Holder, CPM
Vice President, Office and Retail Management
A. J. Dwoskin and Associates, Inc.

Blade-runners has been the landscapers at the garden style apartment building we manage for close to 10 years. Being a garden style property, curb appeal is VERY important to us. Before starting to work with Blade runners we had used a number of different companies, never quite happy with the workmanship or customer service.

In today’s world of automation or never getting the same person twice, it’s nice to have a manager for our property that knows us, knows our expectations for the property and wants to make sure we are happy. And because we have had the same project manager for sometime, he also knows the history of the property and what plants work well there. For example, we always ask for pansies in the fall on the north side of the property. They really don’t get enough sun to be happy there, and on our last walk through of the property, our project manager suggested cabbages instead that will look fabulous. We can’t wait to see them this year. He put together a plan that will work with our conditions and will suit our needs.

We would not hesitate to recommend Blade runners to anyone who wants to have beautiful grounds!

Michael Campbell
Manor House Apartments

“The staff at Blade Runners has outstanding knowledge of the landscape business — your lawn, your shrubs, your trees, and much, much more. Plus, customer service and satisfaction are always a top priority with them. Blade Runners, you’re the best!”

Kelly Hardy
Landscape Committee Chair
Williamsburg Pond Home Owners Association

I began working with Blade Runners about 5 years ago. Since then they have become my first choice for all landscaping related work. Their routine service is outstanding. Their tree and enhancement services are even better. They are one of the few companies that contact us to make us aware of problems and to make suggestions for improvements. They have the ability to take on projects of all sizes and types and are always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done to everyone’s satisfaction. I recommend them without reservation for any type of landscaping work.

Ken Eiriksson, President
East Coast Management & Consulting Services, Inc.

Terry,

I wanted to send along a “thank you” and a “job well done” to your crews.  I don’t know if they were there on Monday or yesterday, but they continue to great job with the lawns in addition to cleaning up the weeds in the areas that have been mulched.  The weeds were encroching on the mulch bed from the woods behind my house (1552 Autumn Ridge Cir) until they were cleaned up earlier this week.  Your crew did a great job cleaning up the weeds and improved the look around our houses.

 Thank you again for continuing to do a great job!

- Ken

Ken Gray,
Board President
Summit Chase Cluster