Complaint Review: Outdoor Escapes

Chris and Jennifer Cochran of Carmel, Indiana took advantage of our sprinkler system maintenance introductory offer for new clients. While they also requested a proposal for landscape design and installation, the two issues are not tied in any way. The discount package is indeed a prepaid discount, but the services are also offered at standard rates with the option to pay at the time of service. The offer is available to all new customers regardless of their interest in other services we provide. We do not lose money on the service and would have been out of business years ago if we did.

More than 6 weeks prior to the freeze damage, the Cochrans were offered a service date for sprinkler winterization and given instructions on protecting the system from freeze damage in the event that the unpredictable Indiana weather produced temperatures of 30F or lower prior to the winterization service date. These instructions are simply to wrap an above ground device (required by law) with heavy towels or blankets. Indiana has experienced freezing temperatures as early as the first week in October, and yet the weather can still be warm and sunny, requiring the use of the sprinkler system throughout November. We have no way of predicting the weather weeks in advance.

The freeze protection can be done at any time while still leaving the system in full operation if the customer so chooses. Jennifer accepted the service date offered in writing with confirmation of receipt of the freeze protection information. Six weeks later, a full three days before the freeze damage to the Cochrans' sprinkler system and the alleged damage to their basement, freezing temperatures were forecast. In case customers had forgotten or neglected to protect the above ground pipes as previously advised and hadn't heard the weather forecast, our office phoned and emailed all customers with systems not yet winterized to advise them of the freeze forecast and remind them to wrap the above ground device. The Cochrans were among those people and our office staff spoke to Jennifer directly. At that time, she laughed off the advice and advised she would have Chris do it when he returned home. She also asked for the instructions to be emailed to him, which had already been done again earlier that same day.

We are uncertain if the Cochrans wrapped the above-ground device. Jennifer phoned the next day to advise the device was leaking and the basement had water in it. We instructed her how to stop the leaking and prevent further damage which required nothing more than turning two handles. We are uncertain if this was done. It is important to note that the device and all portions of the sprinkler system are outside the home. We are uncertain how or why the Cochrans had water damage in the basement or why the foundation of their home was not secure enough to prevent the alleged basement flooding. Nor do we know if they have addressed the alleged problem with their homebuilder.

The Cochrans presented us and our insurance company with an estimate for damage repair to their basement totaling exactly $1,549.04, not the thousands claimed in his report on this website. Our insurance company (it seems this must be the company Chris refers to as the bonding company) refused his claim as there was no negligence on our part.

We do not know what other methods Chris or Jennifer Cochran have attempted to collect on this false or deceptive claim damage; however we do know that they have not filed against us in small claims court. It seems if they had a valid claim this would have been their first course of action. It is clear to all parties that have looked at this matter that this claim against our company is invalid and the Cochrans are attempting to lay blame on others for their lack of homeowner responsibility.

-- CUSTOMER / BUYER BEWARE --

Thought we had an great deal to have our irrigation system opened in spring and closed in the fall. We thought we found the perfect company with Outdoor Escapes in Carmel / Fishers / Westfield Indiana. We reviewed their pedigree on their website at http://www.outdoor-escapes.net to learn how professional they are and all of the guarantees and their high level of experience, so we thought how could we go wrong. We signed up and pre-paid for them to open and tune up our irrigation / sprinkler system in the spring and close down and flush the system in the fall as well as repair and replace any nozzles or values, filters, or distribution pipes, to correct any of the application rates and address applications in the various zones, repair any issues with the timer and manual/automatic mechanisms, blow out the system, winterize the system, and make any repairs to and certify the back-flow prevention and vacuum breaker device. After paying for the service, we had them in for a consultation on other landscaping. When we decided not to go with them, they appeared to put us at the end of the service list to have our irrigation / sprinkler system closed down / turned off in the fall. The problem is that they didn't schedule us until after the first freeze. When they realized it was going to freeze, they panicked and called us to tell us to put big blankets over a system valve to keep it from freezing. They didn't tell us why, they just said we needed to do it. We followed their instructions because we trusted them as our professional irrigation system specialist. It was too late and while we were away from the house the valve broke, causing a massive amount of water to be released from the pipe that is hooked directly to the city water main. The water was forced up against the house because of the blankets they pleaded we put over the valve (instead of draining away from the house if it was raining). This caused the water to build up against the house, overwhelming the drainage system around the foundation of the house. Ultimately, the water then had nowhere to go but to in our finished basement, causing a small flood. When we called them about it, the secretary was VERY rude to us on the phone and wouldn't even send someone out to fix the problem. They would rather try and talk me through a complicated procedure of turning off the water to my house and / or the irrigation system. Once we got through that, they still wouldn't send someone out to make sure I followed the procedure right and or that there wasn't anything else wrong. For all we knew, the water was coming from multiple places. Here is the best part. In order to mitigate mold damage, we had to repair the damage straight away. Once we had the damage repaired, they wouldn't take our call to help with the damages. We called multiple times and they wouldn't return our calls. When we called, their secretary wouldn't let us through to talk to the owner of the business - Greg Fettig. So, if you must use this company, use at your own risk. If there's a problem, you won't be able to depend on them to be there for you, even though they will tell you they are insured and bonded in the event there is a problem. They broke the trust we had with them as our professional. The worst part is that they didn't even try to make it right -- they chose to ignore the problem they caused. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN A CRISIS IS AT HAND. This is one of those companies where they are great until there is a problem. They run from the problem! Is this what you want with a trusted professional? You expect them to make sure the task of their profession is done right, that's why you hire them. They should be ashamed with themselves that they can continue to walk on the edge with their customer's trust. We hope you don't have reason to ask for warranty repair from Outdoor Escapes because you will be sorry. The trust was broken and we are now out several thousand dollars for repairing the damage that our trusted professionals could have prevented had they provided the pre-paid service in a timely manner.



The business name is Outdoor Escapes and their address is 817 E 199th St, Westfield, IN. and P.O. Box 665 Westfield, IN 46074. Their phone number is 317- 845-1590 and the owner's name is Greg Fettig. They have a website at http://www.outdoor-escapes.net