GardenFocus

Laura Brock

Jan 04, 2026

• Report

Robert has done a lot of work for me over the last few years. Initially Robert would work an average day (6-8 hrs) and his work was of a good standard. As mentioned by other customers I suspect this was to impress new customers. Unfortunately Robert likes to stand around chatting (a lot!!) and does not stop talking even when he is told “I just need to answer this call…” or “I just need to let the dog out…” or “I’m sorry Robert I have an appointment and I’m going to be late….” . On occasions despite saying several of these things he has still continued to talk and has left me no choice but to walk away which has then led to him reacting like a child being mardy. Unfortunately Robert does not so much enjoy a two way conversation and only likes to talk himself, on the odd occasion you get to say something he talks over you and changes the conversation back to himself, Ai , the far right or his travels around the world and Ireland. This became so bad he was stopping me being able to get anything done and consequently was not getting any work done himself! He would then complain several times a day about how many journeys he was having to make to the job and insisted on telling me that “if he were to quote for a similar job again he would have to increase the price as he just wasn’t making enough money “!! He would then continue to talk at me for another hour about previous customers he’d had fallings out with, family members he didn’t get along with in particular his one brother and other subjects that I was not comfortable with such as his “laddish escapades drinking in Ireland”.
It got to a point where I was dreading him coming each day so in the end I made the decision to go and stay with family whilst he finished the work.
On certain days I would pop in to see how things were going and on many occasions I found things had been damaged and broken (two very expensive solar garden light orbs which were £50 each had been snapped off their posts. He’d moved a new tree I’d just bought at a cost of £100 on to a decked area which was in the blazing sun all day and left it there for two days so by the time I found it it had died and other things). I was horrified to see that he had spread his tools off cuts of wood, rubbish all over the brand new lawn he had just laid for me. On top of that he had used the new lawn to cut all of his pieces of wood on leaving wood shavings all over it.
The last work Robert did for me was in my lounge and I again moved out so he could get on with the work and get it done asap as it was just before Christmas. I can honestly say that I was absolutely devastated disgusted and shocked by the way he treated my home and property which is a brand new home and my pride and joy which I keep immaculate. I asked him specifically to use dust sheets and boot covers (which I provided for him!) and asked him to cut any wood outside. On previous occasions he had used a gazebo outside if it was raining to cut wood under).
Robert did not do as I asked and decided to cut all his wood and MDF in the middle of my lounge floor WITHOUT using the dust sheets I’d provided! He had also opened my French doors and left them open all day despite the fact it was raining so all of my lounge carpets were absolutely soddened. He had then sanded down green sheets of MDF so my whole house was covered in green MDF dust. On one occasion I popped in he was that busy talking I had to tell him three times that his paintbrush was about to drip on my carpet. It consequently did drip onto my brand new Tv bench and one of my brand new tv panels but instead of wiping it with a cloth he used his foot to smear it off the panel (bearing in mind his was walking all over my carpet!) and licked his finger to wipe it off my tv bench!
I had showed Robert the picture of what I wanted doing and he said he was capable. Unfortunately this was not true and he did not do what I asked for. He was building a media wall for me. I paid an electrician to move the electrics for me and I wanted a tv panel in front of the sockets to hide it all away. Instead of this Robert cut a huge hole in the panel so the electrics are now all on display! I provided led lights that were supposed to go around the back of the panel but instead he wrapped them around the side of the panel and nailed them in place so from a side view it looks absolutely dreadful. Up until this point I had never questioned or complained about his work despite everything and despite all of my annoyances with him his work had always been ok so I had let a lot of things slide as I didn’t want to upset him. I told him that I hadn’t asked for a hole in the panel and that I didn’t want him to do that and that it spoilt the look and the whole point of the panel was to hide the electrics. He admitted that he hadn’t cut the hole in the right place, that it was wonky and that it shouldn’t have been quite so big. He argued that I needed the hole to be there incase I had any problems with the electrics but the whole panel was built on a French cleat so was able to lift off so the hole was not necessary!
He told me this job was 2 days work but I had to move out of my home as it took him a month to do the work he did on it. That in part was because he now only works for 3-4 hours a day.
I paid Robert in full as he requested it several times as it was the week before Xmas so out of good will I honoured that. Robert agreed to come back to finish this job and put it right but has since ignored all of my messages and correspondence so I am now left with a complete mess of a media wall which I have paid a lot of money for!
DO NOT TOUCH THIS COWBOY WITH A BARGE POLE!!

Emma & Simon Shepherdson

Sep 24, 2025

• Report

After a recommendation from a friend we asked Robert to quote for a raised wood decking that needed replacing. We were extremely impressed with his attention to detail and workmanship so much so that we also got him to clear our garden, lay a new lawn and replace an old pergola and trellis. Robert completed all the work in a professional manner and we're very pleased with the finished result. We would highly recommend using Garden Focus.

Margaret Lawrance

Aug 28, 2024

• Report

Can thoroughly recommend. Arrived when he said he would and did an excellent job on my garden. Trees and bushes all pruned and shaped to perfection.