5 On Your Side

Raleigh Couple Feels Stonewalled By Landscaping Company

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Some walls last for hundreds of years, but a Raleigh couple cannot get one that stays up for more than a few months. They called 5 On Your Side for help.

Elishia Rousos and her husband have a beautiful home in Raleigh's quiet Brier Creek neighborhood.

"It's just so peaceful and relaxing. It's just such a calm when you walk out here," she said.

The couple wanted to add to the look of their landscaping by adding a stone wall. Now that they have it, they're not so happy with it.

"We want the wall torn down and rebuilt. We want it done by someone who can do it and do it right," Rousos said.

It started in June 2005 when they paid Rob Sykes, owner of Choice Landcare, more than $6,800 to build the wall. Within a few months, they noticed it was falling forward.

Over the next eight months, they repeatedly called and e-mailed Sykes. Finally, he rebuilt the wall.

"When he came out, brought a crew and what took about three weeks to build, he took three hours to tear down and rebuild. And within a few days, the wall was already falling forward again," Rousos said.

Again, she called Sykes. He did not answer, and the problems grew worse, she said. Rousos showed 5 On Your Side gaps in the wall that go from top to bottom.

The capstones were also supposed to be glued down, but they were not.

"The contractor that we had come in has said that this wall will fall down. It's just a matter of time," Rousos said. "When we asked them to bid on repairing or replacing the wall, rebuilding the wall, they said they didn't want any part of it."

So after more repeated, unanswered calls, Rousos called 5 on Your Side.

Sykes told 5 On Your Side that his mother had a stroke in July and that "put him in a bind...business wise." He promised to redo it and "make it right."

About a month later, Sykes built the new wall. Rousos hopes the third time is the charm.

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