Charged $450 for 30 mins of work; system stopped working within a day! I wish I had checked the yelp reviews as my experience mirrors the many others who have dealt with absurd charges and systems breaking immediately after "service." I hired Gary to summerize a fully functioning backyard waterfall inherited from the previous owner. Gary was at my home for a maximum of 30 minutes to reconnect the system. Although his contract states a $250 one-hour minimum, I was billed $450. To make matters worse, the unit stopped working only a few hours after Gary left. When I contacted him for help, he claimed he "only offers a cleaning service" and told me to hire someone else. He completely deflected responsibility, even though this was initially offered and presented as a service/maintenance visit to get the system running for the season. It is incredibly disappointing to pay a premium for "maintenance" only to have the professional wash their hands of the results the moment they leave the driveway. Save yourself the headache and the $450--find a contractor who actually stands behind their work. read more

I called saying I was interested, they hung up and texted me, You should drink our water. would highly recommend if you are bored read more

Pond Boy Water Gardens - My pond boy water garden - Landscaping Near Me - Bensenville, Illinois

DO NOT USE. Killed all of my fish (over 30!). Tried to charge me for finding a leak that he did not find. Left my hose on, running for 5 hours!. What was his professional and empathic response when I notified him that he killed all of my fish? Silence. He completely ignored me. DO NOT USE. read more

Came out on time to clean my pond. Charged almost double of what he quoted- creative accounting. Cleaned the pond but disagreed with his workers about the leak. All my fish which I had for 10 years were dead the next morning. Refuses to take responsibility. Beware. read more

I have had my pond 20 years and had various companies repair it. I asked them to repair my leak in the stream. They redid the stream, it still leaked. They will not come back and do anything. Please do not hire this company for repairs or cleaning. They don't stand behind their work. I have never given a yelp review but this was a $3000 job and my stream still does work. It was not worth a thing read more

Better late than never, Let me start out by telling you I have had a pond for over 20 years and the contractor who took care of my pond Did an excellent job unfortunately Frank retired. Every spring we have the Pond cleaned, they empty the water, power wash, clean everything and put the fish back in. he was always extra careful with the fish considering how expensive they are. Without question there is maintenance involved in maintaining your pond especially during the winter months when the ice builds up and it actually moves the rocks and can change the water flow. So every few years he would come in and rebuild the upper part of the pond and make sure The waterfall was level and making sure there were no leaks. Now that our contractor had retired we had to look for A new service. in 2018 we called Pond Boys and told him that we would need a Spring cleaning for the pond. At that time we informed him told that we were having issues with the waterfall and you could see where the waterfall was tilting to the left because of the ice jams. we asked him if he could re-build the waterfall and the surrounding areas, and he said, of course we can that's what we do. They cleaned the pond It looked good. After they were done reconstructing the upper levels of the pond it looked great ,we were happy. The cleaning of the pond and the reconstruction was around $2000. When it was time to have the pond re-cleaned again we had noticed during the winter the waterfall had completely shifted to the left again, remember they had worked on the pond the year before to fix that problem. when his men came out that day to clean the pond they had noticed the waterfall was collapsing. They were the guys who actually rebuild it to begin with. they said that should not have happened. They also informed me that the work should still under the one - year warranty and it should be covered. They informed me they would give Gary a call and let him know about the situation, they also took pictures. Unfortunately that's when things turned south. When the guys started emptying the pond they took the fish out and put them in a large container with water, but did not have a top to go over the container to protect the fish from jumping out. So I went to the garage and gave them what I had hoping this would protect them. you would think if you're going to have a container you would have a lid that snaps right on so you wouldn't have to worry about this. So they started cleaning the pond, after about 45 minutes I went out just to see how they were doing and I went to check on the fish one of them have jumped out and was laying in the dirt. I brought it to the attention of the guy, he immediately he freaked out. if it weren't for me that Fish would've been dead because they never saw or checked on the fish to make sure they were secured in their tank. His staff was very professional and polite. once they were done they cleaned everything up they put the fish back in the pond and they left, we even left him a nice tip for the work. Later I came out to check on how they did regarding the cleaning, it was not good. You could see rocks that were still filthy, covered with slime. And there was still quite a bit of mud at the bottom of the pond. With our old contractor, the pond always looked great, The rocks and gravel at the bottom were so clean no mud. This time within a few days the water turned dark the rocks and gravel all turned brown. we paid almost $800 for that cleaning. An hour and a half later after the guys left, I received a text (not a phone call) from Gary, and this is what it said "it is not my fault for the shifting of the waterfall" it the fault of the people who built your pond 20 years ago. I believe Gary must have forgotten that we payed $2000 to have the pond cleaned and to rebuild the waterfall and the surrounding areas of the pond. I also have to assume Gary was not made aware about the fish that was not properly secured and the container that he brought with no lid, the fish died two weeks later we had that koi for 20 years Not a phone call from Gary, just a text taking no responsibility. So this summer I interviewed a half a dozen contractors, hoping i would find one that would be able take care of our pond on a yearly basis and all the maintenance that is required. When the contractors asked me , who did the job, And when they told them they just shook their heads and rolled her eyes , That told me everything. We have had our Koi over 20 years, We have never had a problem until this year. I understand the weather this year was very hot not a lot of rain. people had issues especially with algae. With that said our pond was a disaster this year. It has never looked as bad as it does right now, and it all started with that cleaning and the fact that an owner doesn't want to take responsibility for the work they had done in the past. read more

This company is just so so at what they do. Gary is a nice guy and well enough intentioned, but their execution is not all the great. Especially for the prices you pay. If you just need your pond cleaned and nothing else, they can probably do it and do a decent job. But if you need anything beyond that such as pump replacement, electrical work, repair work.... this company is not your preferred choice. One year, after fixing leaks in the pond, Gary killed all the fish because he did not properly clean out the plumbing lines. What a disaster. Last year, they cleaned the ponds but left before the ponds were filled, they left. As it turned out the brand new pump which they installed was not working. They never fixed the issue. They have no interest in making sure you are happy -- really they are pond cleaning company and nothing else. Other years they have killed fish because the water in the holding tank heated up too fast. They left the fish in the sun in the holding tank. No doubt it is a messy job cleaning the pond, but if you do hire them, keep on eye on them because you don't want them to damage other parts of your garden while they clean the pond. They will dump the pond sludge wherever unless you direct them. Which could lead to sewage issues. read more

AN ABSOLUTE WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE Whatever bad reviews you read about Gary, do not believe them! My wife and I had the most positive experience working with Gary. Not only was he on time...he actually did the job three days earlier than he had committed to. Gary was honest, very well priced, and professional throughout the entire process. Even better, my pondless waterfall exceeded my wildest expectations. It was worth every penny. I had been procrastinating about getting a pond so my wife went online and called a few pond installation companies. Gary was at our house within an hour. He took a look at our space and said he thought we would regret a pond because we really didn't have much room. He suggested a pondless waterfall and explained why he thought it would work better for me. My wife and I read some bad reviews on Yelp and were skeptical. We were honest with Gary and he explained some of the reviews. He was willing to take us to a pondless waterfall he had installed for a client. The client had nothing but positive things to say about Gary. My wife and I made the decision to go with Gary and we are so happy we did. He was fun to work with and created a great product. He listened to what I envisioned and took great care to deliver what I was asking for. He handpicked the stones he was going to use and took the time to place them and review his work as he went making changes along the way to ensure he got the best look. He truly took pride in the job work he was doing. I would recommend Gary in a heartbeat. I called around and Gary was also the most reasonably priced company I could find. I was a little nervous thinking the quality would not be there because of the pretty big price difference. Let me tell you...save your money and use Gary. It will be worth it. read more

Price: Good prices for the work! I've had several companies come to work on our pond over the years. Gary has never tried to over charge me for extra services. In fact he has always tried to teach me how to save money on my pond. His workers have always been on time and picked up after themselves. They are very friendly and well mannered. Gary has always been polite to me and his crew while at my home. I've learned and saved a lot from Pond Boy Water Gardens! read more

Worst of any service of any kind in over 20 years. Gary Fritz is a great salesman, and great collection agent but a terrible deliverer. Seems to know less about ponds than the customer, and spends more time trying to fix the blame on his customer than fixing the problems he causes IMO. I lost virtually all of my 35+ fish and no wonder with what he and his people did. Plus he shows unannounced  only hours afterward, threatening and in my face to 'pick up full payment" when it literally was not working. Easy for me to prove they broke more than fixed.  Still he shouted about payment in front of another contractor. Sloppy to boot.  His crew says "you don't get to say how we'll do something" then drains all the water out of the pond, hoping fish will live in the mud.  Doesn't come when you ask but likes to come when no one is around to do work, and then what you can't see on the surface is probably done wrong. Paying him part of bill just to get it over with, will have to re-do most of what he did. Wish I looked at Yelp before, most of this is repeated by others. Won't return calls once he gets money read more

Gary promised me the pond would be taken care of. When they came out, I was told it would take a couple hours. They rebuilt the pond, but it took a lot longer than a few hours. When I got the bill, it was crazy high. It was my fault I never asked the cost per hour plus the $175.00 service call on top of it. The next morning, my pond had lost two inches of water in it. I called and asked them to come back and it has been a nightmare since. Gary got really angry and defensive. I just wanted them to come back and fix the leak. Then, to top it all off, Frank, my frog died during the cleaning. I will not use them again. If you use them, make sure you get the prices before they start. read more

Unlike the other review on Pond Boy Water Gardens we found them to be great and professional. We have had two ponds created by Pond Boy and both where great. The latest was Oct. 2010 the new pond is appox. 1300 gals up from the old pond of 300 gals. It looks great and the job was done on time and on buget. Gary is professional and diffently stands behind his work. JAN & CLAUDIA MAR OAK PARK, IL. read more

If you are looking for a owner of this company who is not the least bit concerned with your issues regarding his mediocre sloppy pond cleaning crew..then this is the guy for you..if you can deal with someone who refuses to listen..overtalks and charges $600+ for the nasty manner and attitude. good luck with that! read more

DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE!!!!! IT IS A COMPLETE RIP OFF!! Over the phone, Gary the owner told me that the first three hours of service would be approximately $350. He said that beyond that, there would be a charge of $85 per hour for each of two men. Elon and Keith, Gary's employees, did a very nice job and finished the job in four hours. They presented me a bill for $790!!!! THIS IS A RENT PAYMENT, NOT A PAYMENT TO CLEAN OUT TWO SMALL PONDS. When I had them call Gary, all of a sudden what Gary had initially told me about pricing completely changed. WHAT GARY DID NOT SAY initially AND DOES NOT SAY AS IS EVIDENT FROM OTHER REVIEWS IS THAT HIS INITIAL CHARGE IS $195 for the first hour and $170 for every hour after. Completely deceptive in presentation and a rip off given the fact that the man who had been cleaning my pond for the past 10 years who retired had been charging me $300 for the entire job! read more

Called a number of pond places, to get quotes and Pond Boy's prices were in line with competitors. But their service was poor. The crew arrived late, dumped the pond sludge on our lawn, and kept asking us for supplies - garbage bags, buckets, rags, etc. Their supervisor, Gary, kept a careful watch on the crew which I'd normally like. However, Gary was impatient and really rude to his workers which made me feel uncomfortable. I'd try another place before returning to Pond Boy. read more

Used them last year. Told us it would b around 300 the next time they came out. We used them monday May 18 2015. When we got the Bill it was $555!!! He never told us 2 workers were double the price. I didn't have that much at the time. I had intended on sending balance at end of month. The 2 girls pulled the pump outand my husband told them to stop be cuz they were not being careful. He finished. When they left they left 2 HUGE bags of stuff from pond. Took way too much stuff out. Pulled our pond flowers by the roots.They were gone in 2 and a half hours. When they left the pump would not work. My husband spent 2 hours trying to fix. We called electrician. Said the wires were ripped. He ran to get New pump but by the time he got back all our fish that we had for I0years were dead. I called Gary left s message. No return call. Next morning I called him. He said my husband was a cheapskate and a liar. He didn't want to deal with us anymore. Nothing was his fault. All ours. No apologies. Very rude. Hung up on me 4 times. Wouldn't talk to me. Put phone on voicemail.BTW THEY TOOK 30 FISH WITH THEM BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY. NO OFFER TO RETURN ANY!!! read more

Gary, the owner and his staff are true professionals with a lot of pride in their work! I had a neglected dirty pond that I needed to get up and running in order to put my house on the market. Gary knew exactly what I needed to accomplish and worked lightening fast to get a team out here. They did a great job, answered all my questions and were very attentive to all details. Thanks for a job well done! Highly recommend this company. You won't be disappointed! read more

Pond Boy Water Gardens is amazing. We have had other people service our pond and it was never this good. They spent so much time cleaning, repairing, and explaining why things needed to be done. The pond is running great, no leaks, the lights all work,and great plants that clean the pond. Gary, his wife, and the crew are great. I found out about them last year when I needed a pump for the pond. Their own backyard pond is awesome. I highly recommend this company, and believe me I have tried others. read more

The Pond Boys did a fantastic job constructing my new pond and water fall. I have been enjoying it all summer, and I can't praise Gary and his crew enough. I would recommend them to anyone and have. read more

My landscaper recommended Gary Fritz, owner of Pond Boy Water Gardens, when she was unable to find the leak in my pond. I spoke to Gary over the phone and he asked me to turn off the pump and let the water seek its lowest level, assuring me that the fish would be fine. He kept in touch with me while this process took 3 days to find its lowest level. He arrived on time as promised with his assistant and immediately diagnosed the problem. They went to work, fixixing the leaking area. Gary also enhanced areas around the waterfall and intake, so that they were more attractive. Upon completion, they cleaned up the area, nicely. He also gave me additional ideas to enhance the look of my pond. Gary will be my "forever" pond fixer and enhancer. I highly recommend his work and his prices. I particularly liked his keeping in touch with me until the pond was ready for him to fix. read more