Grimm’s Fuel Company

We ordered 8 yards of blended soil from Grimm’s Fuel and had serious problems with what should have been a very simple transaction.
Foremost was their inability to accurately measure and deliver 8 yards of soil. We had the driver dump the load into 2 piles. Immediately, we were very concerned that the total amount delivered was no where near 8 yards. I used to own a landscape design company, so am familiar with landscape materials like this. The driver assured us that our total delivery was 8 yards and even pointed out which of the two piles was «larger».
So, we called Grimm’s and were told by their office personnel to text a picture of our piles, with a wheelbarrow next to it, to a cell phone number they gave us. OK, so we did — I put a standard-​sized wheelbarrow next to the «larger» pile and texted it to the number and had the following text exchange:
Me: «How many yards is this you just delivered?»
Grimm’s: «The driver said he split your load between 2 piles?»
Me: «Yes. How many yards is this pile?»
Grimm’s: «Between 3 – 4. When we split loads it’s not exactly even»
Me: «That’s not the issue… both piles are about the same size and can’t possibly be a total of 8 yards.»
Me: «So are your yards not 3×3×3 feet?
Grimm’s: «That looks about right. If you want to give me the dimensions of your boxes I can make sure you ordered the right amount. Fill your boxes and let us know if your short»
This went back and forth a bit more, but I was clear that my issue was that we ordered 8 yards and didn’t get nearly that amount. Grimm’s kept focusing on how much we needed for our raised bed boxes (and I had more uses for the soil than that), and NOT confirming that they delivered the correct amount of 8 yards.
So, the next day, I CAREFULLY MEASURED the pile that I had sent in my text using a Medium Lowe’s moving box (I put the box in my wheelbarrow and filled it level to the top of the box and then dumped it where I needed it). Remember Grimm’s said this pile was «3 – 4 yards»? TURNS OUT IT WAS ONLY 1.44 YARDS. Here’s my math:
1 Medium Lowe’s Moving Box (dimensions are 18×18×16 inches) = 5,184 cubic inches
1 cubic yard (27 cubic feet and 1 cubic foot is 1,728 cubic inches) = 46,656 cubic inches
I filled the Medium Lowe’s Moving box just under 13 times, but rounding up to an even 13 = 67,392 cubic inches OR 1.44 cubic yards. Based upon this and then adding it to the other «smaller» pile, we likely were delivered UNDER 3 yards total when we ordered 8 yards!
After more discussions with Grimm’s they finally agreed to, and I quote, «give» us more. They delivered another pile 2 days later. While I didn’t measure this second delivery, I think it was around 3 yards, so we STILL ended up paying for 8 yards and getting around 6.
The reason I went through all of this is that we rely on and trust companies like Grimm’s to accurately measure and deliver bulk materials such as top soil and bark mulch. Grimm’s clearly failed to do that and then made it worse by continuing to mis-​represent their measurements.
In the end, we dealt with lots of aggravation, rude staff, clear mis-​representation of standard bulk materials measurements… and we paid for 8 yards and still only got 6.
Huge FAIL. Homeowner’s beware!

Found Grimm’s on Angie’s list, contacted them via message and they were prompt and helpful replying. Made an appointment to blow in 1 unit of dark hemlock mulch Saturday (5÷21÷16) between 9:00 am –10:00 am. The gentlemen arrived at 9:15, spoke about the process and where I wanted the mulch, as they were blowing in the mulch it looked beautiful. They were very professional and helpful on the services Grimm’s provides, in my opinion they went above the call of duty assisting me with the service.
A couple of days later as the mulch dried I noticed that it was taking on a reddish/​brown color, I looked on line and found that dark hemlock should be much darker. I contact Grimm’s with my concerns and sent them photos, I received a call from the Mulch department Manager Robert. He explained to me that I did not get dark hemlock, but brown hemlock, they had ran out of the dark hemlock a while ago and the truck was loaded with the lighter color. I asked him why I was not notified of this so I could make the decision if I wanted the substitute. He said the front office was not aware of this and he apologized for the switch, then asked me if they could come out and spray garden mulch on top of the brown mulch. I told them that would be too much, and with foot traffic and dog traffic, it would look horrible in no time. Then he ask me if I wanted a refund, I am a reasonable person and I told him we should go half, I did receive a product, it was just not what I wanted, I did not love it, but I did not hate it either, he agreed. I received the check in the mail yesterday (6÷6÷16) for half of what I paid.
I was a bit worried because the check did not come when he originally said it would be here, I contacted Dan another Manager and he assured me it was indeed in the mail.
I want to thank Grimm’s for working with me, turning a bad situation tolerable, they could have easily argued that I received mulch, but they were willing to compromise, that is all I asked.

Garbage in, garbage out. Every dollar you give them funds something unsavory, and furthers their ability to sell garbage to rubes. Don’t be one of those rubes. There are many reputable companies out there — please support them. Any of them. Just not these clown-​car sideshow freaks of a «business». I thought that I left these greasy knuckle-​draggers back east, but shady humps know no bounds. Go back to Jersey, you contemptible schmucks.
Capito? Ciao.

No longer accept wood waste and made no mention of it on their website.
I am now stick with a truck overloaded with wood and cannot get it to another drop place for the rest of the work week.
Attendants have always been rude.
Take your business where they treat people’s time with respect.

They do not take wood, despite their website saying they do.

Had three concrete chunks from fence posts. When we checked in, they said it was such a small amount and did not charge us to recycle them. Thanks so much!

Grimm’s did a great job on our bark. They were fast and cleaned as they went. We will be back.

Grimm’s was recommended to me by a friend at Oregon Decorative. I was looking for a unit of bark dust and their prices were competitive — identical to Mt. Scott Fuel.
I had called around prior to calling Grimm’s and was impressed with how swift I was able to get the bark dust — next day — and on a Friday, too.
The guy showed up in the morning and I was able to get the unit spread and off my lawn by the end of the day.
My yard looks great now. Thanks for the help guys.

Last week we got one fat cord of very dry wood, alder/​cedar mix that was left over from last years already seasoned wood. We always get oak from them but this year they were out and I really wanted to stack the wood before the rain starts (unlike every other year that I stack in the cold wind and rain). Their wood is covered at the Tualatin yard so that part didn’t matter. I set the drop date for a Saturday, asked for morning and they said it depends on the route that day. Got a call back later and they gave me a 1.5 hour window in the morning and they hit the mark at 1.5. Driver dropped it right where I had asked, was polite and did a good job, quick and in and out.
I always take my yard debris down to Tualatin (in the early mornings), its around $ 10, plus or minus per truck load depending on if its overflowing over the bed or not.
They are a little pricey on the fire wood so I took one star off. If I ever need bark dust I will check these guys out first.

Says they are open til’ 5pm on Saturday with no mention that while they are open, they don’t take any yard debris after 4:30pm. Drove a significant distance to arrive within their posted hours only to be turned away. Extremely frustrating.

We ordered a cord of wood from Grimm’s during the fall of 2012. The amount was spot-​on — enough to fill two 8’x4’x2’ stacks plus a 3’x2’x2’ stack to make up for the volume in between logs for a true-​cord. This was much better than haggling with providers on Craig’s List not delivering a true-​cord for their price. The wood was properly cured but slightly damp.
But what tempered the whole experience was whatever soil or compost product was in the truck before our load. All the wood was dirty with some developing fungus/​mushrooms by mid-​winter. This fine, organic-​rich dirt impacted every step of the handling process — from racking, to chopping kindling, to moving in to the house, to handling prior to placement in the stove.