Critical BuildASoil reviews
Every review rated 1, 2, or 3 stars — 489 total. We publish them all, unfiltered, alongside the positive ones. A growing product that works perfectly for every customer every time doesn't exist, and we'd rather you see the whole picture.
228 3-star·96 2-star·165 1-star·1.8% of all reviews
A note from BuildASoil
Over the last 13+ years, we've grown into a much better company — and a lot of that growth came directly from our critical reviews. Every 1, 2, or 3-star review on this page taught us something. New formulations, better packaging, improved shipping, clearer instructions, stronger customer support — almost all of it traces back to a customer who took the time to tell us what wasn't working.
If you haven't tried BuildASoil in a while — or you tried us early on and it didn't go great — we'd genuinely love another shot. We get better every year, and we have the receipts to prove it. See what's new at buildasoil.com →
Showing 51–75 of 453 critical reviews
Loren S.
I like the product but there costumer service is very bad for a year my Niwa has shut off at random or stayed on past it’s scheduled time. When reaching out they have told me I didn’t set it up right when it has ran fine the way I set it up for 3 or more months.
Not build a soils fault just think people should know you may have a few problems
on Niwa Grow Hub+ →DeAngelo
I’ll probably never use this again I used as directed and it left this residue all over my plants and im not sure yet how that’s going to affect them. I do no recommend this.
on BuildASoil - Wettable Sulfur →This is exactly what is supposed to happen! Wettable sulfur will leave a residue and it's a standard part of using this type of product. This coating of wettable sulfur is part of why it's so effective. Either way, it should be more clear and we will update our product page to clearly show this. Thanks for leaving the review so others can see, and we can get better and update our page.
Anthony I.
3rd party app needed for meter is free but you have to pay a monthly fee to get certain spectrums of light LED, HPS, ext. also been trying to get the app to recognize the diffuser for over 10 mins and I don’t think it’s working. Awesome deal in comparison to most PAR meters but not very intuitive setting up and having to pay a monthly fee not very impressed at all.
on PAR METER (PPFD): Lightray Diffuser & Cosine Corrector →We are adding more details about the APP on this product page so it's clear. The Photone app that I use, provided an option for a 1 time payment of around $5.00 to unlock the Full Spectrum LED tool and that's all I use without any monthly fee. I will confirm this today and post instructions here. Thank you very much for reviewing so we can be most transparent and also more helpful in suggesting the proper steps.
Stephen B.
I don't like it! Why can't companies take responsibility for there products! We really shouldn't need to "insure " our purchase!
on BuildASoil Shipping Protection →Kyle H.
I think it’s a little pricey for its effectiveness. Has only knocked down the gnats. Been treating for 10 days.
on WDG3000 Extra Strength BTI →I get it! These biologicals can be pricey. Most expensive is the product that doesn't work. I promise this one works and will provide results but it takes up to 14 days based on the Fungus gnat lifecycle. We guarantee the product and hope that you have since kept up and seen the results. Another factor is these dang gnats will start going to other damp and dark places like underneath your pot, so be sure to treat any area where they can breed.
Drew
3 mushrooms. It's awesome mulch, my plants reacted instantly. Shrooms wise, this isn't the way to go.
on Blue Oyster Mushroom Straw Log (Living Mulch) →Ryan
First, the cost compared to the Q 20 is quite high, not sure it’s worth the extra money for a more potent product which goes into my next point.
The packaging. It’s in the typical packing you’d find 1-3 pounds of other amendments, about 6”x9”. Upon opening this bag you’re met with a cloud of this expensive powder that vanishes in the air. Due to how powdery it is, it sticks to all of the bag and gets stuck inside the ziplock, when you’re buying 2oz of this product, those factors make a dent. I’ve always used Yucca as an emulsifier but this just seems to be unsustainable longterm. I also can’t speak on its increased trichomes head size as I did not reach harvest yet.
on BuildASoil Quillaja Saponaria Extract Powder 60% →Tom W.
Disappointed used max strength 15 grams in 2 gallons of water 5 or 6 days in a row still had bad infestation
on WDG3000 Extra Strength BTI →You will get an immediate knock down, but it's impossible to completely eliminate in less than 14 days based on the lifecycle of the adults vs. the larvae. Another factor to consider is that there are often dark and damp areas under the pot or in other areas that will also need treating when spraying the soil surface. I really hope you try for a longer period of time and are 100% stoked, if not we have Guarantees for a reason and only want to solve your problems.
David M.
I not only tried this product I went through a whole bag. I only had a few fungus gnats. So I tried this product and 2 days later my issue double. Reached out to build a customer service was amazing
on WDG3000 Extra Strength BTI →I hope you got it all resolved! Glad to hear that customer service was amazing. There is a 2 week lifecycle that we must fight through. It may seem like the infestation grew worse because the gnats that are adult are unaffected by the product, only the larvae are killed. Also it's like the gnats know their larvae is dying so they fly around and look for other places to lay which can make it feel worse. I promise though, This product works and they cannot grow immune to it. We guarantee all of our products and only want to see you succeed. Please reach out if you need anything else.
Tim
To start off, I would give this 2.5 stars if that were possible. But as the choice is between either a 2 star or a 3 star review, I have settled upon the 2 star review. The reason for this is I have experience in the necessary skills to complete the pump kit, and purchasing the missing parts is not exceptionally difficult. But, the differences between what was shown in the YouTube series and what is actually shipped was one of the primary deciding factors. The other is the amount of assembly required for this product to work properly. I will try to go into how / where I decided the overall rating deserved a deduction listed below.
The first photo I attached is the parts which were shipped with my pump kit. The second photo is a screenshot from the YouTube video. There are two parts which are missing from the package which was sent to me. The first is the 3rd shutoff valve to attach to the reservoir, so that I can stop the flow of water from the reservoir into the pump if there is a leak upon pressurization of the system. This is quite an important aspect as the parts included in the kit are PVC and they have threaded attachment points, which if not wrapped with sufficient plumbers tape, they will leak. For me I have had to locally source this additional shutoff valve so that I no longer have to pinch off the poly hose to fix leaks which occurred in my system upon pressurization. This oversight is why I have deducted a star.
The next part also is associated with the Season 6 Episode 12 YouTube video as well. When Jeremy asked Cooper how the item was shipped, it was indicated that a significant part of the pump and tank were preassembled. This was true, but please assume that every PVC part that was connected prior to shipping will leak and take these apart and reseal them prior to pressurizing your system. This will save you from having to drain the pump without the additional shutoff valve attached at your reservoir. I had multiple leaks which resulted in me having to take each PVC part off and reseal them with additional plumbers tape so that my system did not leak.
This was not the only aspect of the shipping / assembly which was somewhat misleading in the YouTube video. Nor was it the most significant part of assembly which really should be known prior to purchase. For me this was the fact that the pump itself had 3 loose wires which would be attached to the 120V 3-pronged power cord by the consumer. This is not something that most household users will be comfortable doing in my opinion. This was made only worse by the fact that 3 wing nuts were provided and this was expected to be sufficient for wiring the plugin cable for a pump system in an irrigation system where water might have a chance at coming into contact with this union in cables. The lack of disclosure of the extent of assembly and that you must redo much of the assembly is why I deducted another star.
A suggestion to those who are purchasing this system is as follows. The appropriate method of wiring the wires is to first stagger the cuts in the cables, so that the bulge in the cable isn't too significant. I then soldered each wire individually and covered each wire with a heat shrink sleeve. Once all 3 wires were soldered together at staggered intervals, I then slipped an even bigger heat shrink sleeve over the combined wires. I then covered the entire section in electrical tape. This can be seen in photos 3, 4, and 5.
Finally, when I inquired with Build A Soil as to the potential return of the pump kit as the missing parts and the extent of the assembly was frustrating to deal with, BAS provided me with the email address for Cooper from Sustainable Village as any return of the item would need to be coordinated with Sustainable Village specifically. Cooper was genuinely trying to help me get the pump functional and did send me one of the most important missing pieces within a week from our first interaction. Cooper also provided me with his personal cell phone number in an attempt to resolve the issues I had with this purchase. Sadly it was this extra effort which resulted in the pump no longer being able to be returned, as soon as I did anything with the wiring the item would not be able to be returned. This was more or less confirmed as when I asked Cooper about their return policy, he never responded to that inquiry. This is ultimately where the next half star / full star point was deducted.
In closing, the pump works as expected once it has been assembled. Assume every single piece will leak and reapply plumbers take in excess to what you think is needed, this will save you from dealing with the multitude of leaks which I had to deal with. Also source out the extra shutoff valve prior to installing the system, this will help you control the flow of water in your system. Also be mindful if you are attempting to get the superflex tubing shown in the YouTube video as well, this is not an item sold via Build A Soil and I have been waiting a week now for Sustainable Village to take the money from my paypal account. The last photo can be compared to the second photo to show the missing / locally sourced parts that I have or will have to obtain to have my pressurized system working as hoped.
on Blumat Horizontal Pump Kit →Melissa S.
Need bigger size for men like up to 5 x not every one is little person
on Pop Seeds Everyday T-Shirt Organic →R D S.
FYI.,...... I wasn't aware that I'd have to grind my own product. That was a surprise to say the least. I was under the impression that this product came pre-ground. Now I have to figure out a way to do just that without a grinder.
on Clackamas Coots Official Gnarly Barley - Artisan Sprouted Seed Blend →Bill S.
Too many rocks for my application, we needed to 1/4 screen, we will see how it works when we plant.
on BuildASoil Light Recipe Soil →Ray W.
I was disappointed, I understood there would be worms and worm cocoons in it . There was nothing of the sort . I over paid for a very little bit of worm castings . I’m very disappointed in this product!!
on Colorado Worm Company Premium Vermicompost Worm Castings →Oh no!!! This product is Guaranteed and we want to find out what happened. We will happily replace or refund and want to make sure that you are beyond stoked. I wonder if the wrong product was shipped? I'll reach out privately to confirm where you ordered and we will make this right. Thanks for your trust, I really think you'll love the castings once we get this sent out directly from us.
Nathan
This process was a frustrating experience for me with no added benefits except for having a shipping label provided. If this cost marginally more than purchasing the services on my own then I would not be leaving a review, but it costs about twice as much so I want others to be aware of what you're paying for
-The AA 8.2 test is not optional if you're getting an interpretation. They sent me a second invoice a day after I initially ordered this. I asked for a refund at this point but they pushed back, so I regrettably paid it
-I got spammed with BaS emails between all of the order and shipping notifications and marketing emails and missed that I received sample instructions. I'm talking 20 emails in one week because I made one order
-I had to bug them for an interpretation days after receiving the test results
Since this was my first time getting a soil test and interpretation I was sold on this being the "quick and simple" way. After going through it and learning how to send a sample to Logan Labs and get a separate interpretation, I will definitely be doing that on my own next time. I wish I had done a little extra research to do that from the start
on BuildASoil Complete - Most Comprehensive Logan Labs Testing →Ross L.
For some odd reason my phone had problems pairing up to my phone.
on Ecowitt Display Console →David C.
I never really had a chance to use the shipping protection. I wonder if I should have said something about the leaking craft blend bag that I ordered?!? Maybe that would have been covered?? IDK, what do you think Build a soil?? Should I have submitted a claim for a leaking bag of Craft Blend?? There was probably a half cup or so in the bottom of the box when it arrived, but no more than a cup.
on BuildASoil Shipping Protection →Jonpaul P.
There is no way this pump’s actual output is what they listed. Not enough airflow for the bubble snake to work properly. Upgraded to a linear pump with double the output and half the noise.
on Commercial Air Pump For Compost Tea →Tanner D.
They snuck this one in on me and I didn’t catch it. Shouldn’t be automatically selected like that imo.
on BuildASoil Shipping Protection →Tanner D.
My plants don’t seem to like this. I was looking for a way to boost my calcium before flower but every time I use it I see a negative reaction that takes a few days to recover. Leaf twisting, bubbling of leaf surface, etc. Foliar application at the lowest recommended dose. Not seeing the benefits. Maybe more info on how to properly use it as the directions are vague and also mention it can’t be used with sulfates, which are in a majority of other products.
on Grow-Cal | Amino Acid Chelated Liquid Calcium →