Features

Risks building a new wall in front of an old one
In 2020, we built a 500 sf retaining wall on extreme 2:1 slopes. In 2023, the client asked about building another wall 16’-20’ in front of the 1st wall. If you build walls, you know you always build from the bottom up… you don’t build the upper wall first, then come back to build the lower tier! That’s essentially what we would be doing. I warned them immediately that this might not be feasible.... MORE
Features

Labor overruns really, really hurt
Job overruns of any kind hurt profits. But labor overruns stand head and shoulders above the rest. Why is that? Guess which kind of overrun is more common and harder to eradicate? Yup, you got it. Labor. First, let’s cover why it is more common and harder to eradicate. Then let’s dive into why it crushes your profit far more than any other overrun…. MORE
Features

Overcoming stresses in today’s business climate
Are we about to have a serious recession? Will tariffs force prices to rapidly rise as we move through 2025? Are we going to lose our labor force due to changes in immigration policy? These are the questions we have been asked the past few weeks. We will discuss each of these questions in today’s essay…. MORE
Features

3 keys to thriving in hardscaping
If you think you have it all figured out, that’s your first mistake. The secret to success – whether in business or life – is being a lifelong student. After 40 years in the hardscape industry, I’ve learned that growth comes from continually refining your craft, streamlining your processes, and effectively communicating your value…. MORE
Features

20 years of Hardscape Magazine
August 2023 marks 20 years since Charles Vander Kooi hired me to launch Hardscape Magazine. Chuck saw that the hardscape market was growing fast and was being underserved by the media. It didn’t matter that Chuck had never been involved in the publishing business. He had an amazing grasp of the numbers straight from the gut, what costs would be to run a magazine and what income could be expected.... MORE
  • Growth makes you busy; efficiency makes you profitable
  • Growth makes you busy; efficiency makes you profitable
  • Growth makes you busy; efficiency makes you profitable
  • Growth makes you busy; efficiency makes you profitable
  • Growth makes you busy; efficiency makes you profitable
HNA


Contractor Profiles

Jobs up to 3 hours away can be worth it
February-April 2025

Jobs up to 3 hours away can be worth it

The Segmental Systems crew travels out of area 3 or 4 jobs annually. Beyond that it’s not cost-effective. MORE


1st porcelain project is a winner
August/September 2024

1st porcelain project is a winner

Premier Outdoor Living installed their 1st ever porcelain paver project and won an HNA Project Award. MORE


Offering the full package gets bigger jobs
June/July 2024

Offering the full package gets bigger jobs

CG Hardscapes builds carpentry structures that complement their hardscape work and win huge projects. MORE


Wall job grows from 1,100 to 11,000 face feet (not a typo)
April/May 2024

Wall job grows from 1,100 to 11,000 face feet (not a typo)

SRW job was slotted a month and a half. It took 2 years. MORE


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