Get smart about building walls

Retaining walls are unforgiving. If they fail, they are extremely expensive and labor intensive to rebuild. If they overturn or settle, you’ve got to tear it down to the base course. Google “catastrophic SRW wall failure”; I don’t recommend doing it if you’re in the middle of a large wall project unless you don’t mind some lost sleep. The solution is found through in education. Education changed my company... MORE

Interior design wins exterior awards

This Staycation project brought home 2 HNA Awards for contractor Tony Zambito and his company Zamco Group. The project was also Techo Bloc’s 2018 Showcase project. Tony says one of his keys to creating standout projects has been applying interior designs to exterior work. “Hardscape design always follows interior design by about 5 years. So we follow interior design trends more than hardscape trends... MORE

Silica dust – does it really matter

Cutting concrete pavers creates silica particles up to 100 times smaller than grains of sand at the beach. These sharp angular particles cause tiny cuts in your lungs and scar tissue. The damage is irreversible and increases risk of kidney disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases. But, today there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself, your crew, your clients and your company... MORE

10 steps to building a multimillion-dollar company

Like many of you, I started out small. With my 2 sons, we took the company on a rocket ride to the point where we now gross over $15 million annually. Throughout our journey as a company, we made every mistake in the book. But, we persisted and came out on the other side. Through our growth, I’ve codified the 10 most important steps to build a multimillion-dollar construction company... MORE

How to grow your company when it’s at capacity

Last year, I received a call from a contractor overwhelmed with work demand and the labor shortage. Over the next several months I worked with them to double their capacity. Organizations usually expand in spurts by smashing through a series of ceilings. Companies need to continually change in order to expand through the next ceiling. If your business has reached capacity, here are some steps you can take to work thru it and grow... MORE

Contractor Profiles

Hand drawings win big projects

February/March 2021

Hand drawings win big projects

Contractor finds peace & profits transitioning to hardscape with a smaller, diverse, skilled crew. MORE

Working with strippers in Reno (cleaners & sealers too)

December/January 2021

Working with strippers in Reno (cleaners & sealers too)

Contractor Andrew Vear starts a paver maintenance company as a business opportunity for his son, and as a retirement vehicle for himself. MORE

Working to be the best

October/November 2020

Working to be the best

Focusing on efficiency, education and building a small, quality crew. MORE

Stone weathers Lake Michigan storms

August/September 2020

Stone weathers Lake Michigan storms

Award-winning "crazy quilted" natural stone paver project designed to take on high waves. MORE

See More Contractor Profiles

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