What factors influence residential paver trends? It’s no secret the outdoor living industry as a whole has grown due to people wanting to spend time outside and entertain outdoors, as well. Last year’s American Institute of Architects’ Home Design Trends Survey shows 60 percent of residential architects see an uptick in requests for blended indoor-outdoor living. “That’s created a trend... read more
Starting an employee retirement plan is a great way to help employees plan for their futures while rewarding them in the process. It also may incentivize them to help grow the company while reducing taxes. Retirement plans present significant tax advantages for both employers and employees. Contributions from the employer are deductible and contributions from the employee are deductible and... read more
The questions you need to ask yourself before opening a new satellite or branch. As a company grows, it can reach a point where it outgrows its facilities and is ripe for expansion. If your shop is full and your crews are spending more time getting to their routes than actually working on them, it might be time to consider... read more
Location: Tualatin, Ore. Company: Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers Photo credit: Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers This project was intended to connect the residence’s exterior with the interior, and to foster as much outdoor activity as possible. The flat site was surrounded by a commercial business operation, so there was a need for privacy and add... read more
We look at review sites from the contractor’s perspective. Want to get a rise out of a landscape contractor? Mention home-service review sites like Angie’s List or HomeAdvisor. To those who love them, the sites are business-building, lead-generating machines. To those who despise them, many of whom have renounced them, they’re swindling schemes sucking the marketing dollars from unsuspecting small... read more
Advancements in trencher technology help contractors do more work using less manpower, while paving the way to new uses of the machines. When John Newlin purchases a trencher for his irrigation and lawn care business, he looks for three main features. “I want something that has a small footprint to minimize damage to customer properties, is safe to use and... read more
