Hard to believe, but it was just three months ago that I was writing a few random musings regarding Memorial Day as we approached the Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer. Unfortunately it’s now time for Labor Day, meaning the end of summer is here.

But just to give a little symmetry to the season, I figured it only fair to offer a few random musings regarding the other summer bookend…
 
*  The first recorded observation of Labor  Day was in New York City in 1882, organizied by a carpenter’s union secretary named Peter McGuire.
Labor Day was first recognized nationally in 1894, following a bloody labor strike when US forces opened fire on striking workers at the Pullman Railroad Co.  This bloody confrontation forced  President Grover Cleveland to appease the national labor force by signing a bill into law recognizing Labor Day as a Federal Holiday.

*  I’ve always found it a bit ironic that to celebrate the work ethic of American Labor, we celebrate by taking the day off.  Not complaining, just a bit ironic

.*  “Labor Day, when we briefly pause from  demonizing unions to enjoy mattress sales in their honor.” – Anonymous

*  There’s been a lot of talk over the past few years regarding the decline in American manufacturing.  But did you know that as of the 2010 census, manufacturing jobs still make up the highest percentage of jobs among US men, with 11.3 million manufacturing jobs.
 
*  10.3 million Americans are self-employed.  Just think, if it wasn’t for me I would’ve had to type 10,299,999

*  Want a longer summer?  Try New Zealand.  They don’t recognize Labor Day until the 4th Monday of September.  Of course it’s the southern hemisphere, so they’re actually just giving themselves a longer winter.

*  New York has the highest percentage of unionized workers at 25 percent.  The lowest?  North Carolina at 3 percent.

*  The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 is widely recognized as the cornerstone of modern  labor law, signed into law by labor-friendly president FDR.  The workforce gained even more strength and support shortly thereafter, when manufacturing jobs spiked due to WWII.

*  “If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day Weekend.” -- Doug Larson, American newspaper columnist

*  To most Americans today, Labor Day symbolizes the unofficial end of summer, the start of the school year, and the start of football season.  Time to get back to business (of course for us landscaping types, that’s been going on all summer anyway).
 
*  My agenda for the weekend includes being incredibly lazy, hitting up the pool for the last few times, maybe a  fishing excursion with the kids, and living in denial that summer isn’t actually coming to a close.  And yes, I'm excited for football season, and my Wolverines taking the field, and postseason baseball, and warm cider on cool nights, and hayrides, and all the other fun parts of fall.  But for now, I'm milking summer for all its worth.

*  Whatever your plans, stay safe and enjoy the waning days of summer.

So last week I shared my top 5 hand tools that I couldn’t imagine doing what I do without having these tools
available.

And I promised a follow-up post highlighting my top 5 power tools.  Here you go.

Cordless Drills.  If I could only have one power tool, this would be it.  It seems like nearly every day, on nearly every job, this tool comes in handy for one task or another.  They’re relatively lightweight, easy to use without having to keep up with a power cord, can be used as a drill or a screwgun just by simply changing the bit, and hold a charge decently enough that you don’t need to worry too much about changing out the batteries.  Heck, I’ve even used it with a wire brush attachment to clean stone.  And I can’t possibly imagine building a deck or a fence without one of these bad boys.

Grinder.  While the cordless drill is perhaps the most used of all my power tools, the grinder is perhaps my favorite and perhaps most versatile.  Whether its cutting rebar, cutting stones, polishing stone, rounding edges on freshly cut pavers, or smoothing out unsightly or awkward bumps on stones, this is such a handy tool it’s ridiculous.  When we do irregular shaped flagstone patios, this guy inevitably gets a workout as we have to trim and cut stones to fit together.  And a whole lot of bang-for-the-buck too.  A decent DeWalt model runs about $70.  But be careful!  This is an exposed diamond blade designed for cutting stones. Imagine what it could do to your foot if you’re not careful.  And all the goggles/dust mask precautions should be taken as well.

Brick saw.  While the grinder is easy to use and carry around, the brick saw is a beast that takes two people to move around comfortably.  But the results for a bricksaw can’t be replicated, and if you’re cutting pavers you need one.  Unless you want to look like an amateur.  This is a wet saw designed to keep dust down and keep the blade cool for long durations of cutting.  The pump pulls water out of the attached tub and spits on the spinning diamond blade as it cuts.  When the day is done, the water in the tub is a mess of brick or paver slurry that needs to be cleaned thoroughly to avoid pumps or lines getting clogged with debris. Even the clean-up can take upwards of an hour.  But the results speak for themselves.  And when you’re enjoying your beautifully detailed paver patio, you’ll forget all about lugging the beast of a saw around or cleaning it up.

Plate Compactor.  Anybody who has ever installed a successful hardscape will tell you the money lays in the base prep. No matter how pretty all that stonework looks, be it manmade pavers or natural stone, it’s of little value if it can’t hold up over the test of time.  And the best way to ensure its longevity is to make sure the base prep is more than adequate.  A proper hardscape install will include a minimum of 4” compacted base rock.  And by compacted, I mean REALLY compacted.  That hand tamper may do fine for a few household DIY projects, but if you don’t get your base prep completely compacted, nature and time will take care of it for you.  Which means your patio will settle.  Not good.  
 
Every single hardscape job we do includes a base layer compacted with our handy plate compactor. I once described this to a client as a lead weight with a lawnmower engine attached.  It’s a little more than that, but run a plate compactor over loose gravel, add a little moisture, and you’ll see exactly how much gravel can compact. And if you still think your hand tamper is doing the job, try running the plate compactor over your handtamped gravel.  What do you know, it still had some more settling to go.  A valuable tool indeed.

Skill Saw.  If the grinder is the go-to tool for masonry, than certainly the skill saw wins the award for carpentry.  And even though any carpenter worth his weight in nails will have one in their arsenal, it’s not just for cutting wood.  Swap out the wood-cutting blade for a diamond blade, and you’re right in business for cutting bricks or stone.  A must-have for anybody in the trades.  Period.

So there you have it -- 5 must-have power tools if you're working in the hardscaping trades.  And like last week's hand tools, there are certainly some omissions on this list; Reciprocating saw (sawzall) and cut-off saw come to mind quickly off the top of my head.

What tools could you not get by without?

I don’t have to tell you that I have a lot of tools.  13-plus years of running my own landscape construction business will do that.  Over the years I’ve accumulated quite the collection.

Some tools are used on a near-daily basis; others sit idly like the 25th man on the bench waiting for his all-important pinch hit appearance.

But regardless of how much the tools get used, there is always a certain job that requires just the right tool for just the right job.  That one shining moment, at least as far as the tool is concerned.

A few months back, a stoneworking colleague of mine (Hi Matt!) wrote on his blog about the various types of trowels he uses on a regular basis, and how they are used.  I commented that if he were stranded on a dessert island and could only have one tool, what would it be?  (You’ll have to check his blog for the answer)  Which got me to thinking, what are my go-to tools?

In otherwords, if the tool police came and confiscated all my tools but a few, what would I really need? 
 
To simplify the list, I’ll break it into a two-part series.  This week I’ll focus on basic handtools, next week we’ll look at my power tools …

Shovels.  How could I not start the list with THE basic staple of the landscaping
business.  On any given job, no matter what we’re doing, we’ll have at least one round and one flat shovel on site per worker.  The round shovels are better for actual digging, the flat shovels better for scooping gravel or loose soil.  These things get used daily.  And the average lifespan in our industry is about two years.  When picking your shovels, I like the old school wood handles. Spend the extra few bucks for the higher quality.  It’s worth it.

Margin trowel.  This was my answer for my deserted island trowel.  This handy little 5” x 2” trowel is quite versatile, and works great for nearly any phase of mortar work.  And it fits quite nicely into my side pocket, which makes it all the more handier.  Another one of those tools where we pretty much have one for every worker.

Chisel hammer.  If you’re doing stonework, you need one of these. Period.  This is your basic regular-sized hammer, but instead of the crowbar claws on the back side of the hammer, there’s a 1” stone chisel.  Great for roughing up a freshly cut piece of stone, or splitting a piece of flagstone that’s been scored.  Save your carpentry hammers for what they’re intended for – carpentry.  If you’re doing masonry, this is your tool.

Wheelbarrow.  If you’re moving large quantities of, well, anything pretty much, you need one of these.  Or a few of these.  With a few caveats.  Like the shovels, buy the higher end ones.  The cheap-o’s will fall apart the first time you load them with stone or anything heavy.  I used to be able to get really nice solid metal-framed wheelbarrows when we lived in CA. That was 10+ years ago, and I still have one of my originals that is a key part of my fleet.  A few years ago I bought another one online that I thought was the same as my originals.  The design was the same, but the quality was greatly diminished.  It lasted maybe a year.  Maybe.

Most of the ones I see available today, even the so-called “heavy-duty” ones are wood framed.  Not bad for moving soil around, but if you plan on moving stone, mixing your mortar and/or concrete in the wheelbarrows, or using them to schlep loads of concrete during a pour, you can’t just keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best.  You need to know they’ll hold up.  Get the strongest ones you can find.  And don’t rely on the inflatable tires that come with most wheelbarrows.  Pay the extra $30 for a “flat-free” solid rubber tire. Even then, the bearings may eventually go, but you can’t be worried about flat tires when you're mid-concrete pour.

Digging bar.  Another really versatile tool that gets used almost daily.  Whether it’s prying up stone or chunks of concrete, loosening up compacted soil when digging a post hole, or chopping roots well below the surface, these solid steel bars are about 6’ long, and come with a point on one end and a chisel on the other.  Beefy tools, no doubt, and not for lightweights.  But effective all the way.

So there’s my Big Five for handtools.  I know some of you may have some feedback to my omissions, or comment on my inclusions. And to be fair, there’s a whole bunch more that I use regularly that didn’t make the list.  But I’m limited to just five, thanks to those pesky tool police, so something was bound to be left off the list.

What are your Big 5 for handtools?
 

I'm typically an advocate for having homeowners spend a year or two in their homes before making any rash decisions on how to change their yards.  Get a sense of how the yard will be used, where the sun shines in winter, where the shade hits in summer, where people tend to walk, and where people tend to congregate.  If you think about it, it makes perfect sense.  As excited as new homeowners are to leave their mark on the yard and make it their own, you want to make sure that any money being spent is being spent wisely.

A good example of this is a relatively new townhouse development that was built here in Swarthmore.  I say "relatively" because many people wouldn't consider a 10-year-old development to be new, but compared with the 100-year-old neighborhoods surrounding the development, it still appears to have that new car shine to it.

The homes were built with all the amenities that new homebuyers have come to expect -- Central air, granite countertops, state-of-the-art kitchens and baths, and shiny new appliances.  And because they're a townhouse community, the homes don't have their own yards per se, but they are surrounded with well-maintained gardens and each has their own private balcony.

And those balconies are the subject of this week's post.

It seems the builders were so focused on giving each unit its own little slice of private outdoor space, that they neglected to think that maybe the homeowners might want to get down off of their balconies, tend to their gardens, intermingle with neighbors, and be a part of the outdoors as opposed to simply observing.

I was approached by a handful of residents in conjunction with the Townhouse Association to convert these balconies into decks, complete with steps and direct access to the green areas below.

The challenge was that because of the original design of the community and the space it was built on, we didn't have a whole lot of space to build on.  And we certainly didn't want to add steps at the expense of the existing outdoor space on each deck.

The design of each existing balcony allowed us to build a single shared landing that would feed into two of the private outdoor spaces.  Due to the limited space of land, and the desire not to disturb the gardens more than necessary, we wanted to minimize the footprint of the new designs.  As a result, the shared landing would then lead to a set of steps running parallel with the back edge of the balconies. 

Depending on the exact site of each unit, the balconies ranged in height from about 4 to 6 feet.  We were able to utilize the same design for each set of two balconies, with the only difference being the height and the number of steps necessary to reach grade.

From a construction point-of-view, it was nice being able to build these steps en masse, utilizing an assembly line approach.  All the footings were dug, piers were poured, framing was set, and decking installed in unison, allowing us to knock the whole project out relatively quickly.

And as we neared completion, the homeowners were thrilled with their new sense of freedom.  Several of the units that backed up to one another already christened the steps before we even finished the railings, setting up a firepit in the shared public space, and intermingling over a weekend evening summer barbecue.  Just the sort of activity that makes summer memorable.

The project was a success on many fronts, but it all started because the homeowners had successfully ID'd their needs and desires.  When they called us they had a clear picture of how they wanted their spaces to be used.  It was up to us to design it and make it happen.

Got a few ideas for your own outdoor space?  Give us a call and let us know what we can do for you!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about careers.  Not my career necessarily, but just the state of the labor force and the difference between a job and a career.

As a business owner I rely heavily on the labor force.  I need strong and healthy workers who are willing and able to work.  And when I say “willing to work”, I mean actually working, not just being employed.  It sounds straight-forward enough, no doubt.  Show up on time, be reliable, provide a little muscle, break a sweat, learn a few things, and grow your career.

I think for most people of my generation, that’s the way we started our careers.  The stories and details may all be a little different, but the theme is the same – work hard, learn, grow.

But over the past few years, I’ve noticed that it has gotten harder and harder to sift through the pool of applicants and find workers who are willing to work hard and learn.

Don’t get me wrong – my current workers are great.  I get compliments all the time from clients who tell me how pleased they are with my crew, how respectful and courteous the guys are, what a pleasure it is not to be bombarded with loud music or disrespectful behavior.

Truth be told, I pride myself on that.  And I work hard at finding the right guys.  But it does seem to be getting harder and harder to weed out the wannabes, the “entitled”, the lazy, the “know-it-alls”, or just the dim bulbs.

I guess my thought process began a few weeks ago when I saw an interview with Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the show, he basically travels the country looking for the sewer rats, the hog farmers, the trash sorters, etc – all the jobs most people wouldn’t want to touch.

The workers are all hard-working Americans who clock in an honest day’s labor doing often unpleasant tasks, all while taking pride in their work and supporting their families.

His travels and encounters have given him a frontline look at the state of the American workforce, and the jobs that are needed, and oftentimes available.

His take was interesting, as he argued that even though we currently hear a lot about the high level of unemployment, we don’t hear a lot about the thousands and thousands of jobs available for those who are willing to take them.  And he didn’t blame the workforce necessarily.  The blame, he argued, is on the disconnect between the education system that is training young people for jobs that aren’t needed, while simultaneously creating a stigma against jobs where you may get a bit greasy, sweaty, dirty, etc.

So while thousands of decent-paying, reliable jobs are available, our education system is perpetuating an atmosphere where students borrow money that they won’t be able to pay back, to train for jobs that aren’t available.  

An interesting perspective, no doubt.

So what does this mean for me and you?  Well I can’t speak for you, but for me it’s an opportunity to provide a bit of insight as to what I look for in an employee, and perhaps how to break in to the hardscaping or landscaping trades, if you’re just getting started.

So here’s my tips for you young’uns out there looking for a job.

Be dependable.  Show up on time.  If your day starts at 8am, show up at 7:55 so you’re ready to work at 8am. If you’ve spent the past few years being a lazy college student sitting on your couch watching gameshows, then you’ll know that the Price is Right rules mean you can’t go over.  That means 8:02 is no good for an 8am start.  Fix your alarm clock.  Fill up with gas.  No excuses. It’s about the easiest thing that makes the biggest impression on your boss.  If I can count on you to be on time, then I can probably count on you for lots of other things too.

Listen.  When I’m telling you what to do, pay attention.  Boss talking is not check your weather app time.  If I’m not making sense (which happens), then let me know. I’ll say it another way so I do make sense.  Don’t sit there and nod and then not do things the right way because you didn’t listen. I don’t like wasting my breath. Most bosses don’t.  Listen to what I say, and then do it.  Another pretty easy one.

Learn.  The first two items are huge, but admittedly easy. This is where things start ratcheting up a bit.  When you listen to what I tell you and what I teach, hopefully you’re retaining a bit for the next time.  If you’re a worker looking
to impress your boss, there is no quicker way than to demonstrate that you remember and are applying what you were told the last time. The less I have to tell you as a worker, the more value you are to me.

Treat it like a career, not a job.  I get it.  A 22-year-old kid is looking for beer money and wants to spend his time with his friends.  Been there.  I know.  Remember the old intro to The Flintstones when the 5pm horn sounded and Fred threw down what he was doing mid-task to go home.  That doesn’t fly these days.  If you want to advance, you want a raise, you want more responsibilities, you want to be recognized, then a little extra effort is required.  My day doesn’t end at 5pm, far from it.  If a worker can demonstrate to me that they are more interested in getting a job done well, taking the extra time to stay organized, or getting a few extra tasks done than they are to leave at 5pm sharp, that goes along way. Plus you’ll earn a few extra bucks in the process.

Think.  I’ve read a number of articles on this lately, today’s youth is losing the ability to logically solve problems.  Blame it on cell phones, or video games, or today’s education – whatever.  But the ability to look at a situation, recognize or assess a problem, and come up with a solution is sadly becoming a lost skill.  Even though you may be able to follow instructions (ie paint-by-numbers) doesn’t mean you can create your own instructions, or adapt if something isn’t quite as planned (ie paint your own masterpiece) .  It’s important, and if you can demonstrate some problem-solving ability, you’ll go far, not just in one job, but in your career as a whole.

Are you looking for a job in the hardscaping industry with hands-on training?  Think you have what it takes?  We always keep interesting respectable resumes on file.  Make yourself known to us.  Always the first step.