Episode 3 of The Landscaper is now online

Well, its been a while since I have had the ability to post here. There was a family emergency in my mother being diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer. It shook us all up quite a bit but things are going very well for her now. As for business, The ball is beginning to role in the right direction. Techo-Bloc, a large paver company has expressed a large interest in helping us produce our show. You can check them out on the web at www.techo-bloc.com. They want to use our videos as there main instruction on how to install the techo-bloc products, as well as sell the more variety based shows as well. January they are flying us to Baltmimore to get schooled by a team of experts in Landscape Construction, and then we have to produce the absolute perfect instructional episode. if we deliver than unitedenvironment.com will be merging The Landscaper with Techo-Bloc. Also, this month, look for two new episodes of The Landscaper Online now is EZ PAvers, the third installment of our show dealing with a sidewalk installation, and later this month will be our live episode ffrom the garden state exhibit center on building a garden arbor. The new year will begin our 4 part show entitled "A Healthy Landscaper" so stay tuned without further delay here is the link to episode 3, its at the bottom of the page http://www.unitedenvironment.com/Landscaper.html please let us know what you think, all comments will help us immensly whith putting together the perfect episode for Techo-Bloc

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Hi UnitedEnvironment.com, I was just thinking of you guys and wondering when we would see the latest update. I am very sorry to hear about your mom's situation. I do hope she is able to recover quickly from this. I think teaming up with www.techo-bloc.com is a great idea. I haven't downloaded the video yet but I will tonight and post a response to it. Here is my view on the direction of your shows and please only take it as one person's view that's all. I feel your best shows so far have been when they have focused on training the viewer how to do something they don't know and no one would tell them how. If you keep focusing your shows on how to do specific things in the industry that will allow the viewer to profit from this knowledge, you will really have something. Teaming up with vendors and showing how to use their products is a win win situation. Great job so far with everything. Now I will download the show

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[Steve]

Ok I was able to watch the video. Again I say great job to all of you. It was very informative and educational. I hope others will watch it as well.

[Steve]

Could you give us a little insight as to the behind the scenes of the video?
What's been the toughest thing so far putting them together and building the show?
Where do you see the future of the show going etc..

[NickN]

You guys are going to do very well with this.(Still watching the first part,but I'm impressed)I love the fact that you're explaining what,why,and how on these projects.Congratulations also,on what appears to be your first major sponsor.

[NickN]

After viewing part two of the paver install,I can't help but notice the lack of safety.(landscapers in general aren't known for safety,I know) One worker isn't wearing safety glasses and neither are wearing dust masks while cutting the pavers,and no hearing protection when the saw is running.No safety glasses when tapping one of the pavers into place either.
Not a big deal to me,but sponsors are going to want you to promote safety with their product.As an added bonus,you'll keep your sight,hearing, and lungs a bit longer
Those are OSHA violations,btw,so I can't see a manufacturer using this video as a training tool.
It's a great video otherwise though.

[NickN]

Last comment(Just finished the final part)
1.I didn't see the base material get compacted.Was it done?
2.I didn't see the pavers compacted after the stone dust was installed.
3.No water was used to work the stone dust in.
4.A top layer of only play sand is not going to work in the long run.With no edging material,and even with it in this case,sand by itself will wash out.Especially with all those seams lined up as they were. Polymeric Jointing sand is what is needed for fill.
5.As for not using edging material,the reasons given are false.If installed correctly,when the final grading is done,you shouldn't see the edging on the sides of the pavers,much less hit them with a mower.(This is using a high grade metal paver restraint,not the plastic stuff)

All in all,I like it.I don't think anything like this has been done before.Not busting your chops either.Just giving feedback.

is there anywhere you have this available for download? My internet connection at work is not the best for streaming video...

[Steve]

Hi ritchiem,

You should be able to save the file and not have to stream it. View the page html source and get the direct link. Then maybe you can save it to your computer.

ok, here goes the answers too all the questions

question 1: Could you give us a little insight as to the behind the scenes of the video?
What's been the toughest thing so far putting them together and building the show?
Where do you see the future of the show going etc.

Answer: well, what you probably cant tell is the fact that this episode actually takes place over a period of a few days. We had some major problems filming this one due to mother nature. We actually came across filming this one last minute. The job was completed already once with differnt pavers, and the owner hated the manager who we dealt with's choice of pavers, so he paid us to pick them up and lay the walk again with a differnt type of paver. thats why when the video starts, much of the base is already complete.

In the future the show will get much more professional in quality and standard. The way we install right now works, we where tought the methods we use by contractors and masons who have been in the business for a very long time, most are the grandchilds of the original owners, as am I. So as I said, The methods are correct, but there not industry standard. We use a cement border around are walks and patios like we demonstrated in the show, but techo-bloc for example wants us to use there edging restraints. Things will have to be changed to industry standard if we are to have there support. Its all about sellin more toys.

question 2:After viewing part two of the paver install,I can't help but notice the lack of safety.(landscapers in general aren't known for safety,I know) One worker isn't wearing safety glasses and neither are wearing dust masks while cutting the pavers,and no hearing protection when the saw is running.No safety glasses when tapping one of the pavers into place either.
Not a big deal to me,but sponsors are going to want you to promote safety with their product.As an added bonus,you'll keep your sight,hearing, and lungs a bit longer
Those are OSHA violations,btw,so I can't see a manufacturer using this video as a training tool.
It's a great video otherwise though.

Answer: Safety is a huge issue that we really did unfortunately ignore. After this show however you will see tons of safety in the field. This was actually filmed quite some time ago, we have enough shows to run once a month till may as is. the second one coming before christmas we got on the safety wagon for. we did our own focus group after making this one, and we all slapped ourselves on the head over the lack of safety.

Question 3:Last comment(Just finished the final part)
1.I didn't see the base material get compacted.Was it done?
2.I didn't see the pavers compacted after the stone dust was installed.
3.No water was used to work the stone dust in.
4.A top layer of only play sand is not going to work in the long run.With no edging material,and even with it in this case,sand by itself will wash out.Especially with all those seams lined up as they were. Polymeric Jointing sand is what is needed for fill.
5.As for not using edging material,the reasons given are false.If installed correctly,when the final grading is done,you shouldn't see the edging on the sides of the pavers,much less hit them with a mower.(This is using a high grade metal paver restraint,not the plastic stuff)

All in all,I like it.I don't think anything like this has been done before.Not busting your chops either.Just giving feedback.

Answer: compaction was done plenty of times before the pavers where laid, we compact every 4 inches, and the base is 1 ft deep.

the final compaction was done when the cameras went off. it actually began pooring just as we said the last closing lines of the show that day so the cameras had to go away. I probably should have had that narrated in when it went to editing though.

ithere wasnt really a need to wet it before the final compaction due to the heavy rain.
just for the record, we left that place drenched 4 times.

and as far as the edging, to tell you the truth, i never used anything but the plastic edging, and I know that stuff is crap, and what JJ said about the plastic is true, we pull that stuff up from houses where we do lawn maintenance constantly, not from us hitting it, just from wear and tear. Im sure someting more high impact would hold just fine like you said. I just learned the cement border from day one. Ive used it ever since.

I want to thank you guys for really taking an in depth look into the show. Next up is building an arbor, and then begins the 4 part series of A Healthy Landscaper. Once those are complete, the next show will be the retooled Landscaper with techo-bloc behind us, which means, much larger projects, better equipment for construction and filming, better software for editing, the whole nine yards. The guy who is working hand and hand with our production actually worked on the production of bob villas shows and has contacts with home and garden. We are all looking forward to this retooling. New production begins in February.

Oh, and I love Landscaper TV over there on the left