Almost there...

[mrusk]

I almost have the big job wrapped up. I snapped a few pics today before my batteries dies in the digital.

1 before.

[mrusk]

one more pic..

[custom patios]

it looks great Matt! what did you figure for the back. you know, the joint issue.

[mrusk]

it looks great Matt! what did you figure for the back. you know, the joint issue.

I will take some pics of it tommorrow. Kinda looks bad right now. Its very hard to keep the stones from moving in the wide joint area, so the bond lines look bad. Hopefully once the grass beings to grow and gets established, the stones will stop moving and/or bond line inconsistancey will be less noticiable.


Belive it or not, I am all fired up to get going on the next job this size and put all I learned to work. I just wish I had time for a vacation between jobs!

[lawnkid]

What did you end up doin by the front entrance? Last picture you had of it was when you just built the frame from cmu's. Looks like it was well worth 200k.

[-EGLC-]

Looking great Matt.

[MuirView Design]

Did you get any more pics Matt? Congrats on being just about done. Nothing like pulling off a big job to silence your critics!

[mrusk]

Did you get any more pics Matt? Congrats on being just about done. Nothing like pulling off a big job to silence your critics!

I'll take some more pics tommorrow if I remember new batteries for the camera. We did some more plantings in the front today and its starting to come together. I had very little to do with the planting plan and its alittle something different.

[mrusk]

Grass joints.

[HRLand]

There's a lot of weeds in the patio.

[MuirView Design]

There's a lot of weeds in the patio.

Those joints are full of grass....although some folks around here call grass, weed.

Matt, why are some of the joints still flush?

[mrusk]

Those joints are full of grass....although some folks around here call grass, weed.

Matt, why are some of the joints still flush?



Because there are only grass joints in the middle section of the patio. Was not my idea. It should be fun to maintain!!! Wasn't my idea to plant 200 flats of pacasandra in the front of the house either! That wasnt fun.

[mrusk]

Grass is coming up pretty good without any irrigation hitting it yet. Spray heads will be installed tommorrow by my sub.

[cgland]

Matt - I know it wasn't your design, but I have to say it looks terrible. If the designer wanted grass joints they should be throughout. That just looks retarded, plus the grass will be dead in no time. Walls look good!

[HRLand]

Just joking. Most people dot want crap growing in their patio. Give it a little time though, the weeds will be there.

[mrusk]

They did not want grass joints where the tables and chairs are going. I think it might look better when the grass fills in and the sod is down in the back yard.

[custom patios]

Matt, for your sake, i hope that grass joint pool decking is NOT warranted.

[mrusk]

Matt, for your sake, i hope that grass joint pool decking is NOT warranted.

LOL

We fought, i mean had serious heated arguments over these grass joints. Basically I was told I was to build what they wanted, regardless of what i think it will look like, and regardless of how many people tell me it will not grow.

I guess if you want to hang with the big dogs you need to figure out how to build the impossible.

The spray heads for the patio are on there own zone so it will get enough water.

We put still put edge restraint on the permiter. If the stone move, which is a given, it should not be to noticeable once the grass comes in full. Should be fun to mow.



This is not that bad. Whats bad is the front walkways!!!!!! The front yard is full sun. They will not accept anything greater then a 1/2inch joint. The stone is BLACK! It is my job to figure out how to get some kind of vegation growing.

Now you guys see where the $$$$ is on this job?

[MuirView Design]

I don't think it looks that bad. The funny thing is most people get pissed when they see a blade or two of grass coming up through the joints! Maybe you should drive a spike down between each joint to try and curb the shifting that's bound to happen.

[chardscapes]

Yuk - why would they want those grass joints ?!! Anyways good job Matt.

[JZap]

There's a lot of weeds in the patio.

lol, maybe some round-up will help out those joints. The job looks great Matt, I dunno about the grass joints myself, but if that's what they want.

[mrusk]

Here is a update. Now they do not want grass joints. They want all the grass in the joints ripped out and they want to plant some other kind of plant.


I never wanted to go out of business so much before!!!!!! If I get through this one without a nervous breakdown I will be able to handle anything.


The rest of the backyard is getting sodded monday. I should roll my equipment out by wednesday and be finshed with everything except the front walks. The containers with the stone is sitting in the port.

[SCgreenscapes]

Matt, everything looks great except for that patio. I don't know who's idea that mess was, but i would really try to talk them into taking it all up and setting it as a solid mosaic.

[mrusk]

Matt, everything looks great except for that patio. I don't know who's idea that mess was, but i would really try to talk them into taking it all up and setting it as a solid mosaic.

We fought for 4 months ago the joints. I was basically told to do it or they will find someone else to do it.


It is what it is. Once sod is down it will look 100% different.

[GreenMonster]

Grass joints. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph what a total and complete bastardization of that project.

just goes to show you that having money doesn't necessarily equate to having brains.

Matt, I'd have been so pizzed, it would have been extremely difficult to NOT walk of that job, or at least flat out refuse to install that.

[mrusk]

Grass joints. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph what a total and complete bastardization of that project.

just goes to show you that having money doesn't necessarily equate to having brains.

Matt, I'd have been so pizzed, it would have been extremely difficult to NOT walk of that job, or at least flat out refuse to install that.



Basically, there is to much patio in the backyard and they wanted to break it up some. It was not my idea to add so much patio

I did come close to walking off. But then all I already been through would of been for nothing.

When everything is sodded and cleaned up, and the pool is openned the joints might not look that bad. When you see something different for the first time it almost always does not look good and then it grows on you. I think most people are against the grass joints like they are because they have not seen it done like that before.

This job has been a really learning experience. Overall, grass joints or not this job will greatly help my company. I have people stopped for my card almost everyday. Half the jobs arn't good and I blow the people off and they still keep calling me and calling me.

[GroundScapes]

Basically, there is to much patio in the backyard and they wanted to break it up some. It was not my idea to add so much patio

I did come close to walking off. But then all I already been through would of been for nothing.

When everything is sodded and cleaned up, and the pool is openned the joints might not look that bad. When you see something different for the first time it almost always does not look good and then it grows on you. I think most people are against the grass joints like they are because they have not seen it done like that before.

This job has been a really learning experience. Overall, grass joints or not this job will greatly help my company. I have people stopped for my card almost everyday. Half the jobs arn't good and I blow the people off and they still keep calling me and calling me.

Planter areas and container gardening would have broken it up.

the walls and steps look great Matt, but I would have had to let them "find someone else to" do the grass joint thing.

[AintNoFun]

just goes to show you that having money doesn't necessarily equate to having brains..


or taste, lol...

[mrusk]

Whats rather ironic is I was the only landscapers that got back to them and acctually made it as far as giving pricing!

Its extremly difficult working with a 3rd party designer who is not a landscape designer.

[GreenMonster]

Its extremly difficult working with a 3rd party designer who is not a landscape designer.

agreed. I have worked both for and with talented interior designers that have no earthly idea what looks good outside.

[lawnkid]

Honestly Matt, I know you've done a lot of work and put a lot of time into this project, and everything looks beautiful except the grass joints, but can you honestly say that it's all worth your troubles. Personally, and dont take this offensive because I'm only stating my opinion but I see this job turning into a nightmare in the future and you're gonna regret it. So I guess what I'm asking is, is this job and all the money you're making really worth all this bullsh**, or should you be moving on and doing other jobs that you'll be able to turn over quicker while still making good money with less headaches? You got a good reputation going in this industry, why waste all that on one friggin job you know is gonna turn out like sh**.

[musclecarboy]

Honestly Matt, I know you've done a lot of work and put a lot of time into this project, and everything looks beautiful except the grass joints, but can you honestly say that it's all worth your troubles. Personally, and dont take this offensive because I'm only stating my opinion but I see this job turning into a nightmare in the future and you're gonna regret it. So I guess what I'm asking is, is this job and all the money you're making really worth all this bullsh**, or should you be moving on and doing other jobs that you'll be able to turn over quicker while still making good money with less headaches? You got a good reputation going in this industry, why waste all that on one friggin job you know is gonna turn out like sh**.

I was thinking the same thing. Wouldn't it be more worthwhie to bang out 10-50k jobs rather than commit yourself to weeks/months of work on a 150k job? I'm not sure what your profit figures are but I'd be surprised if total profit over this many weeks could beat profit on 4-5 smaller jobs in the same amount of time. Maybe bigger isn't always better (coming from a guy that hasn't done any big jobs yet, so take it for what its worth). I really think you should crunch some numbers and see if big jobs are really the right direction to head in.

[mrusk]

Honestly Matt, I know you've done a lot of work and put a lot of time into this project, and everything looks beautiful except the grass joints, but can you honestly say that it's all worth your troubles. Personally, and dont take this offensive because I'm only stating my opinion but I see this job turning into a nightmare in the future and you're gonna regret it. So I guess what I'm asking is, is this job and all the money you're making really worth all this bullsh**, or should you be moving on and doing other jobs that you'll be able to turn over quicker while still making good money with less headaches? You got a good reputation going in this industry, why waste all that on one friggin job you know is gonna turn out like sh**.


It is worth it because of what I learned on it. From what I hear from other contractors is that I am working in one of the toughest towns in northern NJ. These clients are very demanding.

I have never been as stressed or upset over a job as i have been on this one. The grass joints are just one of many fights we have had on this job.

The client is fine. Its this designer that runs the whole show that causes there issues. She scrapped the entire planting plan my LA did 6 weeks ago and decided to design it herself. We get a truckload of plants and we plant it. Then they look at it for a week then order more. We plant stuff then we dig it up and move some stuff. What is bed turns into lawn and vice verse. My irrigation guy almost walked off the job.

Its very tough to build a project efficently when nothing is set in stone. Very hard. My bid was high on this project but was not high enough for the way we had to complete this job.

The kitchen of the house is suppose to get photographed for the magazine called Design New Jersey. We are hoping we can get them to take some outside shots of the house with a plug for me.

I am looking foward to moving on. I have been working in some smaller jobs the past few weeks as customers will only wait so long. I do have other jobs this size for this season that I am anxious to get going on, and put everything I learned on this one to work.

[AintNoFun]

then what happens if that 150k job stiffs you or wind up magically not having the money to pay you....




I was thinking the same thing. Wouldn't it be more worthwhie to bang out 10-50k jobs rather than commit yourself to weeks/months of work on a 150k job? I'm not sure what your profit figures are but I'd be surprised if total profit over this many weeks could beat profit on 4-5 smaller jobs in the same amount of time. Maybe bigger isn't always better (coming from a guy that hasn't done any big jobs yet, so take it for what its worth). I really think you should crunch some numbers and see if big jobs are really the right direction to head in.

[mrusk]

There are two different types of big jobs #1 would be a 10,000 face ft retaining wall #2 is the type of jobs I do.

The difference is one is a big job the other is a high end job. High end jobs take more skills, have tougher designs, and more expensive material. That equals higher profits. Much less competition on the bigger jobs. You no longer have to compete with the lawn boy.


I am not in business just to turn man hours. I love challenges. I love to take on difficult projects on difficult sites. If all I did was 10k jobs i'd find another line of work. You just do not get the same satisfaction.

I did knock out 8k in plantings on another job with 2 labors today.

[mrusk]

then what happens if that 150k job stiffs you or wind up magically not having the money to pay you....

Its all about the draws. I set up my contracts so i get a down payment that is greater then what it will cost me to compete the largest part of the project (patio, wall, whatever it might be). That downpayment gets deducted from the final payment. It normally works out that the final payment is under 5k.


Then as I get paid as I completed each item on the contract. So if i finsh excavation after day 3, i get paid in full for it. Day 10 I finsh wall 1 I get paid in full for wall 1.

[mrusk]

Here is a update. I think it was 3 weeks ago we ripped out the grass joints. Last week we planted over 2k worth of sedum in the joints. I just got a call now that they want the sedum ripped out and the patio relayed tight.

And we just axed the idea of the sedum on the front walkways. Thats good because the stone importer sent us 3/4 inch thick stone for a dry laid application after he was repeatively told 1.5 inch or thicker. No we can just pour a slab and thin set. Some peices are as small as 6x6. There is no way it would stay put dry laid with joints.


Just another day in the life of Matt Rusk.

It has been a few weeks since we have been at this house steady. We laid 1000 sq ft of pavers last week, did muliple planting jobs and a few hardscape jobs in the past month.

[GreenMonster]

Ain't easy being a rock star huh, Matt?

[mrusk]

Ain't easy being a rock star huh, Matt?

LOL not at all. Oh yea I also have to have this change order done by the end of friday. Lots of notice too. I have a big bluestone job going right now and I am set up to start a 3 pallet of block 2 pallets of paver job tommorrow.

Did I mention that I fired 3 laborers this weekend and my new guys are not set up to start for a few weeks.

At least I had a relaxing weekend.

[kootoomootoo]

Its June and you are still there :yield: ....legally cant you be considered a family member after 6 months.