PHOTO CONTEST 2013 KICKS OFF BIG

CAMBRIDGE PAVERS & WALLS

PHOTO CONTEST GETS WARMED UP!!!

PLEASE EMAIL THIS LINK TO YOUR CUSTOMERS, INSPIRE THEM TO SHARE SOME OF THERE WORK, THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF PRESTIGE IN A JOB BEING SELECTED FOR A BROCHURE OR ONLINE GALLERY

 THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE GETTING

STILL TIME FOR WHATEVER YOU SEE, 

HELP YOUR CUSTOMERS BECOME FAMOUS

LINK FOR ALL THE PICTURES:

https://picasaweb.google.com/109418241029268807856/PhotoContestSummer2013?feat=email#

SEND PICTURES TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS:

cambridgewall@gmail.com

Hardscape Photo Contest

Hardscape Photo Contest

Summer 2013

The new contest is underway, pictures are rolling in, Tablets will be handed out as prizes, you can win with just one job. These pictures are a valuable tool for the contractor and the homeowner to be able to view projects in all our territories for some feature they feel will suit their dreams of an outdoor room.

New Procedures
In the past we will have over 300 pictures and it was getting lost in my email, we are now creating an email address to receive the pictures for the contest, I will still put them in if they are sent to me but less chance of missing them if they go direct to the contest email address.

SEND PICTURES TO:
cambridgewall@gmail.com

SEND PICTURES TO:
cambridgewall@gmail.com

If you ask you will find out that a contractor who has his pictures in the Cambridge Brochure and media can become very busy and become your friend (customer) for life. 

Contractors can send in pictures as well direct to this address, please include your contact information. 

SEND PICTURES TO:
cambridgewall@gmail.com

All the pictures will be on display shortly in a new Contest site.

Maytrx Alignment Marks and Pins, when to use them.

 I am frequently asked "Do I need pins for my Maytrx project?". The answer depends on the project. The Maytrx pins only provide a setback guide and a place to hold the Geogrid when pulling it back and staking it tight as you build the wall. The stones themselves create the structural interlock by creating a downforce on the stones below them that is multiplied as layers are added, this is part of the calculation an engineer will use in designing a retaining wall. When the Maytrx stone system is used in projects other than retaining walls the use of pins is normally optional when building freestanding and small Landscape walls although it can be handy to maintain the correct setback. The pages below will give a good view of the three different walls that are normally built and when the pins are needed in the Maytrx System. Note: The Maytrx System is one of the few wall systems that include visual alignment for both vertical and setback configurations.

Note: Cambridge Maytrx is available in 6" and 3" heights, they offer a larger Stretcher stone to add to the Maytrx 6 system, Caps and Columns as well as hundreds of precut outdoor living kits in many colors and textures that match these stones..Cambridge Maytrx System

Value of a 3D Drawing in selling a job

Create a real vision for your customer of what you propose to do.

I recently spoke with a contractor that was having a hard time communicating his solution for a driveway extention. The customers had a yard with a deep drop in the property just beyond the garage doors of the home and needed more driveway. The contractor normally did not provide anything but a 2D layout of the proposal. I suggested we use the Free Google Sketchup program and there 3D warehouse to try and solve the problem. The contractor was not an artist and had no time to invest in learning a new skill but saw the value in comunicating his idea to his customer.

We downloaded the Sketchup program and crudely laid out the corner of the house that would be effected by a retaining wall to extend the driveway from his original layout in 2d (flat layout using drawn line), in Sketchup the flat drawings of an object can be "pulled up into 3D" and there are hundreds of videos and tutorials on how to do that on YouTube and the Internet. The real beauty of this Sketchup program besides a short learning curve is that it has built in "Components" such as trees, textures, etc. and that Cambridge and other manufacturers and designers have uploaded pre-drawn components that can be downloaded into your drawing. We drew out the parameters of the House and wall, pulled them up in scale and then "painted" them with a texture and color that was appropriate to the proposal. I suggested we take it another step and propose some extras, Cambridge Olde English Columns and Metal fencing all predawn and available online that we added to the drawing. we colored everything, added some plants and planters and a sports car to show scale and address the customers concern that all garage doors be assessable when there was a car in the driveway.

The 3D drawing can be turned in any direction and pictures taken of any angle, we used a feature within Sketchup called "animation" that created different angle pictures of the proposed project to allow the customer the opportunity to "live" within the project before it was built. Sketchup outputted the animation to a file that was easily uploaded to YouTube or Laptop so the customer could review it and share it with family and friends.


This is a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_81w4RaK6E

You can see the drawing lends itself to sales, most people outside the trade have a hard time visualizing the elements that make up the project and customers would like to be sure before the project begins what it will be like.

Cambridge has available in the Sketchup 3D warehouse over 132 models of individual wall stones in all there systems as well as finished projects such as kitchens, Fire Pits, Fireplaces ready to be downloaded into you proposal or sketch.

Cambridge Column Kits make Projects Easy

Cambridge Column Kits with Accessories to Complete your project

Cambridge Pavers and Walls introduced there easy to assemble Column Kits. The Kits come with everything needed to make a 4' high Column, there is no cutting, simply make a base of crushed stone, lay the first course below grade and then assemble, with glue, the remaining pieces to create a beautiful 4' high Column. Cambridge offers the Column Cap and Top stones as a separate option. The unique feature of this arrangement is there is no need to purchase more than you need, all products are available as a kit so there is no waste. There are some details and pictures at Columnkits.com

Philadelphia Flower Show 2007

The Philadelphia Flower Show this year showcased a few Hardscape details of which this "Open Pattern Path" was one. The border and the design were made with Renaissance Texture 4"x8" paving stones, the "field" between the border was made with sod. This "Look" is an easy way to add extra detail while saving the cost of cutting and fitting a full paver walk in certain "Informal Settings"