Shining the Light on a Green Side Showpiece: Hardscape Hero, Jeff Crandell
When Jeff Crandell of Scapes, Inc. first walked the property of his winning project, the sunlight was blocked out by tree cover, and the existing outdoor space was dilapidated, on the verge of being unsafe.
The home backed up to a picturesque par-three hole on the Country Club at Woodmoore golf course, and Crandell instantly saw the potential. After a few months of demo, design and collaboration with the homeowner, the final result is a fully loaded outdoor living space that feels like an extension of the private club.
From Mowing Lawns to Managing 50 Employees
Hard work and hustle were ingrained in Crandell from an early age.
“I started working in the industry in 2004, straight out of college. I got a job as a sales rep for a large electrical wholesaler and mowed lawns in the summer. I eventually got enough business to give this a try,” he explains. “I was still living at home with no kids at the time, and just built the business up from a push mower and a broom to almost 50 employees now.”
Over the last 15+ years, Scapes, Inc. has grown into a full-service outdoor contracting company, handling everything from hardscaping and lighting design to planting and maintenance. That breadth of service, plus a focus on relationship building, has kept the pipeline full and the business running smoothly, even through economic turbulence.
“You know, a lot of this business is relationship-driven. You obviously have to do good work, but you have to create good relationships with homeowners, builders and architects too. I think word-of-mouth is always going to be your number one, for sure.”
Reimagining and Reconstructing
Although the owners had a beautiful home in a scenic location, their outdoor space had deteriorated over the years. What was once a peaceful outdoor retreat had become overgrown and underutilized. Crandell explains, “Honestly, the space was unusable, and the wooden decks were unsafe to even go out on. They didn’t spend any time out there.”
After the initial consultation meeting, Crandall learned the homeowner wanted the patio, garage and driveway to all be connected. They also knew what individual elements they wanted, but couldn’t imagine how to tie them all into a cohesive design.
“They kind of gave us an overview of what they were looking for, but really didn’t have an idea how to put it all together. They told us the things they wanted…the kitchen, fire pit, how many people they want to be able to accommodate on a given Saturday…and we put the design together from there.”
For this project, the team at Scapes, Inc. started with a 2D drawing they shared with the homeowners to help them visualize the new updates. Once the initial designs were approved, Jeff marked the footprint out on the ground with spray paint. “We take it from paper to land and they can still make minor tweaks once they see it.”
After the crew removed the old existing decking structures, they began opening up the light on the property and reshaping topographical challenges.
“We took out some trees to let some light in. We also lowered the grade probably four feet to get to ground level with the basement. There were six or seven steps that came up, and we cut all that out to make it a true walkout basement.”
Curves and Flow
When choosing the pavers, Crandell selected one of his current favorites, Belgard Dimensions 12. The smooth face and clean, crisp lines were perfect for designing the patio to match the golf green’s sweeping curves and natural contours.
In addition to the refreshed, cohesive transformation of the outdoor space, the homeowners were excited to have the ability to entertain large groups of friends and family as they had in the past. So, Crandell created multiple gathering areas on the patio, including a fire pit, dining space, outdoor kitchen with a bar, all with an entertaining green side view.
“They got everything they need out there now. It’s just a big change in how they use that property. The homeowner has a lot of friends at the golf club, and they can now walk up from the par three and grab a beer, and go back to golfing. It’s really cool.”
Empowering People
After more than two decades in the industry, Crandell has learned that success isn’t merely about choosing the right pavers or designing intricate projects. It’s about the people.
“You’ve got to have good people that you trust. Treat them right, and you can build anything,” Crandell explains. “Just be fair and honest.”
Season after season, Scapes, Inc. has been a consistent participant in the Hardscape Hero program, submitting beautiful projects, and it’s paid off in helping grow the business and building a winning culture within their team.
“It’s our third year in a row winning it. It’s cool that Belgard does this for the contractors,” he says. “My crews that win are very proud and definitely get excited. The program makes us want to be even more loyal to a company that does stuff like that for their contractors.”
The following Belgard Hardscapes products were used in this project:
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