We are always researching new ideas to make our concrete landscape edging the best available and thus far, I can confidently say, our product is by far the highest quality offered in Northwest Ohio. In the tradition of excellence, we recently outfitted our machinery to accomodate reinforcement cable that will insure your concrete curbing stays were it's layed as well as prevent cracks and heaving. Check out the video!
Well, this blog is finally getting some attention via my good friend and colleague, Google. For those of you who searched for concrete edging in Toledo, Ohio and found this blog, I'd like to share a few things about our business, it's history and direction.
Our Decorative Concrete Curb nicely accents this customer's brick pathway.
We started this gig in 2002 after trying to find an installer in the area and coming up empty. So after countless hours of research, a trip to Florida and some creative financing, Concrete Creations was born. Our first year was a whirlwind sweat, scrapes, bruises and many tears, but we broke even and more importantly, built a solid foundation of knowledge and experience. At the end of our first season, one of our two competitors closed up shop and made us a great offer to buy his business, so we became Concrete Creations Alternative Edge. . .yeah, it's a mouthful, but he built some decent brand recognition and we didn't want to give that up.
Upon the dawn of our second season, our crew leader and now part owner was shipped to Kosovo courtesy of the National Guard for a 12 month paid vacation. . . not exactly a Carnival Cruise, but at least it wasn't Iraq. We found a suitable substitue crew leader and continued laying continuous concrete curb in the Toledo area. We installed enough to keep the lights on and built a nice customer base while doubling sales.
Year Three: Our esteemed crew leader is back from his relaxing stay at the Camp Monteith Resort and Day Spa and our phone is ringing off the hook. Our sales leader and owner/partner worked 65 hour weeks providing estimates and scheduling jobs keeping the calendar booked and our crew leader assembled a solid team of 3 skilled laborers who can pump out 2 to 3 jobs per day Again, sales is doubled.
This season, we have two new competitors in the area and welcome the competition with open arms. In the past 4 years we have laid close to 10 miles of continuous decorative concrete edging while educating an entire metropolitan area on this new product. Our competitors are helping us educate the masses and are turning more and more people on to this great, value adding, home improvement and beautification technique. They sell similar products but are nearly half a decade behind us in experience and expertise. When choosing a contractor to install your next run of decorative landscape edging, remember that there's no substitute for the knowledge and professionalism gained through years of practice.
For more information on Decorative Concrete Edging visit http://www.698edge.com .
So far this year, much of our work has been via repeat customers. Many people who had curbing installed a year or two ago love the product so much that they are putting in more. This just confirms our belief that decorative concrete curbing is simply the best product available to edge one's flowerbeds.
The seemingly endless rainfall has finally ceased and we can get back to work! Alternative Edge secured a very suitable facility to move to. We have a 3000 square foot steel barn in Oregon, OH on Rt. 2. This should significantly increase output as we can now store all of our materials in one place and stockpile sand, color and portland which will save us trips to the cement yard.
Just as the curbing season launched into full swing we get 7 straight days of rain! Decorative concrete cannot be installed in the rain so we have been working on estimates and securing a new facility to store our equipment and materials. Today, the weather finally broke and the crew is back at it beautifying toledo's landscape one flowerbed at a time.
