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Why Choose Hardscape School?

Best Practices

All of HARDSCAPE SCHOOL’s training curriculum is taught to industry “Best Practices” and was designed and developed with the input of a group of contractors “Founders” and industry experts, who represent all regions of the country.

Indoor Training Arena

Our 5,000 sq ft indoor training facility is equipped with the latest tools and equipment, and is dedicated to year-round hands-on hardscape training.

Hands-On Courses Focus

Efficiencies
Productivity
Leadership
Industry Best Practices
Leadership Challenges & Field Management Skills

Variety of Courses

Promote Your Investment in Education

Upon successful completion of any HARDSCAPE SCHOOL course, students receive a certificate of completion and a “Trained by HARDSCAPE SCHOOL” decal for use on company vehicles.

Companies looking to further separate themselves from the crowd can also undergo additional training to be certified as a “HARDSCAPE SCHOOL Certified Instructor” for each of the classes.

Hardscape School Administration

The HARDSCAPE SCHOOL [Formerly, School for Advanced Segmental Paving (SASP)] is committed to educating the paver industry on the “Best Practices” of hardscape construction. HARDSCAPE SCHOOL is proud to have on its administration qualified, experienced instructors and guest instructors to teach the courses. With over 100 years of combined experience and knowledge, we assure you, our students walk away learning labor efficiencies and communication skills that enable them to share their learned skills with other hardscape professionals.

Greg Ambrose (Lead Instructor)

Greg is an ICPI Level One Contractor and Instructor who has taught more than 200 classes in over 27states and Canada. Since 1998 he has certified over 5,000 students. He is also Certified as both a Contractor and an Instructor for the ICPI Commercial Technicians and PICP Technicians classes as well as the Advanced Residential Technicians classes. He has Certificates from The NCMA and the School for Advanced Segmental Paving and is the lead instructor for the school.

Greg has worked in various roles in the concrete paver industry since 1984. Prior to starting Fairlawn Consulting, Greg spent seven years as Vice-President for a Cleveland-based hardscape company specializing in high-end residential and commercial applications where his company successfully completed the largest historical brick road renovation in North America at the time. Greg currently runs United Hardscape, LLC located in Akron, OH.

Greg appeared on 4 episodes of Discovery Channel’s Hometime, as well as having offered how-to advice for consumers and contractors on the radio. Greg has also enjoyed multiple speaking engagements on all aspects of hardscape installation such as; Commercial Installations, Mechanical Installations, How to Sell In-Home, How to Prequalify Your Customers, Specialty Hardscape Installations, and Bidding and Estimating.

“I believe in contractor education. It is the foundation for great pavements.” You can contact him by e-mail at gtambrose@sbcglobal.net. Or you can find him online at www.HelpWithHardscapes.com

Tom Tomaro (Instructor)

As Tom Tomaro approaches 30+ years in the hardscape industry, he takes advantage of the knowledge acquired from his father, a stone and brick mason of 40 years. Tom utilized this strong foundation to build and develop his company’s reputation as an innovative leader in the hardscape industry in the Pittsburgh area. Along with his wife and business partner, Barb, they have evolved into a full-service, award-winning company that incorporates unique and creative approaches to accommodate every landscape/hardscape need, with total customer satisfaction being their ultimate goal.

Tom has been an ICPI Certified Contractor and Authorized Instructor for the past 16 years as well as an ICPI Advanced Residential Paver Technician class Instructor. He has taught at the local level and nationally at Hardscape North America classes. He is also a Certified NCMA and Advanced NCMA Contractor and Instructor. Tom also holds Certifications from the School for Advanced Segmental Paving in both Foundation Skills for Wall Construction and Foundation Skills for Paver Construction, as well as being a Co-Instructor for the course. In addition to his hardscape expertise, Tom holds a Finance/Quantitative Business Analysis Degree, 1990, from Robert Morris University.

Applying a hands-on approach to his business, commitment to education, one-of-a-kind designs, and personal commitment to his customers, Tom has defined himself as a leader and innovator in the industry.

You can contact him by e-mail at tom@diamondscapes.com or online at www.diamondscapes.com

Pat McCrindle (Instructor)

Over the last 35 years he has been involved directly with different aspects of the Interlocking Segmental Industry. He has installed clay products, natural stone products, concrete products and Porcelain products. In doing so, he has acquired substantial knowledge from hands-on experience and field applications concerning “best practices” for the segmental industry.

Current Position: Global Sealer Technologies, National Sales Manager / Technical Manager

Experience:

– Owner McCrindle Paver Systems Inc., 1991- 2013- Design/Build Segmental Paving and Wall construction.

– Installed over 15 million sf./ft. of segmental paving.

– Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute Instructor since 1996. Taught 200 + classes in 14 states, Canada and British Columbia.

– Lead instructor for Hardscape North America for the last 10 years. Lead Instructor for Landscape Ontario 2016-2017.

– ICPI Certified Contractor and Instructor for Level I, Level II, Advanced Residential, Permeable and SRW Certified.

– Co-Authored the Advanced Residential Certification Manual.

– Cleaning and Sealing, state of the art systems for complete restoration of segmental paving systems and concrete.

– Instructor, Advanced School Segmental Walls and Paving, Porcelain. Franksville, Wisconsin.

You can contact him by e-mail at P: (609) 744-6894 E: pmccrindle@gstinternational.com

Steve Jones (Founder)

In 1985, Stephen Jones formed PAVE TECH, INC. as a residential paver installation company. His experience in those years opened his eyes to the reality of a contracting business.

His first job, a 4800 S.F. driveway, sidewalk, patio, pool deck proved to be one of his most complicated ever. This was the first and last time he ever used treated lumber edging. After being totally dissatisfied with the use of treated lumber for edge restraint, he began to use what has been called a “concrete toe”, placed after the pavers had been laid. In Steve’s case this consisted of ready-mix concrete and re-rod troweled into place. But even this had difficulty staying put when vehicles traveled near the edge. This labor-intensive method caused Steve to search the market for alternatives. He found none suitable.

In the fall of 1986, Steve’s thoughts turned to design a new edge restraint specifically for paver installations. By the Spring of 1987, Steve had his first pieces of what was then called “PAVE TECH Edging”. That first introductory year, PAVE TECH sold about 50,000 feet of edging. After the experiences, trials and tribulations of that first year, PAVE TECH relocated its manufacturing to a Chicago based plastics company. It was also the time of many changes to the size and shape of what would become known as “PAVE EDGE”.