equip magazine | Edition 5

KEY EVENTS

BONUS Q: What is your first memory of using outdoor power equipment?

How do you see homeowners taking advantage of backyarding trends? Do you think this trend of taking our daily activities like dining, working, and playing outside and into a yard designed for outdoor living will continue? I do think the trend will continue. If you look at big-picture demographic shifts in this country, in particular the mass migration to warmer and more hospitable climates, you realize that people love the outdoors and want to spend more, not less time outside. Those big movements are indicative of smaller movements from the formal living room to the causal patio. The backyard is the new front porch. What features are you seeing homeowners request in their yards now? What do you think they will want in the future? The outdoor kitchen is hot, and it is only going to get hotter as more products and solutions make this shift more affordable and comfortable. Patios, decks, and yards can now have fire, refrigeration, water and lighting and our living space can grow by ten to thirty percent without adding an addition or moving to a new home. Landscapers are looking to take advantage of backyarding trends and help customers maximize their outdoor living areas. What advice do you have for them in how they work with customers and learn about this trend? As much as I love the backyarding trend, the outdoors is still an inhospitable place for materials, so I think it’s important professionals are honest with homeowners and guide them wisely in

their choices. Recommending best- in-class materials and equipment that will last and perform is important. An outdoor kitchen or living room can and should hold up just as long as our indoor spaces provided they are built well and built to last. What types of conversations should landscape contractors be prepared to have with prospective clients who are renovating or improving outdoor space? In my experience, it starts with a frank conversation about budget. Many homeowners have some sense of what goes into a bathroom renovation or a new paint job but very few understand the amount of work necessary to prep the ground, properly grade, manage water, remove trees, or bury conduit. Educating homeowners early about the infrastructure necessary and the cost associated with that infrastructure will help avoid misunderstandings and better set expectations.

The circular saw was my early foray into power tools. As a kid I built a lot of things with my brothers and friends, from go carts to forts to tree houses. But even before that my dad taught us all to use the lawn mower and then the string trimmer. No doubt he wanted some help around the yard, but I loved it. Working the mower and trimmer was one of my favorite chores. Weeding, not so much. BONUS Q: How do you think electrification (and robotization) of equipment will impact the future of home improvement and property maintenance overall? In many ways it already has. The abundance and efficiency of battery- operated tools on the job site is profound and keeps getting better. I never thought I would say it, but a battery-powered table saw is not only convenient, but it also works great in most situations. And I think the trend will only continue and accelerate. Electric mowers and blowers are here to stay and get better every season. I expect the same for the larger equipment, which is perfectly set up for electrification. And one of the most intriguing additions to the space are battery- powered exoskeletons that make physical work easier and less damaging to our bodies. Most of the trades require physical work that scares off a lot of potential employees or wears down and shortens the careers of people already in the trades. Using electric and robotic support to improve the productivity and lengthen the healthy span of our workers seems like a great next step for the industry.