Charlotte Business Journal - Highlights Overstream

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2012/12/14/fertile-territory-for-growth.html

Strategies for Building a Business

Fertile territory for growth

Charlotte Business Journal by Bea Quirk, Contributing writer

Date: Friday, December 14, 2012, 6:00am EST - Last Modified: Thursday, December 13, 2012, 8:58am EST

Philip Coblenz used both his heart and head when he decided to purchase Overstream Landscaping & Irrigation. After 10 years working in management for his family’s janitorial business, Coblenz felt it was time to go out on his own.

He hired a business broker to help him find the right fit. It took about six months for Coblenz to decide on Overstream, a 17-year-old Matthews company that provides landscaping services. The company also designs and builds hardscape features, irrigation and lighting systems and pools.

Coblenz wanted to buy a business where the numbers made sense and also had opportunities for growth. That’s why he turned to an attorney, accountant and investment adviser to conduct due diligence.

But a more subjective factor came first: “I wanted something I would enjoy doing every day,” he says.

Coblenz has continued an Overstream practice that’s uncommon in the landscaping business: He keeps his 23 workers on staff year-round instead of using contract labor. “That sets us apart,” Coblenz says. “We don’t rely on outsiders, so we can control the quality of the work, the kinds of materials used and timing.”

The staff has been busy even in the heart of the recession, and the last two years have been “very good,” says Coblenz , 42.

He also made contact with as many customers as possible. Repeat business and referrals have been the company’s greatest source of revenue.

Coblenz took over in April. The previous owner, Bill Zemak, stayed on until Nov. 30 and helped ease the learning curve. The management team and staff also helped with the transition. Says Coblenz : “The people working here were a big draw in my decision to buy. I know I can trust and rely on them.”

Happy Halloween...

As you may be looking for some great ways to enhance your front porch this week - we found some great spooky ideas from around the web....

Fall Planting Ideas

As we watch summer come to an end – our beautiful summer gardens and plants lose flowers and turn brown.  We don’t have to accept this as the seasons change – we can surround ourselves with reds, oranges, purples, and yellows – and create an outdoor space we can enjoy on these cool fall days.  

Use containers around your space to create “pops” of color.  Fill the containers with chrysanthemums, ornamental kale, pansies, and marigolds.  You can get creative with the containers, buy a simple ceramic pot or use a recycled barrel to add a rustic touch.  Since most of the flowers you are going to use will be seasonal – you can use plastic containers to plant the arrangement and simply place the plastic container inside the pot or barrel – so when the plants die – you can compost the dead plants, and recycle the plastic container – leaving the pot or barrel waiting for the next season. 

Fall is a great season for using other organic materials around your outdoor space.  You can use pumpkins, gourds, or hay bales throughout your yard.  They can be part of your décor through holiday lights season in December.  You can find gourds and pumpkins at your local grocery store or farmers market –you don’t even need to go out of your way. 

Don’t forget to think about the future as you are clearing your dead summer plants and adding your fall accents.  Now is the time to plant your spring bulbs.   This is as simple as digging a 5” - 8” hole and dropping the bulb in with the point facing up.  You’ll be glad you did it when spring rolls around. 

Saving Money with an Irrigation System

“Residential outdoor water use in the United States accounts for more than 7 billion gallons of water each day, and is mainly for landscape irrigation,” according to the EPA. Experts estimate that as much as 50% of this water is wasted because of inefficiencies in irrigation methods and systems. Existing irrigation control technologies can significantly reduce overwatering by applying water only when plants need it.  

An irrigation system can help reduce water usage by as much as 50% – saving money, and making your lawn look green and plush, all while helping the environment.

First, irrigations systems reduce on overwatering – which means no waste, runoff, or watering unnecessary areas (i.e. – the sidewalk or driveway).  

Another advantage, is you can set your systems to water in 2 or 3 short cycles throughout the day – this lets the water soak into your lawn, and also means less watering time and greener lawns. 

According to www.irrigationtutorials.com “…if you normally water for 15 minutes, try this; water for 4 minutes, wait 30 minutes or more for it to soak in, then water another 4 minutes, then wait again, then water another 4 minutes. Now you have watered a total of 12 minutes rather than 15. Even with the reduced total watering time, chances are you will see a significant improvement in how good your lawn looks. The reason cycling works so well is that almost all brands and types of sprinklers apply water much faster than it can actually soak into the ground. So after about 5 minutes of running, most of the water begins to build up on top of the soil and then it just runs off into the gutter or to a low spot in the yard. Cycling the irrigation gives the water time to soak into the ground and reduces water run-off. It also will help reduce the wet spots in the lawn where lawn diseases get started.”  

Lastly, if you install a rainwater recovery system, it will catch rainwater and reuse it in your irrigation system – this combined with the rainwater detection system, which monitors rain fall in the area, and will not turn the on the system - saving from unnecessary watering. 

Why Hire a Landscape Designer...

We have all been there – usually as the weather begins to change we begin to evaluate our yards.  In the fall it is watching our flowerbeds turn brown and ugly, and in the spring those same flowerbeds are empty just waiting for color and life. 

Then you turn to you empty backyard and wish those 4 trees you chose 3 years ago added more life to the yard.  You had done your research on the Internet, you found what trees and shrubs were best for your yard, you spoke with the nursery employees, and you dug the right size holes – but there is no pizazz in the yard, it looks empty, and everything only blooms during one season.  What could you have done differently?  Well, there is one major change you could have done – HIRE A LANDSCAPE DESIGNER…

Top 10 reasons to hire a landscape designer

 
1.     Plant Materials – A Landscape Designer is familiar with the types of plans that survive in the climate you live in, so they are going to recommend materials that will not only survive – THEY WILL THRIVE
2.     Budget – Landscape Designers can work within your budget, maximizing it by using the right materials the first time.
3.     Installation – A Landscape Designer works with a team of installers, so you don’t have to know which plant needs shade, which plants need morning sun, or how far apart to plant your materials.
4.     Time – Again, these are professionals, so they are quick, and efficient, and many times can finish an installation in a day – where it may have taken you a month of weekends.
5.     Environment – Yes, green leaves are good for the environment – but this is more about the climate and the soil (which can change from neighborhood to neighborhood), so a Landscape Designer can analyze all the components and make the strongest recommendations for your individual space.
6.     Experience – A Landscape Designer uses the information they learn from each job, and apply it to the next, making them an expert.  You most likely don’t try to work on your own car engine – you leave it to an expert – why should your outdoor space be any different.
7.     Education – A Landscape Designer is usually holds a degree in Horticulture and/or Design – placing the designer as the expert, focusing on what is best for your yard.
8.     Full Design Plan – The Designer will create an entire new living space for your home, enhancing existing materials, and adding what will add the most beauty.
9.     One on One Service – Each yard is different, so will your design will be unique to your yard.  A designer will go the extra step for you – teaching you how to care for your new space, recommendations for changes of seasons, or whatever you ask. 
10. YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! 

Blue Max has a blog!

Check out the blog our friends at Blue Max Materials have started. It's filled with Hardscape ideas, info on the latests Belgard products and so much more! Follow their blog and let them know what you think. Click here to view their blog.

You'll also want to check out the Gardens at Blue Max opening October 4th. Overstream and a few other local landscape companies have joined with Blue Max to create wonderful outdoor displays including outdoor kitchens, paver patiors, firepits, fireplaces and beautiful water features. We would love for you to stop by sometime to view our display! You can find the display at 1625 E. Westinghouse Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28273. 

We have a Newsletter!

You may or may not know this, but Overstream now has a monthly newsletter! Our Newsletter is filled with project updates, Landscaping tips and ideas and all the recent happenings here at Overstream. We would love to share our news with you! Click here to check out one of our previous newsletters and subscribe to receive the letters monthly! Let us know what you think!

Job of the Month!

Hey Everyone!

Below is a video that we threw together explaining the whole process of building a custom in-ground swimming pool! You get to see pictures and videos of each step (Forming/Excavation, Rebar & Plumbing, Shotcrete, Tile & Coping, Equipment Set Up, Decking, Landscaping, Interior Finish, Pool Fill, Start Up and the Finished Project!!!). This customer was a pleasure to work with and they were so kind to let us come by everyday to take pictures and shoot video footage! Below is a wonderful comment from the homeowners! Fill free to comment and let us know what you think. Also, let us know if you'd like to do something similar. It's going to be Summer before you know it and you're going to be wish that you had a nice pool to cool down and relax in :)

Enjoy!

"We have lived in Matthews for almost 15 years and have four children and have always wanted a pool but we live in the woods.  Thanks to a severe weather system, 6 of our trees came down in the back yard and the rest is history.  We had Overstream come out and make recommendations on which trees to remove and which ones to keep and they came up with fantastic drawings in their design program to give us an idea of what it would look like with a pool.  The final product is every bit as beautiful and imaginative as the initial computer layouts and the kids LOVE the slide off the back deck.  We heated it up for a Christmas party to remember with roasted marshmallows in the fire pit and hot chocolate poolside.  We wanted a place that would keep us from having to drive around town every summer to swim in a crowded pool, plus the advantage of hoping that our kids' friends will want to spend time here instead of them going elsewhere.  We love the final product and the construction phase flew by seamlessly.  What a great group of people to work with, and I love that they also do their own landscaping - it's truly one stop shopping.  Every employee from Overstream from the guys who did the tile/pavers, digging, project managers, designers and CEO were all extremely polite, thorough and a pleasure to work with.  We really had a great experience and couldn't imagine not using them if we had it all to do over again!"

Energy Efficient Landscape Tips & Ideas!

Recently, Bill Zemak was asked by a magazine to write about energy efficient landscapes.  Here is a portion of the article that many of you may find helpful:

Here are a few items to offer an energy-efficient landscape:

1)  Use LED low voltage lighting systems with timer and/or photocells:

The LED uses up to 1/4 the energy, the timer prevents the system from operating during the wrong hours.  The photocell does not allow the system to operate during daylight hours.

2)  Irrigation systems:

Use smart controllers:  These controllers allow for historical local data from your area to be loaded into the irrigation controller and adjust as needed for soil moisture levels, air and soil temperature, humidity levels, precipitation rates of the irrigation system itself, and quantity and frequency of rain.

Use rain sensors:  These measure moisture levels and prevent an irrigation system from operating when the turf does not need it.

Use drip irrigation for planting beds:  This allows for water to get right to the roots where the water is ingested into the plant and prevent run-off and water-waste.

Invest in a rain harvesting system to collect all downspout water, run-off water, etc. and then use this water with a pump to irrigate the yard or planting beds.

3)  Plant selection:

Use succulent plants which do not require a tremendous amount of water and those which have an ability to "store" water on their own.

Use drought tolerant plants such as (Junipers, Hollies, Osmanthus, Pyracantha, Wax Myrtles, among many others)

Use plants to help shade areas or the home to keep interior temperatures lower which in-turn will greatly reduce cooling costs inside the home.

4)  Turf choice:

This is by far the largest change that one could make on their property to increase the efficiency of their landscape.

Use grasses which do not require so much water such as Bermuda and Zoysia hybrids.

The tall Fescue turf grass which is so prevalent in the metro Charlotte area is a cool season grass.  This means that when soil temperatures are between 65-75 degrees it is happiest and grows wonderfully.  At those temperatures it also requires very little water.  However, those times of the year are few and far between and last for about 2-3 months out of the whole year.  In order to maintain that lush look, Fescue requires large amounts of water to keep the soil temperature down.  With large amounts of water, then their is a high risk of fungus.

Using the Bermuda and Zoysia hybrids are WARM season grasses which is opposite of Fescue.  They are happiest during those hot summer months when the humidity is high.  They do not require as much water, fertilizer, or fungicide.  They also do not require the traditional aerating and overseeding that Fescue requires in the fall.  There are many hybrid varieties available now which have not been available in the past that offer great color, thicker blades, and a lush feel to compete more with the Fescue look which a lot of people like.

5)  Driveway, patios, walkways:

Use permeable pavement systems to allow for water to penetrate through the surface and into the ground or into a water reclamation system to be used for irrigation.  These permeable systems also reduce water runoff into our waterways which carry fertilizers, soaps, and other toxins to our drinking water supply, which then have to filtered out with expensive filtration equipment.

Belgard Hardscapes Project Excellence Winner!

It's an honor to have won a Belgard Hardscapes Project Excellence award TWO YEARS IN A ROW! We're looking for jobs to submit next year, let us know if you would like it to be yours!

Preferred Payment Program

SAME-AS-CASH!

The Belgard Preferred Payment program is offered by yours truly, Overstream! With a 180-day Same-as-cash program available, homeowners can create the backyard of their dreams without having to phase out the project. Contact us today for more information or check us out as an Authorized Contractor (more info coming soon) at www.belgard.biz!