As part of our annual hardscapes issue, LC/DBM surveyed its readership to collect their thoughts and comments about the hardscape industry in 2013. Overall, the majority of respondents see the hardscape niche becoming a bigger part of their business, and a large majority sees permeable surfacing as the trend of the future.

It's interesting to note that about 70 percent of all survey respondents gets at least 11 percent of their work from hardscape installations and that number is growing!

What percentage of your landscape contractor business comes from hardscape installation?

How has the percentage of your hardscape work changed over the last few years?

While 70 percent of landscape contractors make 50 percent or less from hardscape projects, 42 percent indicated that the percentage of their work coming from hardscape work has increased, while only 18 percent reported a decrease, which would seem to indicate that hardscape work is increasing relative to other landscape contractor niches.

What do you predict for your hardscape work over the next few years?

Survey respondents see the hardscape part of their business increasing relative to other services they offer, with 60 percent seeing increasing hardscape work in their future, while only 5 percent expect a decrease.

While hardscape installation seems to be increasing, most contractors see permeable hardscape as the trend of the future (77 percent of respondents see the industry moving that way). Hardscape professionals who have not yet embraced permeable surfacing should consider learning more about it.