Agenda
🕑: 07:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Event Registration
Info: Registration & Vendor Networking
Check in for the day, receive event materials, meet participating vendors and manufacturers, and connect with other contractors before training sessions begin.
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Host: Jeff Duggins
Info: Join us as we officially kick off the Contractor Training Summit with an overview of the day, participating vendors, training opportunities, and event schedule.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Hands-On Paver Patio Installation – Part 1
Host: Dan Preston – Hardscape Mentor
Info: Learn proven hardscape installation techniques through a live paver patio build. The morning session will focus on proper job preparation, excavation considerations, base preparation and compaction, grade establishment, bedding material, layout, and paver installation.
This session is designed to help contractors improve installation efficiency while maintaining professional hardscape construction standards.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Increase Profits & Sales with Artificial Turf & Putting Greens
Info: Hands-On Putting Green Installation
Discover how artificial turf and putting greens can become a profitable addition to your outdoor living and landscape services.
Participants will take part in a hands-on putting green installation while learning site preparation, base installation, turf layout, cutting, seaming, securing, finishing techniques, and installation best practices.
The session will also discuss opportunities for incorporating artificial turf and putting greens into existing hardscape and outdoor living projects.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:45 AM
Getting Noticed by Potential Customers
Host: BJ Linger - Outdoor Network Services
Info: Sales & Marketing Best Practices
Having a great company is only valuable if potential customers can find and trust you.
Learn what a well-organized professional online presence should look like and how contractors can improve their visibility, credibility, and lead generation. Topics will include websites, search visibility, online reputation, social media, branding, and creating a consistent digital presence that helps convert prospects into customers.
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Stop Wasting Time on Window Shoppers
Host: Jeff Duggins – H2O Designs, Inc
Info: The Art of Vetting Customers & Creating a Repeatable Sales Process
Not every lead is the right customer.
Learn strategies for qualifying potential customers earlier in the sales process, identifying serious buyers, establishing expectations, and reducing the time spent preparing proposals for prospects who are unlikely to move forward.
This session will focus on creating a structured, repeatable sales process that protects your time while creating a professional customer experience.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Smarter Job Estimating
Host: SynkedUP
Info: The Value of AI-Based Estimating
Estimating accurately and consistently is critical to protecting project profitability.
Learn how modern estimating technology and AI-assisted tools can help contractors improve estimating speed, understand true job costs, organize project information, reduce missed expenses, and make better pricing decisions.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Included Lunch - Black Barn BBQ
Host: Sponsored by Aquascape Inc
Info: Enjoy lunch while networking with other contractors, manufacturers, vendors, presenters, and industry professionals.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Hands-On Paver Patio Installation – Part 2
Host: Dan Preston – Hardscape Mentor
Info: Continue the live patio installation with a focus on the details that separate an average installation from a professional finished project. Topics will include paver cutting techniques, edge details, finishing touches, joint sanding, compaction, and final project preparation.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Increase Profits & Sales with Fountains & Water Features
Info: Hands-On Aquascape Custom Fountainscape Installation
Learn how easily fountains and decorative water features can be incorporated into patios, landscapes, entrances, courtyards, and other outdoor living spaces.
This hands-on session will feature the installation of an Aquascape Custom Fountainscape and will cover basin preparation, plumbing, fountain placement, water circulation, finishing techniques, and opportunities for adding profitable water features to customer projects.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 01:45 PM
Outdoor Living Design – Part 1
Host: H2O Designs, Inc.
Info: Grilling & Chilling: Designing Outdoor Kitchens That Sell
Presented by H2O Designs Inc (Featuring Blaze Outdoor Grills & Berlin Gardens Outdoor Islands)
Outdoor kitchens continue to be one of the most desirable additions to outdoor living projects.
Learn how to design functional and attractive outdoor kitchens, grilling islands, bar areas, and entertainment spaces while understanding appliance placement, workflow, customer expectations, installation considerations, and opportunities to increase the overall value of your projects.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 02:45 PM
Outdoor Living Design – Part 2
Host: H2O Designs, Inc.
Info: Bringing It All Together: Increasing Profits with Shade Structures
Presented by H2O Designs Inc Featuring )Weaver Barns, Berlin Gardens & TEMO Pergolas)
Learn how incorporating pavilions, pergolas, and pre-built shade structures can transform a patio or landscape project into a complete outdoor living environment.
This session will explore design considerations, product options, installation opportunities, and how contractors can increase project value and profitability by offering shade structures as part of a larger outdoor living package.
🕑: 03:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Happy Hour, Door Prizes & Event Wrap-Up
Host: Sponsored by Belgard
Info: Finish the day with drinks, networking, vendor conversations, door prizes, and an opportunity to connect with presenters and fellow contractors.
Review what you learned, discuss products and installation techniques with industry professionals, and build relationships with contractors and suppliers from throughout the region.
Event venue & nearby stays
250 N Plaza Dr, 250 North Plaza Drive, Nicholasville, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.