[TrickyDick]

I have seen a lot of posts here suggesting that people attend an ICPI course. I have not worked with concrete pavers before and took the class this winter along with my business partner and our foreman. With the exception of some good info about base materials I found the class to be a huge waste of my time, especially with the hour and a half drive to Boston and back for two days. The class was a joke. The instructor was from Texas and didn't know the first thing about working in a freeze thaw area. The useful information that I took from the class could have been covered in a morning but instead I had to drive and pay for two full days. I could have just watched thier little video segments, where I learned most of what I learned, in my living room and got as much out of it. I had thought that the whole thing was basically a scam for ICPI to make a lot of money on classes and for various manufacturers to promote thier products. After reading all the comments here I think maybe I just got screwed on this particular class.

Has anyone else had bad experiences with this? Can anyone recommend some good resources (books, etc.) for paver and masonry construction techniques?

[Paul]

Try here http://www.pavetech.com/

They have a training manual that is really good. Their classes are hands on if you want to go that route.

[landguy]

I've been doing pavers for over 15 years. Way before any classes were ever offered.
While I am not saying they are not good, the bottom line is time on the job to learn the trade. Every job is different. I always say you can learn to be a carpenter in a class but you don't know what it's like until you hit your thumb with the hammer.

[VoodooChile]

My experience with ICPI training was a mixed bag. One instructor ran 6 paver crews in Jersey, knew his stuff, had great stories, and was definitely worth the price and listening to. The other instructor was very theoretical and boring.

I suspect ICPI training is what you make of it. For someone like me who is just breaking into paver installations after years laying flagstone, it was informative and a confidence booster.

[AZTLANLC]

For me was the best money spend by far.
now I know many aspects and site conditions to be confident doing any project
now I see many mistakes I did in the past and why things fail.
Read trough your manuals and every time you'll find something new that the class instructor either didn't cover or wasn't clear enough.

[Stonehenge]

Originally posted by Paul
Try here http://www.pavetech.com/

They have a training manual that is really good. Their classes are hands on if you want to go that route.

Steve Jones, the President of Pave Tech, literally wrote the book for ICPI's training years ago. In the 20 minutes I spent with him riding to and from a lunch outing, I learned quite a bit - he's a guy that knows his stuff, and the classes are geared to more advanced topics.

If nothing else, check out their installation manual - I believe it's $30.

[agla]

Tricky,

I'm guessing that you are on the Cape because of your 1.5 hour trip and zone 6. Stonewood (used to b Northeast Pine) usually has some paver seminars for free to help sales. They are usually done with Ideal Concrete Block. I'm not sure what time of year they do it.

If you are somewhere else, you should ask all of the suppliers if they do this. I'm sure someone is in your area.

[Greensmith]

Hey Stone, I am going to buy the manual. Should I drop your name in the comment box for your benefit?

[Stonehenge]

Greensmith - Absolutely! Or say "Heard about it at Ground Trades Xchange".

[Fine Edge]

When we laid our first paver walkway about 9 years ago, we had already talked to people in the biz and read all the material we could on installation practices. The first one went very smooth and all of them after that seemed to increase our knowledge exponentially.
I had my fears for the certification class because:

*We already have a proven system that works.
*Nobody , I mean nobody, has ever asked me if I'm ICPI certified.
I sell our jobs based on the knowledge I have and the accumulating referrals from past customers.
* I always look in at our jobs from year to year and all seem to be holding up strong.
Just can't seem to pay the price for a certification when I'm too old to change my ways!!

Here's our first walkway. Still solid after all these years.

[TrickyDick]

Thanks for the input. I will check out the Pavetech manual.

Agla- I'm actually in the Newport area. I'm sure someone in RI must do a fall seminar or something. I'll ask around.

[Belgard Greg]

Originally posted by VoodooChile
My experience with ICPI training was a mixed bag. One instructor ran 6 paver crews in Jersey, knew his stuff, had great stories, and was definitely worth the price and listening to. The other instructor was very theoretical and boring.

I suspect ICPI training is what you make of it. For someone like me who is just breaking into paver installations after years laying flagstone, it was informative and a confidence booster.

I had a similar experience - the class I took was taught by the prez of PaveOhio. He knew his s@#t and made it interesting to boot. I think it all depends on the instructor. The manual they gave us with the class has been invaluable to me in the clinics I've put together locally and as a reference for customer issues.

Try and find out about the instructors before signing up would be my suggestion.

Generally two types of people become instructors - salesmen (like myself) and contractors (like the prez from PaveOhio).

In those groups you have two more types - folks who are just trying to promote themselves and their product and people who genuinely want to improve the industry.

Contractors who genuinely want to improve the industry make, by far, the best instructors.

[tozovr]

After 8 years doing pavers, I took the course. They did stress that local folks tend to know what works locally. I picked up a few tips for layout (that is why I went...figured another point of view after 8 years was worth it...it was) and overall enjoyed it.

RJ

[bricknblock]

going to the icpi convention in nashville next week, I'll let you know how they do there, but I'm not expecting too much...in fact I'm not going to attend they're paver seminar because I already know I'll do a better job my way than if I took their advice...I will attend their SGW seminar, possibly pick up a few tips there, but either way I figure bragging that I'm certified might give me an edge on some of the competition with regards to residential projects as well as with builders, you know, that "credibility" issue.

[Dollar Spot]

I've been through several training courses at Unilock in Ohio and found them to be very helpful. There website has all kinds of info on installation, materials, layout, ect.. One of their best instructors at that time was a fellow named Mark Sullivan but I don't know if he is still doing it.

It seems that pavetech is the hot supplier to most of you. I have never used their products before.

Bill