Concrete Work Done Beautifully

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Concrete overlay applied over walkways, basements, pool decks and garages. Acid stain over kitchen & bathroom floors are often requested. Lately, we have been getting more inquiries about overlay or Acid Stain on concrete counter tops. Since our systems are so diverse, there is no one type of job we do most. We do it all!

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Be sure your contractor provides a clear, detailed contract before giving them payment. Also, I recomend a little research into the product the contractor will be using. Are they going to Lowe's or buying top of the line materials for this industry (like the Stardek products we use)?

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Artistic talent can make a huge difference in price and design options! While stencils can be made to apply a logo or complex design, they are sometimes costly and unnecessary if your installer has artistic skills. Also, it's difficult to use stencils with some materials (like Acid Stain) so certan designs must be hand "painted". For example, if you wanted the Mona Lisa on your acid stained surface, you would require an installer who can paint the Mona Lisa. It would be incredibly hard to accurately reproduce a painting with such detail and fading colors with a stencil.
We at A.S.R. are proud of our artistic skills and very aware of our strengths and shortcomings. Each of our Design Consultants has an artistic background of some kind, including but not limited to, formal classes.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. The most important information to us is the condition of the concrete or surface to be overlayed. This includes cracks, chips and surface stains. It is helpful for customers to know the size of the surface to be worked on. However, if this information is unknown, we will measure and assertain sevarety of damage when we come to view the surface and prepare an estimate.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We are open to any challenge! Many overlay companies are limited to simple designs (brick, tile etc..). We at A.S.R. have trained in several artistic styles and can apply them to "harder" projects. Being able to faux paint on the overlay insures there are no unsightly color variance (due to uneven application or surface condition). We enjoy doing unique designs and charge much less for labor than our competitors simply because we have trained in different artistic mediums.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. The diversity! Each job can be totally different from others. Sometimes we do simple, one color overlay, sometimes we do intricate designs with hand painted detail. Since the average project takes a week or so, we get the pleasure of seeing our completed work quickly and can move on to the next job. We get to take a plain surface and make it outstanding relatively fast! Also, some clients want something totally unique, then I get to help them design something no one else has. I find that very satisfying. There are always new applications and techniques being taught, so there is always something new to learn and practice. I enjoy applying new knowledge to a project and watching it come out beautifully!

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. How long will the surface/overlay last? There are thousands properties that haven't needed retouched in any way in over 20 years. Stardek also provides a three year manufactuars warrenty.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. This is a skilled trade! Not everyone is cut out to do decorative overlay. If the contractor you hire is not an artist, your options will be very limited. We are very proud of our artistic skill and our ability to create whatever look, design or pattern you can imagine. Many companies will just say "it isn't possible" when the truth is: they aren't able.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I worked several years with another company doing overlay and really liked it. Unfortunately, my previous employer didn't have any artistic background or vision. Also, he didn't pay attention to the details, so the designs didn't always line up and therefore didn't look professional. I knew I could do better and with help from my fiance and her artistic skills we could blow most of the competition away. The overhead for this line of work is minimal, so we decided to give it a try! And we are happy we did!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Yes, we at A.S.R. are constantly scouting for seminars and classes to learn new techniques and applications for our overlay and acid stain systems. There are many decorative overlay manufacturers with all types of classes, materials and insider knowledge. We are committed to excellence in service, technique and diversity. To be the best in a growing field, you must continue to learn everything possible. We want to be the best, so we learn what we can from industry leaders.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. Price is determined by several factors. Cost of materials being one. Depending on size of surface, repairs needed, number of colors, detail and difficulty of design, each project requires different amounts of several types of materials. Also, the cement overlay and Acid Stain are two completely diffent applications that are not the same price. Some projects require both. Also, indoor surfaces must be treated with special care to protect other surfaces and might require additional preporation and material. There is a price per sqare foot for labor and with this trade, that price depends on complexity and difficulty of design. Custom hand painted jobs would obviously cost more than simple patterns.