Concrete Contractor, Cleaning & Sealing, Landscape Service & Supply

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

A. My most common type ofwork involves a term I invented, but is now used even on the show "American Pickers". The term is "bundle". That best describes alot of our projects. When we get a request for an estimate, we're keeping our eyes open to see how we can facilitate your end goal. We do an itemized budget, and then a price based on a combination of the work chosen.
The bundled price let's me offer the services needed by the homeowner at a price dictated by how much we can get done in the time forecasted. Alot of individual jobs provide nooks and crannies of time that could be used to accomplish other tasks if they were contracted at the same time.

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

A. The best advice I can give a potential customer is to do the leg work and look at jobs that have been completed by the contractor that you are considering. You could look at jobs that are 1 year old or 5 years old, both will give a reflection of the quality of work. Asking to speak with past customers is helpful. Asking to speak with the customer that your contractor is presently working for can give you some real insight.

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

A. What I wish folks had some insight on is the difference between a real concrete project and a concrete paver project. There are many variables as to how much your jobsite has the potential to settle. The only sure bet is that the ground below and around your project is never done moving. When I am talking with someone with some experience, they grill me with questions of what type of base, compacted?, how much rebar, how thick is the concrete, etc. They want to know they are going to have a nice project for a long time. That's when I think about the paver systems. They are not proven to last in this climate area over any amount of real time.

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

A. In our line of work it helps if you have a general idea of what you want. Sometimes we've been referred specifically because we are good at seeing an areas full potential. Basic starter questions are how many square get, what type of finish, what color if any?
You could also be considering landscaping, it helps to be looking around for things you like about landscapes or plants that you like. These details have to be considered sooner or later,so having some ideas ready can help keep your project on track.

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

A. At Keystone Concrete we know that time is valuable, for everyone.
We also realize our role in the success of your project. Since 1996 we have been applying our hard work ethics to the task at hand. We have the knowledge and experience to offer a range of ideas in areas such as Custom Concrete, Concrete cleaning and sealing, Retaining Walls, Excavation, Drainage, Landscaping, Lighting, Sod Installation, as well as Plant installation and removal and Landscape Supply/Delivery.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. The best part of my job is making people happy. You can see the appreciation on their face when they see you out in their yard working hard until the job is done. We take great pride in exceeding your expectations when it comes to dedication and finished product.

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

A. Honestly, the question we get the most usually gets asked after the customer sees us working until dark or later if need be. We don't work by a 9-5 clock. We are a small group of craftsman who enjoy taking advantage of all of the hours in a day. I am the owner and a family man, which means that my livelihood depends on happy customers. When you love what you do, it's easy to see in your attitude towards working and the finished product.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. I guess one of my favorite stories is about a job in Harmony, PA. We were preparing to pour sidewalks around an old house and in doing so, we would be sealing off the original well. It had long since gone dry, so the treasure hunter in me couldn't resist going to the bottom to look for treasure. I made my way to the bottom which really didn't seem too deep, 40' or so.
I filled buckets with a small shovel and we looked through the dirt up on land. We found one lousy old rusty chisel and that's it. All I really got was the peace of mind that we didn't bury any treasure.

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

A. I want my customers to know that I am a Vetaran. I served 6 years in the Marine Corps as an electrician on Huey and Cobra helicopters. I was part of the first Marine helicopter sqaudron to be deployed to Desert Shield/ Storm. I was in Saudi Arabia for 8 months. I got out of the Corps in '95 and started Keystone Concrete in 1996. Freedom isn't Free.

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

A. I was introduced to manual labor early in life when my quest for greenbacks took me down a road littered with odd jobs suitable for a young man of 8 or 9. My Grandfather and my Dad were both excavaters, so this gave me the chance to put muscle to work as a teen. I even got to skip school once in a while when an extra hand was needed. When I graduated high school I went to work with them until one day my cousin called to say that her husband needed an extra hand for a day that I happened to be available. He poured concrete for a living and I fit right in. Some of the preparation skills were the same as I had done with my Dad and Grandfather. The rest is history. Concrete has become my passion. It has become the arena where the skills of my hands transfer the dreams in my mind into functional art. Being built well is the final reward in local construction , as I get to see projects grow old and maintain there strength and beauty. I also get an occasional wave and a smile from a customer.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. When it came to the end of the most recent season a customer inquired about having a major remodel to their patio with walk, front sidewalk, retaining walls and outdoor lighting. They had just gotten the urge at the end of November. They were worried that they had waited too long and would have to wait til spring. The weather was just starting to get cold, but we got right to work. Modern technology allows us to work outside as long as the heart is willing. We love working and creating projects. After 3 weeks of long days working under plastic tents with heaters, we unveiled our finished product. One of the neighbors walked down as we swept up the street for the last time and said that he just wanted us to know that he thought we were real maniacs for putting in the long hours with the cold temperatures, even on Christmas Eve (we worked til dark). He also said he had to get our number for the next season.