Prior to recommending a flooring option to new customers, contractors must evaluate the current situation. Often, this involves assessing whether renovating existing flooring is necessary. Contractors must determine whether the current floors are in good enough condition for a floor coating, or if they require work prior to installing the new floors.
If the floors are in good enough condition, great! Skip renovating existing flooring, and move right to installing their new resin floors. However, after the evaluation, it may be determined that the old flooring needs to be renovated. Before moving forward with renovation, be sure to work closely with the client and communicate the entire process.
Contractors must work with the client to determine whether the client’s wants are attainable, while being honest with client expectations, time frame, and cost. The last thing a contractor wants to do is mislead the client, so creating a good proposal and discussing it clearly both in person and on paper is crucial.
When renovating existing flooring, there are a few options, and it’s important to explain each one to the client. One popular option is diamond grinding. Diamond grinding uses closely spaced diamond saw blades to remove a thin layer at the surface of hardened concrete. The uncut concrete between each saw cut breaks off, leaving a level surface.
If the floor already has an existing resin or epoxy flooring, shot blasting removes old floor coatings without damaging the concrete surface. It is also used on new concrete to clean and roughen for maximum flooring adhesion.
Patching may be necessary on cracks, and other imperfections in floor before a floor coating can be installed by the contractor. V-8 High Performance Floors has the perfect matching materials for most jobs. Our Fast Patch is a fast dry patching material that will fix and hide many imperfections in the concrete before coating.
When the client knows what is going on, they are more likely to step back and allow you to complete your work. Transparency is key to keeping a client happy, as well as being available to the client for any questions or concerns. With these tips, you can feel confident moving forward and discussing renovating existing flooring with clients.
