So you’ve decided to hire a floor coating contractor to epoxy your garage floor, but you’re not sure how to go about it. You want to get a quote of course, but what questions should you be asking? How do you know who you can trust? With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to choose a garage floor coating contractor and how to avoid the bad ones.
Unfortunately, garage floor coating is an industry that has developed a few bad apples here and there. Some epoxy manufacturers have start-up programs for installers that supposedly teach them everything they need to know in a weekend or a few days. These same people then jump into the industry selling garage floor coatings. They tout themselves as experts in the industry while selling the coatings of the manufacturer that trained them.
As a result, there are a few unhappy customers who didn’t get what they bargained for. So how do you avoid such a situation?
Well to start, hiring a good floor coating contractor or company shouldn’t be too difficult if you know what to ask, but it can be a bit frustrating – particularly if you aren’t sure what kind of coating you want to begin with. Plus, it’s not all that unusual for one contractor to contradict what the previous two you interviewed have said.
So let’s review the following tips on what to do first and what questions to ask. This will help you in choosing a contractor that you can be confident in instead of being misled down the garage floor coating highway.
Do your floor coating research
That’s right. The first key is to do some research to help determine which type of garage floor coating may be best for you.
Start by learning the differences between epoxy. Do you want an epoxy coated garage or one with a polyurea / polyaspartic coating? Do you want a solid color floor or one with color flakes/chips? Do you think you might need an anti-slip additive? What kind of topcoat is best for you?
If you have done this already – fantastic, you are one step ahead of the game. If not, you have come to the right place. We recommend you start here with epoxy floors and then read the recommended articles at the bottom of the page.
The research will help in the selection process when you first call on the phone or look them up on the internet. For example, if you know that you want a polyaspartic floor coating you can immediately eliminate the candidates who don’t offer that type of coating.
If you still aren’t sure about what flooring system you want, that’s OK. At least you have a basic understanding of the differences which will help in asking the right questions of the contractor in order to make an informed decision.
Are they licensed and insured?
The best time to ask this is with the first inquiry to the contractor or company. Most states require a contractor’s license for concrete floor coating. If they do have a license, ask for the license number. You can easily look it up on the internet for your state to make sure it is valid.
If they don’t have a contractor’s license or give an excuse for not being able to produce one immediately, don’t hire them. There is usually a good reason they don’t have one and you don’t want to find out why with your garage floor.
Also, ask if they can provide a copy of the documentation for their insurance upon a visit to your home. Responsible and reputable contractors will also be bonded as well as insured for liability and workers’ compensation.
Liability insurance will cover any damages that may be caused to your property by the contractor. A bond will protect you if the contractor fails to complete the job after payment or doesn’t meet a particular financial obligation for materials or labor that may come back to you in the form of a lien.
A quick call to the insurance company and Surety Company for the bond can verify they are current and how much they are insured and bonded for.
You can learn more about the difference between insurance and what it means to be bonded from our friends over at Angie’s List here.
Check their reputation
Once you are satisfied with the contractor’s licensing and insurance, the next step is to check on their reputation. This can be done in a few ways.
First, you can check with the consumer protection agency for your State. Most have a website that will allow you to do a quick check on the company in question to see if there have been actions filed against them by unhappy consumers.
You can also check with the Better Business Bureau as well look for reviews online for your own town. Keep in mind that online reviews are not always the most reliable. Yelp for instance has been known to have ratings manipulated more than once by unscrupulous companies in order to provide raving reviews for their business.
Ask for References
Any good garage floor coating company or contractor is going to have references for you to contact. If they say they don’t want to bother past customers or don’t keep that kind of information updated, then that is an indication that they have an unpleasant past.
Ask to see a portfolio of past work. Many good companies and contractors are proud of their floor coating work and want to show it. If they aren’t keeping a portfolio, ask why. Their answer may help with your final decision.
How long have they been in business
This is a question that for many gets overlooked. If they have been in business for 5 years or more, this is a good indication you are dealing with a reputable company.
Don’t rule them out immediately if they have been in business for a shorter time, however. Sometimes newer companies are established by contractors or installers who put in many years with someone else and are very good. Ask for their references. This is a good indicator of what to expect.
Contracts and warranties should be in writing
Reputable contractors and companies will have written contracts and warranties. Don’t rely on a handshake or verbal agreement.
Make sure the contract states what materials and type of coating system is to be installed. Sometimes you can ask for the contract to include start and work completion dates as well if you are under time constraints.
It’s not unusual if a contractor asks for a partial payment in advance to cover materials for a very large job, but it’s usually not necessary for a standard garage floor.
Read the small print carefully, particularly for warranties. No matter how nice someone seems, do not put your faith in a contractor who says, “No worries, if you have any problems just give me a call and I’ll come back and fix it”, as their warranty.
What flooring systems do they offer
Good contractors and reputable floor coating companies will generally offer a few different floor coating systems depending on your budget and needs. Many times they may be presented in a good, better, best type of description.
Ask if they include an epoxy primer with their coating. With the exception of some polyaspartic and polyurea applications, epoxy primers are typically used for high solids epoxy floor coatings.
Do not be surprised, however, if a contractor only offers a more expensive multi-coat system. Business for some of the best floor coating contractors relies solely on their reputation and quality of work. As a result, they will only install a high-performance floor coating that they can stand behind and will turn down work if a client wants something less.
Don’t expect phone quotes when shopping around either. Reputable flooring contractors will always insist on a site visit first before quoting a price. They may give you an idea of pricing per square foot, but that would be it.
Inquire about the brand of materials used
Good floor coating contractors and flooring companies should be very knowledgeable about the products that they use. They should provide the brand of products and explain to you why they use them. They should be confident in their products and use them as a selling point for getting your business.
They should also be able to tell you how thick each coating is applied, what the solids content is, and if there are any VOCs to worry about during the installation process.
Be very wary of the contractor who is vague about the exact brand or states, “We shop around for the best price in order to pass the saving to you.” These types of explanations are generally used when inferior coating products are being used.
Moisture testing
Reputable floor coating contractors will always perform an inspection for signs of moisture. Unless you live in a very arid part of the country or have an above-grade slab, this should be standard practice to verify that your concrete will accept a floor coating. If signs of moisture are present, then they should perform a moisture test.
95% of all floor coating contracts and warranties state that the coating is not covered by moisture related problems. Do not conduct business with a floor coating contractor or company that will not do a moisture inspection at the minimum, yet state it’s not their fault if your garage floor coating delaminates due to moisture.
Floor prep methods
Be sure to ask about their floor preparation procedures. Good contractors and companies will always profile the surface of the concrete in your garage via grinding, shot blasting, or some other mechanical means. They should also repair any cracks, holes, spalling, or chips that may be on the surface.
Sometimes there will be an additional charge for surface repairs while others may include it in their price. Many times this can be negotiated.
Do not choose a floor coating contractor who profiles the concrete with an acid wash or acid etch. This is the minimal method for profiling concrete and is not an acceptable means for a professional. They are just cutting corners trying to save money because the equipment that profiles concrete is expensive.
Stem wall coverage
Most garages have a raised concrete or brick wall that runs 4” to 24” high on the perimeter of the garage floor. This is called a stem wall.
Some floor coating contractors and companies will offer to coat the stem walls for an additional fee. Don’t forget to ask about this. Some people have made the mistake of assuming it is included in the price to find out that it wasn’t.
Cost – Cheap is cheap
Keep in mind that you get what you pay for in a garage floor coating. We guarantee that if you shop around for the cheapest price, then that is exactly what you will get – a cheap garage floor coating.
What you should be doing is comparing the quality of floor systems offered and then decide where the best value is for the price.
Other factors to consider
Sometimes it’s the small things that can make the difference between one contractor and a company over the other.
Ask about who is responsible for making sure all items are removed from the garage first. Most of the time it’s the responsibility of the homeowner, but occasionally a contractor may offer that as part of their service. Some companies will even provide a storage container or large moving van to store your items while the job is being done.
Some items are negotiable so don’t be afraid to ask. If a $2,200 garage floor coating hinges on a $75 crack repair for example, or a little more money for additional color chips added, ask them to throw it in for the deal.
Ask about concrete dust control, how they will protect your driveway, garage walls, and other items. Many times this can make a difference in who you choose to work at your home.
Finally, trust your gut. If the contractor seems to be saying the right things but your gut or intuition is telling you something else, chances are you are right. You should feel good about who you decide to contract out for your garage floor coating and not feel suspicious about their work or intentions.
Do not let price be a factor over this feeling. We have talked to more than one homeowner with buyer’s remorse that has let price override their intuition.
Garage floor coating warranties
We want to talk briefly about garage floor coating warranties. Unfortunately, warranties for floor coatings can be all over the map and are not very consistent.
Many times the warranties offered will depend on the competition of floor coating companies in your area. Generally, the stiffer the competition, the better the warranties seem to get.
Warranties generally will be for manufacture’s defects of materials only and can be from 1 to 20 years depending on the product. Labor is not included.
Some companies, however, will warranty their work on a prorated basis for labor. Some may include the first year free and then prorate the labor for workmanship and material defects for each year thereafter. These are the more desirable warranties to seek.
Final thoughts
There are a few national garage flooring companies that have become well known within the industry. Most have a good reputation but the final product always depends on the installation. If interviewing one of these companies, be sure to ask about their installation and preparation techniques. Some of these companies are franchised and they may do things differently.
So remember when choosing a garage floor coating contractor, do your research, ask the right questions, and trust your instincts. If you do this you are bound to end up with a garage floor coating worthy of the money spent.
Who do you recommend
Hello Barbara. Most flooring contractors are local with just a small handful that are national. Because of that, we can’t really recommend who to use because there are too many across the country. Plus, we don’t know where you are located. What we do recommend is doing a local search via Google and arrange for some estimates. If you follow our suggestions in the article, you should be able to find more than one reputable flooring contractor in your area.
We should remember these important tips before we choose a floor coating contractor. Thanks for sharing this post Shea.
Great article. As a Canadian Polyaspartic manufacturer I think you hit the nail right on the head. Another method you may want to try when searching for a reputable installer is to contact a floor coating manufacturer directly and ask if they sell to an installer in your area that they recommend. Most often they will know someone in your area who is a high volume user of their products. Generally speaking high volume equals experience.
Thanks Andrew. That is a good tip as well.
Great article Shea!
As a epoxy floor installer, trainer, and supplier you’ve really nailed it here. Great article for someone looking to hire a contractor for a professional installation in their garage.
Thanks John.
Typically, your contractor will have several years of experience and many previous customers who have been happy and satisfied with their flooring products.
I had my garage floor painted with epoxy and it is peeling. What do you do when a contractor can’t seem to fix the problem of peeling, and says he will return your money…..but doesn’t, and then won’t talk to you anymore. If he did return it, how much should it be? The full amount? or less.
Hello Jackie. We are not in the position to decide such things. However, was the contract in writing with a warranty? If so, then you need to explore that option. Was this job performed by a professional coating installer or just someone with a contracting license who said they could do it? Was a commercial epoxy product used or just an off the shelf DIY epoxy kit from a home improvement center? How was the floor prepped? If the contractor has stopped returning phone calls, the first thing to do is report them to the Better Business Bureau. Next, we would recommend exploring the option of filing a complaint in small claims court. Many times this will get their attention and an agreement can be met.
Hiring a flooring company that will explain to you why they use the product brand is a good idea. Making sure you get the best brand of epoxy coating would probably help it last longer and protect your floor better. If you do research on the different epoxy coating brands you could probably find one that you want for your garage in order to find a company that works with it.
Wow. Pretty cool article. I’ve actually owned an Epoxy Flooring business for a very long time. Usually I don’t agree with articles because they are just about sales but I read a few of the “how to” articles and they are spot on. You’ve got my stamp of approval. Maybe I can advertise on here one day lol.
Very informative article.
You highlighted all the important areas, so now I can ask my contractor all the right questions.
This article will be a great start for my garage project. Thnak you
Can you tell me which garage concrete floor coating has the better quality? Expoxy or polyaspartic floor coating?
Thank you.
Hello Susan. It depends on the type of system and the final top coat. Polyaspartic systems are generally just two coats and can be installed by a contractor in one day. They stand up well to abrasion and chemicals and generally will last a long time in a standard use residential garage. They also cost more. Polyaspartic flooring systems are thinner than epoxy systems, however. A proper epoxy flooring system will consist of an epoxy primer, a high solids to 100% solids epoxy color coat, and a top coat or two of polyurethane, polyurea, or polyaspartic. This type of coating system can be almost twice as thick as a polyaspartic coating and more durable in a busy garage environment. They do take more than one day to apply though.
What type of system you have installed really depends on how you plan on using your garage in the long run. They both are good. The main advantage with a polyaspartic system is that it can be installed in one day.
i got a couple of quotes for a 495 sf one using epoxy DECOFLAKE SYSTEM consisting of one base coat of resin along with a broadcast coat of Decoflake color and a top coat of clear resin.
The other quote was using Floortex Polyaspartic Coating applied to the entire fllor surface and concrete foundation. diamond grinding the entire floor surface repair of pits cracks divets and imperfections. then once cured then a thick coat of Polyaspartic is applied by squeegee. Whats the best to go with epoxy or polyaspartic roughly $400 dollars difference?
Hello Gerald. I can’t fully answer the question without knowing exactly what product is being used. The DecoFlake system is by Sika. They use a 100% solids epoxy base coat, but there are many options for the clear top coat that will determine how well it wears,stands up to chemicals, U.V. light, and etc. Does this company include all concrete repairs and grinding as prep?
The advantage with the FloorTex Polyaspartic system is that is can all be completed in one day whereas the DecoFlake system my require two. In addition, polyaspartic coatings are U.V. stable and will not amber (yellow tint) when exposed to direct sunlight or strong indirect U.V. light. DecoFlake may or may not be U.V. stable depending on exactly what is being used as the top coat.
On the epoxy they said the cure time walk on it in 24 hours, light items in 3 days, cars & heavy items in 7 days. Also they would do the apron in gray. They said floor will be mechanically ground. Cracks will be filled and patched not the control joints and 100% epoxy solids. The FloorTex Polyaspartic system will be done on entire floor and apron and diamond grinding and can be walked on the following day and vehicles parked on 3 days later.
They said that they use Urethane because it is thicker than Polyaspartic. Also BASE COAT is a PRIMER and that there is no need for a moisture test in a garage. Warranty is LIFETIME and Guarantee APRONS for LIFE. THANKS I hope that help.
Hi Gerald. The FloorTex Polyaspartic coating is the typical one day installation system with the proper concrete prep requirements. The company doing the epoxy system is doing proper prep as well. One red flag that I see with the epoxy company, however, is their claim that polyurethane (Urethane for short) is thicker than polyaspartic. Unless they are applying multiple coats, the information they gave is not true. Polyurethane is a high performance and durable coating that cures thinner at approximately 2.5 – 3 mils thickness. Polyaspartics cure at a minimum thickness of approximately 5 mils. Higher solids polyaspartics cure even thicker.
This is why we emphasize in our article that you familiarize yourself with how to read technical data sheets. These data sheets tell you exactly how the coating is going to perform, how thick it will be, and it compares the coating to the data from other coatings. Many times these coating companies speak in generalized terms (that sometimes aren’t always true) in order to sell you on their system assuming that the average person knows nothing about coatings. They expect that most people will take their word for it. Ask to see the data sheets for the materials that they plan to use. This will tell you exactly what they are using. Any company that will not provide the data sheets should not be trusted and you should drop them from your list.
Is there an article that discusses brands? I would like to see this and your reviews if the best brands.
Hi Tricia. No, we don’t have an article that discusses the best brands. There are not as many coating manufacturers as one would think. Quite a few of the products that floor coating companies and contractors use are made by the same manufacturer. They are just private labeled with that company or vendor’s logo. That is why we have an article about reading data sheets. When you ask to see the technical data sheets, you can actually compare product that way.
Perfect, your link was exactly what I was looking for! Your information rocks – thanks so much!
Thanks for the great tips!
Have you heard of a franchise Tailored Living and will you recommend them?
There is another company called Garage ovation –
I cannot figure out if this is a good material. Can you please share your feedback.
For standard garage applications the epoxy is 4195 Epoxy for Garage Floors & Concrete | GarageCoatings.com .
Of course theres also the topcoat material as well that should be considered 5085 Polyaspartic 3 Gal Kit | GarageCoatings.com
Hello Shabnam. Tailored Living is a garage renovation and home storage organization franchise. They use good products, but like all franchises, the quality of work depends on the installers for each individual franchise. The floor system that Garage Ovation uses is called Roll On Rock by Versatile Products. We did an article about it here.
Thank you for a great article. I can use some more advice…we are considering two floor coating franchise companies for our installation – Garage Experts (GE) and Hello Garage (HG). GE uses an epoxy base coat, flakes and a polyaspartic top coat and provides a lifetime warranty. HG uses polyaspartic for both base and top coats with flakes in between and provides a limited warranty. Both firms say their product/method is the best and most durable (of course!).
They don’t agree on the apron outside the garage doors. GE says there is no problem to coat the apron and HG says they can’t guarantee the apron due to UV and temperature extremes and don’t recommend coating it. We are in the northern Midwest with seasonal extremes.
Any insight you can provide is greatly appreciated!
Thank you!
Hi Joe. Both systems can perform very well. We tend to favor epoxy basecoats for full flake applications since it cures slower and has more time to penetrate the concrete to achieve the best bond. They are typically thicker as well. However, it all depends on the solids content and products being used. Polyaspartic in general is a great topcoat since it is U.V. stable, highly resistant to chemicals, and wears well. However, I would ask to see the data sheets for the products each company is using so that you can compare for yourself. We have an article here that explains how to read data sheets.
The apron outside the door is always a bit tricky. Polyaspartic coatings and color flakes are U.V. stable and will not fade in direct sunlight. Many times it is fine to extend past the door in milder climates. However, in more extreme seasons, it’s possible for moisture to get under the coating via the expansion joint and cause delamination issues. That is why many will not warranty that section if it is coated. If you fill the joint with a self-leveling joint sealer such as SikaFlex SL, you will lessen the chance of that happening.