Training Seminars-Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

Now offering training and seminars to individuals, crews, companies, Architects & Engineers and Do it Yourselfer’s in the Basic Techniques and Applications of Decorative Concrete Products and designs.

Seminar information Includes:

Basic Processes

Techniques

What Tools you really need!

Design

Sales and Marketing

and much more….

We are adding seminars now throughout the Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

So call us now, and get up and running in this lucrative field.

Expert Training and advice is available at YOUR location. We look forward to getting you started or helping finish off tha project. Advance training is also available.

Curb Appeal: Big Impact on a Small Budget

 

The Real Estate market is not was it was a short time ago. And gaining a valuable edge to sell your property and add a few extra dollars to the sales price is extremely important! So Real Estate Agents and potential sellers, take note, a quick easy and cost effective way to add Curb Appeal is to resurface those dingy and dirty looking driveways, carports & sidewalks that lead up to the property and then with neatly trimmed grass and a few nice plants you have a beautifully restored entry to the property and one that has the appearance of being well maintained.

Depending on your budget criteria using a spray texture or stamp overlay can beautify the exterior entrance and add value to the property and give potential buyers that curb appeal WOW! They are looking for. Even just a basic re-surface to make those areas look new again will do wonders for the curb appeal factor. HGTV’s Curb Appeal show has some examples how concrete overlays rejuvenate, beautify and add value to the property. See the Mazza Project. Stamped Concrete, Spray Textures, Acid staining all have great features to add that WOW! Outside the property and inside, the design possibilities are endless and “Your Imagination is Your Limitation” and your budget, of course! But a well thought out design keeping budgetary concerns in mind and you can add a lot of value and curb appeal to your property.

A tip from HomeSeller.com:

A Few Curb Appeal Tips

• If you can budget it, a fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around your town to find color schemes that are appealing.
• Clean up the driveway and sidewalks resurface with concrete overlays and colors if budget allows
• Replace your front door.
• A neatly trimmed yard and no outdoor clutter makes a property look presentable.

 

Decorative Concrete. Big Impact on a Small Budget

Before After

Decorative Concrete..cheaper than installing tile?

The short answer……maybe? That is if you have perfect, newly poured or perfect existing concrete substrate. Meaning no cracks, voids, stains, ponds, spalling, etc. then “maybe” an installer can put down a spray texture for $2.50 a square foot “maybe?!”. In Puerto Rico I have given the $2.50 -$3.00 a square foot price range estimate and have been told “We can get TILE installed cheaper than that!”. And yes you can! And you get what you pay for. $1.00 a square foot or less for tile and $1.00 a square foot or less for mortar/adhesive AND labor AND grout! Think about what you get for $2 bucks a square foot. When the tile cracks and/or lifts (which it will) will the contractor come back and fix it? If something goes wrong during the installation will the contractor have enough funds to cover the situation? How could he? will he return and fix it out of his own pocket? probably not! But you wanted cheap! And now you must live with or pay to have it fixed which you would have spent the money to do the job right in the first place would have to look for someone to fix it CHEAP!

But I find here in Puerto Rico ‘in general’ people & businesses want it cheap, and I mean any service and they want ‘QUALITY’ work that cost more than what they want to pay and then they want you to do a little extra and not charge for it because you are already there….This is a mindset. This mindset will drive contractors crazy! and out of business..

In general, no installing decorative concrete is NOT cheaper than tile (here in Puerto Rico). But it is competitive in pricing if you are considering good quality tile not the $.50 to $1 SF tile. Also in general, when you get a decorative concrete job the installer usually takes extra care to do a nice job and thinks of him/her self as an artisan/craftsman much less than an installer. Also usually, you are getting a a one of a kind job, yes someone in your neighborhood may have something similar but usually the contractor will discuss design ideas with the client and give the client something unique for their home. I know for each client I meet and give a proposal to I look for some design feature to give the client that one of a kind job even at $2.50 a square foot…

Here in Puerto Rico I try to educate potential clients regarding the pricing but mostly it seems to no avail. Yet now and then I get someone who understands and then we get a nice job. Personally I’d rather not get the work than cut myself short and leave a bad or unfinished job behind……

What do you think?

Decorative Concrete in Puerto Rico/Concreto Decorativo en Puerto Rico

Buenos Tardes! Good Afternoon,

This is a new blog regarding Decorative Concrete techniques, products and other valuable information. This blog is for informational purposes and the exchange of ideas, whether it is installation techniques, new products, marketing your business or anything to do with the Decorative Concrete industry. My goal is to provide valuable information to homeowners, business owners, Architects & Engineers, Interior designers, Installers and the distributors and anyone who is interested.

From time to time I will check comments and respond in order to have an interactive forum. I look forward to this experience.

Thanks and stayed tuned!

Duane