Tile/grout repair, stripping, color sealing
Sue worked very hard attempting to strip & clean the tile in my entryway/mudroom, however, I’m extremely disappointed that she left the job unfinished. The condition of the tile has certainly been improved but she did not complete the job as quoted and she left my baseboards and woodwork very damaged along with spots of sealer still remaining around the perimeter of the entire area. Sue announced she was not doing any more stripping and “If you want it done do it yourself”. I was gobsmacked...did I not hire her to do the job? Wow, who speaks to a customer in that way? When I stated I was not pleased with the end result Sue was rather unapologetic and quite frankly, defensive. Even though she did provide a discount she still took over $1000 for this incomplete job. See photos taken the afternoon of the job...
- Approximate cost of services:
- $1,050.00
- Company Response
Hello Homeowners,
Yes, topical sealers are a homeowner's worst problem, especially when the sealer begins to break down. When high traffic areas become dull and non-traffic areas near walls and baseboards become thick with additional applications, you have a problem.
I usually ask questions like – what type of sealer did you put on your floor, water-based or solvent-based? Who recommended the product? Why did you put the topical sealer on your floor? How many times have you applied the product? Where did you buy the product? Plus, other similar questions, there are so many different sealers with varying outcomes.
Usually, I get "I don't know,' or someone else applied the product, or they provide some dusty half bottle with a skull and bones on the side.
Sealers manufacturers create different blends of sealers with instructions on removal. Depending on the sealer, the sealer will need a specific stripper to remove that sealer. Enviro Clean relies on your answers to help us select the best stripper for your situation.
So, when I ask you about the sealer on your floor, the answers are essential. When I get I don't know what sealer we put on our floors, but I want the sealer removed; the best I can do with limited information is to try the best product manufactured to remove your unknown sealer.
Before I agree to a project, we discuss what will happen, the problems and challenges associated with these topical products, and we both are committed to the task before going forward.
Some people may apply the sealer before the baseboards are attached to the walls, so the glossy sealer is under the baseboard and cannot be stripped with baseboards in place.
Stripping near the baseboard will leave a shiny ring around the room near your baseboards. To remove the glossy sealer near the baseboards, you need to go to the baseboard, which will strip the paint; if the homeowner has baseboard concerns, we suggest baseboard removal. We did not apply the sealer; we are here to remove the sealer with the least problems.
The homeowner and I reviewed the project; the sealer was unknown, the sealer was under the baseboards, and there were multiple layers near the walls and baseboards. I reminded the customer that the stripper would remove the paint from the baseboards; it's a stripper! If there are concerns, someone could remove the baseboards. The customer informed me that the baseboards would be repainted, so removal was not necessary.
The project which would normally take 4 hours took 2 days with two people; the area was under 400 sq ft of travertine. The travertine floor was stripped; honed, a color seal applied to the grout lines, an impregnating sealer to the stone's surface, and Enviro Clean also gave the homeowner a discount to paint the baseboards.
The customer had a master bathroom floor she also wanted stripped, I reminded this customer that stripping a sealer can be very difficult to remove. Topical sealers are a problem; removing these products is complex and a service I no longer wanted to provide, especially after all of the issues I had with this sealer. She would need to find someone else to strip the upstairs bathroom.
Before I leave any project, I ask the customer to review our work; we are like any other contractor who wants their customers to be pleased before driving away. We reviewed the floor for any shiny spots, we examined the color seal, and the confirmed overall project was a success.
I left the customer with additional grout, and stripper if something is missed or for future repairs. The customer was happy with the outcome of the floor and was delighted about the discount.
When you consider applying a topical sealer to your floors, ask the person selling or applying the sealer how to remove the product and if a stripper is available.
It's easy to sell a sealer, easy to buy the sealer, easy to apply a sealer, but difficult to remove a sealer. Please do your homework before you decide what you apply to your floors. Enviro Clean can only do so much with each situation.
Thank you for your review, I appreciate all comments, comments allow Enviro Clean to adapt our products and services to the needs of our customers. We have always attempted to provide the best residential customer service using the best available products to refresh your living spaces. We attempt to answer all questions, review possible challenges, and work towards the best possible outcome. We do apologize if we did not complete the work to your satisfaction, we would have appreciated a phone call to make things right.
Since 2007 we have cleaned, sealed, and restored over a million square feet of tile, grout, and stone. We are here because of our customers. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your deep cleaning projects, we are here to serve you to the best of our ability.
Sincerely
Sue Ostrowski
www.mycleangrout.com
780-417-9080