FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Q – Why is your eliteCrete franchise better than the other franchises?
- A – Ooops! southern eliteCrete systems is NOT a franchise! 1st, we're fully licensed factory-trained eliteCrete installers - every artisan with southern eliteCrete systems has taken eliteCrete training (including our support staff); 2nd, after a 3 year search, we chose eliteCrete because their complete line of quality products are the best in the industry; 3rd, we continually learn & train; & 4th, eliteCrete has the best distributor/factory support – fine people with hands-on experience – available nites, weekends, even holidays! GREAT reasons for choosing southern eliteCrete systems. Call us!
- Q - What concrete did my builder use?
- A – More than likely, it was 2,500# to 3,000# compressive strength – that's common here for footings, sidewalks, & driveways & it's a good choice. But problems with concrete start during the placing, finishing, & curing. Builders subcontract concrete as it's a specialty item but the subs can't see your house from their house nor do they have a financial interest in your home. So, rather than have enough finishers, some try to get by w/adding extra water to the mix so it won't harden prior to placing & finishing; or maybe they don't apply curing compounds – even incorrectly. If you've noticed fine cracks (crazing) in the surface, that's probably why. Sometimes they've added so much water the floor's always 'dusting' & you can't fix it but we can. Call us!
- Q – Doesn't pressure washing help concrete?
- A – Of course but, after removing the dirt, concrete should be sealed to prevent soil buildup again. If you should seal it, why not seal with color? Call us!
- Q – What about the cracks in our driveway, sidewalk, pool, etc?
- A – southern eliteCrete systems has the method & material system for filling them. 1st, we v-cut them with diamond blades. After proper cleaning & preparation, we fill them with an epoxy mortar. There's no charge for this service when you have us do the work. Call us!
- Q – Why can't we just stamp the concrete?
- A – That must be done when the concrete is first placed & the builder didn't so it's too late now. Doors're hung & treads installed. That's why we offer a thin-stamped overlay option to upgrade your home among many other available choices. Call us!
- Q – What advantages does eliteCrete offer compared to concrete?
- A – Our processes & products are very forgiving to our trained artisans. eliteCrete bonds chemically & mechanically to properly prepared surfaces. eliteCrete has a higher compressive strength along with higher tensile & flexural strengths.
- Q – Is eliteCrete concrete?
- A – Yes, eliteCrete IS concrete. Concrete's a mixture of fine aggregate (sand), coarse aggregate (stone), cement, & water. What makes eliteCrete different is replacing coarse aggregate with proprietary polymers & cross-linked co-polymers. Fine aggregate is replaced with an eliteCrete proprietary blend of 7 graded & shaped silica-quartz aggregate. Grey portland cement's replaced with the higher quality white cement. While all this is more trouble to some in the industry, it allows eliteCrete much more flexibility & permanence.
- Q – Can eliteCrete be used inside as well as outside?
- A – Did you look at the pictures? Yes, of course!!!
- Q – How does cold weather affect the eliteCrete process?
- A – We don't work, as Company policy, when the temperature's below 40F. The American Concrete Institute has specific guidelines for cold weather concreting & we concur. So we stay home when its cold rather than take chances with our guaranteed work. After all, why should we jeopardize our warranty? Thankfully, it doesn't stay cold down here for long. eliteCrete's VERY popular in northern climates so its even better down here.
- Q – Aren't eliteCrete floors slippery?
- A – Have you been to Fatz' Café in Martinez? How about Palazzo's Cafe? Any time problems aren't anticipated or recognized, you'll have troubles. That's why our whole staff – from office to artisans – has completed Elitecrete factory distributor training. We look ahead to see problems BEFORE they occur AND we've got the experience & material to eliminate them in advance.
- Q – Can all concrete by overlaid, stained, or engraved?
- A – Short answer, yes. But southern eliteCrete systems inspects & evaluates every project before giving a long answer. Sometimes, the concrete's so deteriorated even we can't help. We do, however, have strategic partnerships with qualified concrete contractors who can remove & install to our exacting specifications.
- Q – Why is southern eliteCrete systems more knowledgeable than the others?
- A – While many in the CSRA are extremely knowledgeable & competent, our Principal's repair experience began at age 14. He's repaired concrete – tunnel, highway, airport, bridge, waste & water treatment plants, hi-rise, chemical, & epoxy concrete – even underwater – for over 40 years. All require extensive knowledge of mechanical, hydro, & chemical preparation. He gained experience in highway & airport paving, commercial, residential, institutional, industrial, & public work. Materials, methods, & production are critical legs of our work. We just happened to start from a different direction than most others. Another reason is we're always studying - all of us at southern eliteCrete have taken multiple training courses. There's always something new to learn. southern eliteCrete systems is the CSRA's ONLY member of the International Concrete Repair Institute. We regularly attend the World of Concrete seminars for additional courses specializing in concrete repairs. Want to know who the general contractors call when they have trouble? Call us!
- Q – How should we care for our new eliteCrete floors?
- A – The same way you'd care for fine hardwood floors including WAX. There are several different finishes available from satin to hi-gloss! Carefully move your furniture – put protective caps under the legs - stuff like that. There are fine floors – treat them as you would fine carpet for best results.
- Q – Do you maintain a local studio?
- A – Yes & no - our studio is where YOUR concrete's located! We do maintain a 2-state office in the CSRA where we maintain master sample boards, material inventory, & equipment storage as well as administration - but the real work's done onsite.
- Q – How far do you travel?
- A – This is our chosen work! If the work's 'here', we're here! If the work's 'there', we're 'there!' If our clients request our artisan's, we ask only to be fairly reimbursed for additional expenses. We're still competitive in cost & unbeatable in quality. Our normal service area's a 75 miles radius of Aiken, Charleston, Hilton Head, Augusta, Savannah, & Athens although we have work scheduled in NY, & PA. Atlanta's not far. Greenville, Charlotte, Columbia, or Valdosta anyone? We can do it!
- Q – Do you work in other environments beside residential?
- A – Yes! Institutional, industrial, & commercial – private owners, developers, general contractors, DOT's. municipalities, counties, state, & the Feds! We're comfortable with these particular owner requirements. Just call & ask us!
- Q – Tell us more about the southern eliteCrete systems warranty?
- A – We typically offer a 5-year warranty against delamination. Unlike other franchisees, who discover less expensive suppliers than their franchise's material & systems. We use the complete eliteCrete product line. Therefore, southern eliteCrete systems' warranty can be backed up by eliteCrete, inc.
- Q – Are southern eliteCrete systems floors expensive?
- A – That's a relative term – we're tile-competitive if you pick out a decent tile & much less expensive than slate, stone, marble, or granite – think of southern eliteCrete systems' floors as 'art you can walk on - at a reasonable investment!' Call us!
- Q – How long does this process take?
- A – We have no idea until you call southern eliteCrete systems for a personal inspection & evaluation. The average project lasts 3 or 4 days. You'll find our telephone numbers sprinkled throughout our website. Use them! Call us!
- Q – Is southern eliteCrete' process messy or hazardous to our family or pets?
- A – No hazardous materials are used in creating our work. We now have dust-free equipment including 10 micron vacuums so inside work's never an issue.
- Q - Where can I get more information about eliteCrete?
- A - Go visit any of these sites:
- American Concrete Institute
- International Concrete Repair Institute
- Tritex - insulated concrete forms
- We are also just one of many installers:
- DeCrete Systems
- Stained By Design