Altered Surfaces
About us
none
Business highlights
22 years of experience
Services we offer
Concrete staining, concrete repairs & concrete sealing., decorative concrete overlays, high performance epoxy flooring, micro top overlays, synthetic rock features, thin stamped overlays
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Reviews
1.01 Reviews
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Showing 1-1 of 1 reviews
H D.
Jan 2018
I hired Altered Surfaces to stain and seal my concrete basement floor. He came out in May and said he'd do the floor for $2500. A few weeks after the floor was done, it started cracking, peeling and bubbling. I contacted Altered Surfaces regarding the problem. He said it sounded like MVT (Moisture Vapor Transmission) and that he would come back out to look at it. He did. And when he saw it he said it was in fact MVT. Coincidentally, his guarantee does not cover MVT. He patched 2 small areas and told me to let it go for 2 weeks to see if there was any change to the spots. There was not. I contacted him after those 2 weeks. No response. I continued to attempt to contact him from July to October. He never responded to our text messages or emails. Essentially, I think he thought, "I know it's MVT and it's not guaranteed so if I ignore her she'll go away". I contacted the company that manufactures the chemicals he used on the floor and I sent them pictures of the floor. The Kemiko rep I spoke with, Ian, said it looked like it had been improperly installed. Finally, it became apparent to me that he had no intention of standing behind his work so I started looking for someone else to fix the mess he left us with. I found someone for that job. When the new concrete professional came here he said he'd never seen anything so bad. He also said that if there was moisture coming up under the floor a likely contributor is the fact that the corners and cracks of the floor were not sealed or epoxyied properly to prepare the floor the first time around. We even contacted Altered Surfaces and said, "Ok, we get it, you aren't going to help us, but could you at least tell us what's the best way to remove your floor so it could be done properly?" And he didn't even respond to that. Basically, we had to have the entire floor scraped off and start all over. It was a huge mess. The floor was restained and resealed in November. There has been NO peeling. NO cracking. NO bubbling. NO MVT. In short, I think Altered Surfaces claim of MVT was a way for him to do a shoddy job and then not stand behind his work. I cannot recommend Altered Surfaces of Bolingbrook, Illinois. Buyer beware. You aren't getting what you pay for with that company.
Response from Altered Surfaces
"On the initial visit I noticed efflorescence (moisture pushing salts through concrete) on the foundation wall, and commented how you probably had MVT (moisture vapor transmission) on the wall and could also be in the floor. You were adamant that was impossible because the sump pump has never run and is dry as a bone. I mentioned that MVT doesn't always mean water and I can't warranty MVT and is in my contract, you again were adamant there can't be any moisture, sump pump is dry. After staining and rinsing the floor the next day I noticed spots crystallization on the floor, it grew almost an inch high (I have never seen that happen in 17 yrs of staining) I brought it to the attention of your husband. While I was grouting your control joints he researched it and agreed it was probably efflorescence but said to proceed with sealing and will keep an eye on it. you contacted me a couple months later stating the polyurethane was bubbling, I believe I mentioned then it was probably MVT but would come out and take a look. When I came out I had mentioned MVT again and you showed me a book of pictures you took when the home was under construction. In that book we both saw the concrete contractor missed a section of vapor barrier under the concrete and that is where the MVT is probably originating from and since I use I high solid Polyurethane it seals the concrete and the MVT is most likely spreading as it builds pressure. There is only one reason a coating will blister/bubble after it has cured, pressure from below. The new sealer that was used by the other company is probably a less solid sealer (water based concrete sealer?) and less likely to blister. I believe in longevity and low cost. In 17 yrs of doing this type of work you are probably the 6th person to have this problem and that is why I put it into my contracts, I do not have X-ray vision and look through your concrete I can only educate my clients, it is up to them to listen"
Licensing
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FAQ
Altered Surfaces is currently rated 1.0 overall out of 5.
Yes, Altered Surfaces offers free project estimates.
No, Altered Surfaces does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Altered Surfaces does not offer a senior discount.
No, Altered Surfaces does not offer emergency services.
No, Altered Surfaces does not offer warranties.