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
3.97 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 71% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 29% |
Showing 1-7 of 7 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"
Erin R.
Jun 2014
We used Altered Surfaces to stain our concrete basement floor and epoxy our garage floor. In both cases, Pete Simon was prompt in reply, courteous, and complete in his explanation of services. His pricing was very fair and offered a discount if we did both floors. Though not be able to know the results over time, quality of installation work is excellent.
Charles M.
Feb 2014
These guys resurfaced our floors in our basement. Within 3 months the floors were bubbling up due due to the fact that they used the wrong epoxy . I called Altered Surfaces several times, maybe 15 to come out and fix it and they never returned my calls. Worst company ever. Bad business. I l had to have another company come out and re-do the floors that Altered Surfaces screwed up.
Response from Altered Surfaces
"I tell all my client that we cannot warranty hydro static pressure (Moisture vapor from below that permeates through the concrete) and that is what caused the bubbling.We cannot predict if you are on a low water table or if the water table will rise in the future (excessively rainy season or large construction in the surrounding area). The materials we use are the same if not similar to most of my competitors, this issue is not due to workmanship or materials but instead the substrate underneath."
Shelly F.
Apr 2013
Love the floor. Pete is professional and honest. He makes sure the job is done right. Very pleased.
Michael S.
Sep 2012
Pete was very accommodating to our schedule, we were able to work out a start date within 2 weeks of notice to proceed. It took him three days. He took care to protect the basement walls. He ground off all the VCT mastic and I never saw an ounce of dust. The Liquastone product was applied the 2nd day, and when we went downstairs the following morning the results were, in a word, stunning. The epoxy has a pearlescent in it that and quot;rollsand quot; overnight as it self-levels. It almost looks like marble. Pete left the workspace clean and took out any trash. There were a few very small areas where the epoxy didn't quite cover 100%, but I attribute this to poor lighting (lighting wasn't finished yet), and I'm the only person who would ever notice.
I would definitely recommend and/or use Altered Surfaces again.
I would definitely recommend and/or use Altered Surfaces again.
Alene K.
Jun 2011
This was one of those rare great contractor experiences. I decided to stain and seal my basement floor to make it both beautiful and practical for use. I've heard that foundation/concrete contractors are getting into this business but many of them aren't skilled or experienced in doing these custom finishes, and it can lead to disappointing results. I contacted Pete Simon of Altered Surfaces after he was referred by someone who has seen his work. Pete gave me a thorough description of what to expect and offered alternatives for what would look best for my floor. He provided a formal estimate the same day via email and was very responsive when I had further questions. I wanted to get the work started as soon as possible, but there were other customers in the queue. Fortunately, Pete was able to juggle his schedule because of the weather, and started work almost immediately. He prepped two color samples for me and clearly explained how they would look after they were sealed. My baseboard was removed, and the walls and doors were carefully masked. My floor had a few minor cracks, and there was a lot of paint on the floor including dried glues left from previous construction in my basement. He thoroughly cleaned the floor over the course of an entire day and was to begin the staining process the next day. He told me that he felt he needed to re-clean the floor because some of the marks might show through after staining. This delayed the staining another day, but it was great advice, and I appreciated that he cared enough to go above and beyond to make my floor look great. Most contractors would just go through the motion and tell me that there isn't anything they could do about the marks. After the floor was stained, Pete filled in all the cracks with caulk to match the stain. The floor was sealed with a couple of coats, and the results were outstanding. My floor looks like old leather with a light shine. The workmanship was excellent. Pete also arrived and left on schedule everyday and called me with updates as I had requested. After this great experience, I plan to use Altered Surfaces to finish my garage floor. The cost to do this work was around $4,000. It's a big room, and I had to think twice about the cost, but it ended up being a good value because of the workmanship and time spent on the job (5).
NANCY U.
Feb 2010
It looks terrific and took it only one day. They were very polite and cleaned up well. They did an excellent job. We get compliments on their work.
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.
FAQ
Altered Surfaces is currently rated 3.9 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.