I could make you a simple list of the Best Stamped Concrete Companies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. There are only a hand full. Instead I am going to educate the consumer on what to know about stamped concrete and how to choose the best stamped concrete company. With 15 year experience in the industry and starting out as a hardscaping and masonry company, we at FS Landscaping Contractors, Inc. recently have added stamped concrete to our skilled services that we offer. We have over 30 years of combined experience with stamped concrete on our team and we continue to study the art through seminars, testing things out at our shop and continuing to read and chat with other professionals in the industry. We do consider ourselves one of the best in the business.
For years I would try to find reasons to talk my clients out of installing stamped concrete and would try to push the products that we offered. Pavers, natural stone, etc.. Not to say that these other products aren’t qualified. Now that I have educated myself and have studied the art of stamped concrete I find that there are more pros than cons when it comes to installing stamped concrete. With 90 percent of our projects being installed around a swimming pool it has been the choice of patio that we like to install due to having a solid surface that is decorative around a swimming pool. Not only is it solid, it is easy to clean, low maintenance and the integrity of stamped concrete will outlast any other surface when installed properly. Is Stamped Concrete Slippery around a Pool? Prices will range from $9 per sq. ft. to $12 per sq. ft.. The reason for the difference in pricing has a few factors.
- The size of the project. Smaller projects are more and larger projects are less. The process is still the same no matter how large the project is.
- The pattern and number of colors being finished into the surface. Borders, steps and cantilevers on pool edges will also increase cost.
- Type of coloring being used. Integral coloring is easier to install and will lower the cost as it will take a step out of the labor end. However does not help the strength of the concrete. Alot/most companies will sell this option and convince their clients that the concrete is colored all the way through. News!!! You don’t want to see the inside of the concrete, it has aggregate and stone inside of it as well. The best way to stamp concrete is to use a color hardener powder that is finished into the surface. This not only strengthens the concrete from 3500PSI to 6000PSI+ on the surface it makes for a more defined color variation to match a more natural look. This will add a step and will increase some cost, but when you are investing into your home would you wrather have color on the inside of your concrete that you wont see or would you wrather have a surface that is 2-3 times stronger. I don’t think I have to answer that question.
- If the patio is raised it will require more stone. That will increase some cost as well.
- Labor costs. There are still companies out there that under pay their employees. Alot of them. Especially with the economy the way it is and people struggling to get jobs. We all no that you will get more quality out of someone that is being payed properly and loves what they do. Most companies are strictly in it for the money and could care less about the customer or their employees. In return you will end up with a lower quality product. Guaranteed. I see it every day.
- The most important thing is that you get what you pay for!!! We all should know that. We have been hearing that since kindergarden.
At FS Landscaping Contractors, Inc. we can not stamp all the concrete in Pennsylvania and New Jersey so therefore we have created a solid network of a couple other stamped concrete companies throughout the area to help in the mission to quality control the industry and take care of our consumers. That is our number one goal. With consumers getting 2,3,4 quotes on there projects, there is no loyalty to the contractor anymore. They want free estimates, free designs and have no problem wasting 5,10,20 hours of your time to choose the lowest number that they get. Do I need to get into the amount of concrete, pavers, etc. that we pull up every year and fix? The stories are endless…
In 2012 it is my mission to try and reach out to the consumer to try and educate and calculate what goes into a project that is properly installed and is being installed by a reputable company that will honor their work. We have a great network here at FS and would love to share this with you. Be sure to browse the rest of our website to view all the great pictures that we have created.
