How to Choose a Garage Floor Installer in San Diego

What to ask before you say yes.

Most homeowners don't make bad decisions because they choose the wrong contractor. They make them because they don't know what to ask. This checklist is built from real homeowner experiences - the things people wish they had clarified before the job started.

Surface preparation

Prep (This is where most problems start)

Ask this first. Everything else depends on it.

  • ☐How are you preparing the concrete? (Grinding vs acid wash)
  • ☐Will you repair cracks before coating?
  • ☐Do you test for moisture in the slab?
  • ☐What happens if moisture is present?

If the answer is vague here, that's a problem. Prep is what determines whether the floor lasts.

See how prep affects pricing →

Coating system

The System (What exactly are they installing?)

"Epoxy" isn't specific enough.

  • ☐What system are you using? (Epoxy, polyaspartic, or hybrid)
  • ☐Why is that the right choice for my garage?
  • ☐How many layers are included?
  • ☐What is the total thickness of the system?

Two floors can look identical on day one and perform completely differently over time.

Compare epoxy vs polyaspartic in detail →

Slab condition

Your Garage (Not all slabs are the same)

Make sure they're evaluating your space - not just selling a standard package.

  • ☐Have you looked at my slab condition?
  • ☐Are there cracks, stains, or previous coatings that need attention?
  • ☐Does my location (coastal vs inland San Diego) affect anything?

The condition of your concrete matters more than the coating itself.

Install timeline

Timeline (Speed vs quality)

Fast isn't always better.

  • ☐How long will the job actually take?
  • ☐Are you rushing prep to fit a one-day install?
  • ☐What's the cure time before I can use the garage?

"1-day install" is convenient - but make sure you understand what's being traded for speed.

Protection & coverage

Warranty (Read the fine print)

This is where expectations often break.

  • ☐What does the warranty actually cover?
  • ☐What is NOT covered?
  • ☐Are moisture or prep-related issues excluded?
  • ☐What happens if the floor starts peeling?

"Lifetime warranty" often has more exclusions than people expect.

See real warranty regrets from homeowners →

Pricing transparency

The Quote (What you're actually paying for)

Don't compare quotes based on price alone.

  • ☐Does the quote clearly explain prep work?
  • ☐Does it specify the exact system being used?
  • ☐Are layers and materials broken out?
  • ☐Is anything vague or missing?

If two quotes are far apart in price, the difference is usually prep - not materials.

Contract & payment

Contract and Payment (Get it in writing)

A quote is not a contract. Here's what the paperwork should say.

  • ☐Is the contract in writing, with your name, their business address and their license number?
  • ☐Does it describe the prep, the exact products and the number of coats?
  • ☐Is there a written payment schedule, and a completion date?
  • ☐Is the deposit within the legal limit? In California, a home improvement down payment can't be more than $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less
  • ☐Will any change in price or scope go in a written change order?

Payments can't legally run ahead of the work done. If you're asked to pay most of the job up front, stop and ask why.

License & insurance

License and Insurance (Check before you sign)

These take five minutes and most people skip them.

  • ☐What is your license number? Look it up on the CSLB site, and check that it's active
  • ☐Do you have workers' compensation insurance? Ask for a certificate of insurance
  • ☐Do you carry general liability insurance? It isn't required, but it covers damage to your property
  • ☐Who's on the crew: your employees, or subcontractors?

California requires a license for jobs of $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Licensed contractors must carry a $25,000 license bond, which may not cover a large job or several complaints.

Check a contractor's license on the CSLB site →

Past work

References and Past Work

A good installer can show you garages they did a few years ago, not just last month.

  • ☐Can you show photos of garages you finished two or more years ago?
  • ☐Can I speak to a past customer with a similar slab?
  • ☐Do your reviews mention what went wrong and how you fixed it, not just how it looked?
  • ☐Will you come and look at my garage before quoting?

This is our advice, not a rule. A contractor with nothing to show you from past years is a question mark.

Watch out

Quick Red Flags

If you hear any of these, slow down:

  • ☐"We don't need to grind your floor"
  • ☐"This price is only good today"
  • ☐"We can start tomorrow"
  • ☐"It's all basically the same"
  • ☐No license number on the quote or contract
  • ☐A large deposit before any work starts
  • ☐A quote that doesn't say how the concrete will be prepared

These show up again and again in homeowner regrets.

Hiring an installer: FAQs

Before You Decide

You don't need to become an expert. You just need to understand enough to:

  • -Ask better questions
  • -Spot vague answers
  • -Compare quotes properly
Read the full guide on what to know before hiring →Still deciding? Compare all garage flooring types →

Sources

Words you'll hear in quotes

Installers use shorthand. Here's what the common terms mean, in plain English.

Diamond grinding
A machine with diamond-tipped discs sands the top layer off your concrete. It leaves a rough surface the coating can grip. This is the prep method most installers treat as the standard.
Acid wash (etching)
A mild acid is mopped on to roughen the concrete. It's faster and cheaper than grinding, but the bond is usually weaker.
Topcoat
The clear final layer on top of the color. It takes the daily wear, so its quality matters a lot.
Flake (broadcast) system
Colored chips are thrown onto the wet base coat, then sealed under a clear topcoat. It hides small flaws in the concrete and adds grip.
100% solids epoxy
Epoxy with no water or solvent in it to evaporate. It goes on thicker than the water-based kits sold at hardware stores.
Polyaspartic
A newer coating that cures fast, often in a day, and doesn't yellow in sunlight. It's a modified type of polyurea.
Learn more →
Moisture vapor
Concrete lets small amounts of water vapor rise through it from the ground. A coating that can't handle that pressure can bubble and lift.
Delamination
The coating separating from the concrete. You'll see it as peeling, bubbling or sheets lifting off.
Learn more →
Hot tire pickup
Warm tires soften a weak coating, then pull pieces of it up when you drive away.
Learn more →
Polyurea
The original fast-setting coating that polyaspartic is based on. It sets in seconds and can yellow in sunlight, so on garage floors it's mostly a base coat, if it's used at all.
Learn more →
Sealer
A thin protective layer for bare concrete. Penetrating sealers soak in and leave no film. Film-forming sealers, like acrylic, sit on the surface. Neither builds the thick, hard-wearing layer a coating does.
Learn more →

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