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Does anyone think it would be practical to include a small rechargable sander with a job. Maybe a 3″ sander that accepts a scrotch brite pad, and have the homeowner use it wet? Just trying to think outside the box here because as soon as I tell a homeowner that solid surface will scratch it usually turns them off. I’m not sure how many of you guys actually go back after a year and refinish a top, or how many homeowners would actually want to pay for it. Any thoughts?
Norm, we did about four resands this year. Tops were about 6-8 years old on average.
It’s ironic that customers who are concerned with scratches don’t seem to mind them much. Perhaps we overemphasize the scratching issue?
Tom
Norm, I think by giving a home owner any type of tool so they can attempt to sand is asking for problems. People like maintenance free. I do have several local customers that do nothing but re-finish SS tops. Had a mother at school one day ask me if I knew anyone to re-finish her tops. They were 10 years old. Sent one of the locals over there and he made them look like new. For a reasonable price.
I had a lady tell me the other day, I don’t want SS because I heard it scratches too easy. She had very nice Kincaid Cherry furniture. I just said, Solid Surface is a lot harder than wood, treat your top the same as you do your wood furniture and it will perform great. She just looked surprised… and said ” gee never thought of that” placed the order with her…..
Norm, I gotta go with Dave on this one, supplying a sander just makes em worry. We tell all customers that scratch removal is free, within reason. Only four of five in the last five or six years, with most being a plumber dragging a tool box on the top. I tell them is isn’t really free, we use them as a reference once in a while, although it has been years since anyone asked for references.
We have a policy of never polishing our showroom counter tops, one has a small scratch from the bumper of a truck from the home and garden show. It makes a great sales aid for showing what acrylic will look like when scratched bad. We show them a black polyester top with scratches that can be felt with the fingernails, but can’t be seen. Makes the polyesters worth the price, self polishing and less visible scratches.
We have never had a customer ask for a repolish, ever. Might after eight or ten years.
I have used a line similar to KC when selling. I remember going into a flooring company to see if I could get them to sell SS. They said they don’t sell it cause it scratches.. I agreed that it does and then continued to walk around the showroom with the owner. When we came to the wood floor section I asked if he sold much wood flooring. He said, “yea, we do alot of wood floors” . I just looked at him and said “why, it scratches” He said ” but it can be refinished if it shows too much wear, with that I said.. “like solid surface” He looked at me and said… “damn your good” ..
He now sells Solid Surface. 🙂
I agree I would not want to give a sander to someone. I would rather give them a white scotch brite pad and each day as they clean the top, they are refinishing it. Sometime during the sales process you tell them about the warranty, how SS can be repaired and how it is the only surfaceing product that is EASILY renewed. Everything shows wear over time, tile, laminate, Stainless Steel, Granite, Quartz, but only SS can be easily renewed in the home. The wear can be “peeled off ” 5- 6 years down the road and the tops will look like the day you put them in. Then throw in something about how you offer then “renewal” service for a nominal fee, much less than replacing tops.
Thanks all, I guess it’s all about how you present the material to the customer, let’s call it Fab Gab.
John, you don’t have to tell me that, I put Staron Pebble Ebony (black) in my house a year ago and polished it to high gloss, that’s what the wife wanted. I told her it was going to be a maintenance headache, didn’t matter. I have repolished those tops twice already.
Tom, I don’t have much of a choice, my new house will be done in June. I have been waiting for it for two years now, waiting list. Two years ago things were looking much better, but, whatcha gonna do? Florida’s market isn’t as bad as most, houses are still selling , just not at the manical pace it was before.
I don’t get Florida.
My folks finally found the lot they wanted to build on, then the City throws in an impact study on increased traffic to the Port of Cape Canaveral, because they’re getting a new cruise ship (big Red Boat at the time) and stopped tem from proceeding with a two frickin’ member hgousehold.
Now they live miles away from the Port, and any road going to it, but it still held them up for two years. Did they really think they might need to turn down a single retired couple’s permit to check on the impact that a thousand passenger boat might have on the area?
Tom
It gets worse Tom, permits and licenses for everything you can think of. Impact fees that are becoming ridiculous, and homeowners insurance that closely resemble a property tax bill. Yet it doesn’t stop thousands from moving here on a regular basis, it’s all a matter of when you get tired of shoveling snow
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