So I had asked a long while back I think a few years ago about color sealing and if u guys offer it etc, just wanted to give an update as we have come pretty far with this service now and its very profitable.
Since we last talked about it weve done tons of color seal jobs.Were using colorriteinc. Super high quality sealants and can match any color u want, I have tons of confidence in this stuff. Ive talked with guys in other states that have years of maintenance on color seal jobs that they did with that brand.
We charge 2.50/sq ft and sometimes 3/sq ft for color sealing depending on the situation.Showers are such a good market to go after, there are millions of showers out there that need a steam cleaning and color seal. Average ticket for that is $600 for smaller showers and large fancy showers can be $800+
Once you get the hang of it, the service is so easy.The biggest learning curve was figuring out when to wipe over after applying so the color seal stays in the grout lines but still wipes off the tiles. It can be a huge pain if you wait too long and tough to get off the tiles, also if you wipe too quick you have to do it all over again. Ive restored about 40 showers so far and have done even more kitchen/bathroom floors.
If your interested in offering this service to add to your tile/grout cleaning heres some key tips that took me trial and error to learn
- dont use home depot or store bought color seals they are no where near the same the good one are 100% rtv silicone. This was really interesting to find out that the experienced pros doing this arent so much using a "grout paint" but more of a caulking product made for grout lines. That is why its so durable and can withstand being used in shower pans, high quality silicone lasts for many years.
The cool thing about this service is the good sealants like color rite are much much more durable than clear seals that the installers use, so your really selling the customer a great service. They are very water resistant, mildew resistant and when you come back to clean for maintenance you pretty much only need to steam with water.
hope this helps anyone interested, it took me a lot of reading and just going out and doing jobs to learn what I know now... this should save you a lot of time.
Its a very niche service which is what I like most, almost nobody doing it around here and it saves thousands over re grouting.
Since we last talked about it weve done tons of color seal jobs.Were using colorriteinc. Super high quality sealants and can match any color u want, I have tons of confidence in this stuff. Ive talked with guys in other states that have years of maintenance on color seal jobs that they did with that brand.
We charge 2.50/sq ft and sometimes 3/sq ft for color sealing depending on the situation.Showers are such a good market to go after, there are millions of showers out there that need a steam cleaning and color seal. Average ticket for that is $600 for smaller showers and large fancy showers can be $800+
Once you get the hang of it, the service is so easy.The biggest learning curve was figuring out when to wipe over after applying so the color seal stays in the grout lines but still wipes off the tiles. It can be a huge pain if you wait too long and tough to get off the tiles, also if you wipe too quick you have to do it all over again. Ive restored about 40 showers so far and have done even more kitchen/bathroom floors.
If your interested in offering this service to add to your tile/grout cleaning heres some key tips that took me trial and error to learn
- get a knee dolly for floors
- use a really good color seal product and figure out timing on when to wipe tiles clean (some right away some need 15min or so)
- acid treat first, really helps the color seal adhere (not when working with natural stone unless its non-acid sensitive)
- stainless grout brush is key for tough build up in areas and etching/taking the grout down a bit before applying
- use regular terry towels with hot water to wipe with and a bucket to rinse towels while working
- watch out for shower pans that have major discoloration on tiles and in the grout lines/deterioration. Usually means there is an underlying issue beneath the tile
- get small flip top bottles and drill out a toothbrush head to fit the tip on the bottle, best applicator and really minimizes getting it on tiles
- dont use home depot or store bought color seals they are no where near the same the good one are 100% rtv silicone. This was really interesting to find out that the experienced pros doing this arent so much using a "grout paint" but more of a caulking product made for grout lines. That is why its so durable and can withstand being used in shower pans, high quality silicone lasts for many years.
- keep some ready mix grout on hand for when you run into cracks or missing grout areas
- learn how to replace the standard caulking around the base of showers which is usually mildewy and cant be cleaned, really gives the look of a brand new shower when done.
The cool thing about this service is the good sealants like color rite are much much more durable than clear seals that the installers use, so your really selling the customer a great service. They are very water resistant, mildew resistant and when you come back to clean for maintenance you pretty much only need to steam with water.
hope this helps anyone interested, it took me a lot of reading and just going out and doing jobs to learn what I know now... this should save you a lot of time.
Its a very niche service which is what I like most, almost nobody doing it around here and it saves thousands over re grouting.
