Common questions, plainly answered
Real questions. Honest answers.
The questions Charleston homeowners and business owners actually ask us at walkthroughs. Categorized by topic so you can jump to what matters. No marketing-speak.
About the company
Who we are.
Lodestone Flooring & Epoxy Coat Pro has been owner-led since it was founded in 2008 and remains owner-operated today. The company grew out of a second-generation family concrete trade. Every installer on the crew is trained to one prep standard, and every project’s quote and finished work is reviewed against it.
Your floor is installed by our own trained crew — the same people trained to the Coat Pro prep standard. We don’t sub the work out or day-labor it. Every install gets the same prep, the same materials, and the same warranty.
Yes – South Carolina licensed contractor, general liability insurance, workers’ comp coverage. For commercial work we provide a Certificate of Insurance in your name before any crew steps onto your facility. License number is in our footer.
No. Every installer on a Lodestone Flooring & Epoxy Coat Pro project is a member of our crew, trained on the prep standard. We don’t sub out, we don’t day-labor, we don’t outsource. One crew, one standard.
Pricing & process
How quoting and projects work.
Most Charleston 2-car garages run $2,800-$5,200. Pool decks $3,500-$7,200. Basement floors $4,500-$9,500. Commercial pricing runs $5-$12 per sq ft depending on spec. The fixed quote you get after the walkthrough is the final number.
Free, on-site, scheduled at your convenience. We measure the slab, check for cracks/oil/prior coatings, test moisture if needed, walk through color and finish options, and answer any questions. Takes 30-45 minutes typically. No pressure, no obligation.
Within 24 hours, in writing, by email. One fixed price. Includes prep, materials, installation, cleanup, and warranty. We don’t do verbal quotes that turn into different invoices later.
Cash, check, all major credit cards. Typical structure is a small deposit at quote acceptance, balance on completion. We don’t ask for full payment upfront.
Not directly. Most residential installs are in the $3K-$8K range and customers typically pay by check or card at completion. If you need financing for a larger project, we can refer you to a home-improvement lender.
Most residential installs (garage, patio, basement) complete in one workday. Cure overnight, walk on it the next morning, drive/heavy use 48 hours later. Larger commercial work phases over multiple days or weekends.
The product
Materials and chemistry.
Polyaspartic is a more advanced coating chemistry: faster cure (one day vs three), more flexible (handles slab movement without cracking), UV-stable (won’t yellow in Charleston sun), and more chemical-resistant (handles brake fluid, oil, solvents, deicer salt). Epoxy is older technology. We install polyaspartic on every job because it’s just better. Read the full material spec.
Diamond grinding uses metal-bonded abrasive heads on industrial planetary grinders to mechanically remove the top 1-2mm of concrete. This exposes fresh substrate that the coating bonds to. It’s the difference between a 20-year install and a 3-year DIY failure.
Five: diamond-ground substrate, industrial primer, pigmented base coat, decorative broadcast (flake or quartz), clear UV-stable topcoat. Total dry film thickness 22-30 mils. DIY epoxy kits are typically 3-5 mils total.
Yes. We use low-VOC polyaspartic systems for residential applications. Fully cured coatings are inert – no off-gassing, no leaching. Pets and kids can be on the floor as soon as it’s cured (typically next morning).
Yes – we do custom color matching for any Pantone, brand spec, or paint chip. Color match is included in the quote, not an upcharge.
Performance & warranty
Lifespan, durability, and what’s covered.
20+ years in typical residential use. 10+ years in heavy commercial use. The prep is the single biggest factor in longevity – which is why we don’t shortcut it.
Yes, in most cases. We assess the slab during the walkthrough, identify damage, and include any repair work in the fixed quote. We’ve coated 80-year-old slabs that look brand new today.
If the coating delaminates, peels, or bond-fails due to our prep or application, we come back and re-do it at no charge. The warranty travels with the floor (i.e., it doesn’t transfer to the next homeowner, but covers you for as long as you own the property). Damage from impact, chemical abuse outside normal use, or improper maintenance isn’t covered.
Sweep regularly, mop with mild soap and water when needed. Avoid harsh acids, steel wool, or aggressive scrubbing pads. Polyaspartic is chemical-resistant but anything will eventually scratch with enough abuse. We provide a written maintenance guide with every install.
You call us. We come out, look at it, and if it’s a workmanship issue we redo it free. We’ve been in business 18 years and earn referral work; the warranty is real because we can’t survive otherwise. The cases where we don’t cover it (impact damage, chemical abuse) we discuss openly.
Service area
Where we work.
All of it – coast to inland, north to south. Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Hanahan, Summerville, Goose Creek, James Island, Folly Beach, Awendaw, Moncks Corner, Ladson, Isle of Palms, Hollywood, Ravenel, Daniel Island, Sullivans Island, Hamlin Plantation, Berkeley Hills, Belle Hall – and everywhere between. If you’re in the county, we cover you.
The Charleston location serves Charleston Metropolitan Area, South Carolina. Lodestone Flooring & Epoxy Coat Pro has additional locations across the country – check the parent site for other cities. For Riverside or Orange County, contact us and we’ll let you know if we can help directly or refer you.
Charleston questions
Charleston floor questions, answered.
The Lowcountry is relentless on concrete. Coastal humidity keeps slabs damp, salt air attacks weak coatings, and many Charleston-area homes sit low against a high water table. Moisture from below is the first thing to solve here — without proper prep and a moisture-tolerant finish, even a good-looking coating blisters in the coastal air. From historic-district properties to newer raised builds, the common thread is humidity, so a slab read and moisture management come before anything decorative.
Do you handle the specific conditions in Charleston?
Yes — every Charleston job is prepped and spec’d for hot, humid coastal air, salt exposure, and high moisture. We diamond-grind, repair what local conditions have done to the slab, and install a system built to last across the Lowcountry.
What areas around Charleston do you serve?
We cover Charleston and the Lowcountry, including Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Hanahan, Summerville, Folly Beach, Awendaw, Goose Creek, and James Island, plus neighborhoods like Old Village, I’On, Park West, Hamlin Plantation, Belle Hall, and Dunes West.
Question we didn’t cover?
Ask us directly. We answer within 2 hours, 7 days a week.