You’ve decided you want an epoxy floor. You’ve gotten a couple of names and now you’re talking to contractors. This is where most homeowners get tripped up — they don’t know what to ask, and a smooth-talking installer can sound credible while cutting every corner that matters. These 10 questions will separate professionals from pretenders fast.

1. How Do You Prepare the Concrete?

The right answer is diamond grinding. Grinding removes contaminants, opens the concrete’s pores, and creates the mechanical profile the epoxy bonds to. Wrong answers: “acid etching,” “we’ll clean it really well,” or anything that doesn’t involve a grinder. If a contractor doesn’t own a diamond grinder, that’s disqualifying.

2. Do You Test for Moisture Vapor Before Coating?

Florida’s high water table means moisture moves through concrete constantly. A professional performs a calcium chloride test or RH probe test before selecting the coating system. “That’s not necessary” or “we just let it dry” means they’re guessing — and moisture failure is the #1 cause of delamination in Florida.

3. What Specific Products Do You Use and What Is the Dry Film Thickness?

Ask for brand, product name, and dry film thickness. A professional 100% solids system produces 10–20 mils DFT. Big-box water-based “epoxy paint” produces 2–4 mils — five times thinner. If they can’t name the product, they’re either using cheap materials or don’t want you to research it.

4. Do You Carry Liability Insurance and Workers’ Comp?

Ask for certificates — not just a verbal yes. You need current general liability (minimum $1M per occurrence) and workers’ compensation. Without these, you’re liable for injuries on your property.

5. How Long Have You Been Installing Epoxy Specifically?

Painters, handymen, and general contractors frequently add epoxy as an upsell. Ask how many dedicated epoxy installations they’ve completed and ask for Florida-specific references. Epoxy chemistry in humid, high-moisture-table markets requires specific expertise.

6. What Does Your Warranty Cover?

Get it in writing. A credible installer offers a written workmanship warranty covering delamination and adhesion failure for a defined period. Verbal assurances are unenforceable. Be skeptical of very long warranties from small operators — a warranty is only as good as the company that backs it.

7. Is Crack and Spall Repair Included in Your Quote?

Visible cracks and surface damage should be repaired before coating. Ask if repair is included or charged separately, and what product they use. Polyurea filler is the professional standard. Cement patch telegraphs through the coating over time.

8. How Long Does Installation Take and When Can I Use the Space?

Standard two-car garage: one day. Light foot traffic: 24 hours. Vehicles: 72 hours. Full chemical cure: 7 days. Get a specific timeline for your project before you schedule.

9. What Exactly Is and Isn’t Included in Your Quote?

A detailed written quote should list: surface prep method, crack repair scope, number of coats, product names, topcoat spec, and cleanup. A single-line quote that just says “epoxy floor coating” leaves room for corners to be cut without accountability.

10. Can You Give Me References from Similar Projects in This Area?

Florida’s climate creates challenges that installers from other markets may not have encountered. Ask for references from jobs completed in the same county within the last 12–24 months. Call them. Ask if the floor held up and if they’d hire them again.

Ready to Talk to an Epoxy Contractor Who Answers All 10?

At A1 Epoxy Coatings, we answer every one of these questions clearly — because we’ve built our business on doing the work right the first time. Contact us for a free estimate in Orlando and surrounding areas.