Need Advise!

[The Granite Doctor]

Originally Posted by Stone Care NJ

Hey Joe and everybody, I haven’t been on here in a while and I just wanted to run something by all of you and get some advice. I’m at the point where I really need to figure out what I am going to do. I will tell you my situation. First of all, I love the natural stone business. My uncle has a very big and very successful fabrication company in northern NJ, about 20 minutes from the GW bridge. For the past couple of years, I have been going there once in a while and messing around the shop and even going on some installations with some of the crews. I really wanted to get involved with his business but didn’t know how. I finally realized that they did not do any service calls or restoration at all. They always referred there work to an outside company or just turned the work away. So I talked to my uncle and he and I thought it would be a good idea and he was all for it. Now, I have a full time job that I am very happy with and can't leave but wanted to do this on the side and on weekends being that I can schedule the work. I can even break away from my job if I had some sort of emergency. So, this was not a problem. So now, he was going to refer all the calls to me, and even suggested going into his archive of past customers and sending them a letter about the new business. Plus, he has so many connections with other fabricators that he said we can even get their work. So there is really nothing more I can ask for and i'm sure you can all agree. But here is the problem, and I’ll be honest, I don’t know what I am doing. I have tried reading everything and watching dvd’s but who am I kidding. Joe Huligar who I cant say enough great things about helped me. I was able to meet up with him and he showed me some things and gave me some pointers. My confidence was soaring after that and I was ready to go. I started doing simple things like chip repair ad sealing but then it was like a storm came. People were calling with things I had no idea about or how to do and I was really uncomfortable. I never seen these things nor have I seen how to fix it. It got to the point where I didn’t even want anything to do with it, but not because I didn’t like it (I love doing it!) its just I don’t have the confidence and I am really uncomfortable going out in the field and I don’t know what I am doing. Now, I want to ask all of you, if you were in my shoes what and how should I deal with this. I don’t want to let it go down the drain and I would really like to do it and be successful. Believe me, the only problem in the whole situation is the learning and experience part of it. I have every other piece of the puzzle except that. Joe, I haven’t talked to you in a while so your knowing about this now too. What should I do? I thought about maybe for now, working with somebody in the area as an apprentice to learn but I don’t know if that’s fair for that person and if they would want me just on weekends and maybe during the week sometimes. I am willing to train and take a slow approach into the business but what would be the RIGHT way to learn. I really have a gift here and believe me, the customers can become overwhelming. So I hope I didn’t bore all of you with this post and I hope I hear something back that will lead me to the right thing. I appreciate all of your help and I hope all of you are doing good. Thanks again and Joe you’re the best!

Anthony

[Stone Care NJ]

I just want to thank all of you who posted on this thread. Between all of your inputs, its helped me with my mind set on the whole situation(especially TopShop). I know i have to get out there and just start doing the jobs and practicing more. Well, im gonna give it another shot and kick butt ou there! I'll let you all know how its going and you will probably hearing from me on here alot. If any of you need anything from this area(work and non work realted) let me know. Thanks again and Jo, if your in the area, i'll give you a call this week to catch up on things. Thanks again!

[deted1]

Follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of the jobs that you see will be straightforward and easy. Train yourself for those and stay away from the 20% that might be too challenging right now. Remember that you're in business to make money. Learn lippage removal on marble, travertine, and limestone. Stay away from granite floors for awhile. Learn how to refinish without removing light lippage to a powder/paste polish. Learn how to evaluate the surface for starting grit. Train yourself to refinish marble vanities, lots of them (easy money). Train yourself to refinish and hone/polish marble, travertine, limestone showers.

Get a book on simple chemistry. Understand pH, acids and bases, and how to identify chemicals in cleaners that can harm stone surfaces. Understand the physics of the diamonds and how they cut.

Understand the geology behind business. Marble is metamorphic it has crystals but is calcium carbonate based. Limestone will shine but has little crystals. Understand the variations in densities of the material and how they affect shine, depth, and clarity.

You are building a portfolio of knowledge, not just before and after pictures.

Develop a system for these surfaces. Do it the same way every time. If you practice, you shouldn't have to consult this site for anything in that realm.

Be able to communicate your knowledge and your passion to any customer, vendor, or pier and you can not fail.

	grit GRIT SIZE: Applies to the size and number of particles per square inch which are used to determine the abrasiveness of sandpapers, grinding stones etc.

	limestone LIMESTONE A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

[Topshop]

Hey we all need a little kick in the butt sometimes. Deted is right - you need to learn about stone so you can educate your customers. A trained customer will always pay properly for the job done right.

[david bassler]

Anthony

How are you?
The natural stone world needs the 'Stone Doctor'.

[The Granite Doctor]

I just read your bit of advice to STONECARE NJ. I believe it was great, and i want to say thank you, since I am trying to get started on the bussisnes myself. You mentioned "get a book in simple chemistry" as well as "the geology behind the bussines." Do you have a book that you could recomend on those subjects? I appreciate your help. thank you.

Camilo Acosta
The Granite Doctor.
Charlotte. NC.

[deted1]

You can learn almost everything you need when it comes to chemistry,physics, and geology at Wikipedia. I can't recommend any specific books but there are a lot of them out there. Browse amazon.com's directory and I'm sure that you will find something that will work.

Let me know if you have specifc questions regarding this. I'm always happy to help.

[Steve Patrick]

Camilo,
A good website to start with- StoneCare Techniques
There's a ton of great info regarding geology, basic chemistry etc.