What you should know about your stone and tile care & restoration job

[Huligar]

PREPERATION OF JOB SITE: The Company’s Workers are NOT trained movers. It is the Clients responsibility to clear the areas that are to be serviced of any and all movable items, i.e. furniture, rugs, vases, plants, pets, etc. Should some moving be necessary, neither the Company nor its Workers can be held liable for any damage that may occur to the Clients belongings? Further additional charges at the minimum rate of US $160.00 per man hour, with a minimum charge of US $160.00 maybe added to the total price of the contract. Should the Client decide to leave any furniture in any area to be serviced at any time, the Company or its Workers can NOT be held responsible for any damage that may occur.

PROTECTION OF SURROUNDING SURFACES, FINNISHES & AREAS: The Company will make every attempt that they deem reasonable to protect any and all surrounding areas. Use of which is most often but not limited to is the use of “Blue Painters Tape”. If during the removal of such tape or any other tape the surface is marred, discolored or effected in anyway, the Company is NOT responsible for any said damage or the repair of it and can NOT be held liable.

WATTER, MOSITURE & RELATED DAMAGE: Because of the nature of any type of stone and or tile work, there is often a large amount of water used, sometimes even under high pressure. That being the case the Company is NOT responsible for any damage that might or might not be connected in someway to the service being preformed or the migration of water or moisture to any other area connected to or other wise may at some time become affected by any type or related type of water or moisture damage.

CRACKED, LOSE, BROKEN, CHIPPED, MISSING – GROUT, TILE or SLAB: If any of the aforementioned things should occur before, during or after service of a given area, the Company is NOT responsible for the damage or the repair of it. It is the responsibility of the installer.

SANDED GROUT: If sanded type grout was used in a natural stone floor it is always the Company’s recommendation that it be removed and replaced with a Non-Sanded type of grout, if this is not done the Company is NOT responsible for any damage resulting from the sanded grout.

RESTORATION: Simple restoration (Light Resurfacing) of the stone involves the process of honing the surface by using an abrasive means of different natures. The very top of the stone will be “sanded away”, thus eliminating all etching and most of the scratches that make the stone look dull. This process does not go very deep and will not remove all scratches. It is possible that some scratches might result from this process that will not show them selves until the job is complete. These scratches if they should occur will NOT detract from the over all appearance of the job. It should also be noted at this time that the final level of shine or lack there of may be different from the original factory level. The procedures, equipment, techniques and materials used in the field are not the same as used in the factory and subsequently it is NOT reasonable to expect the exact same appearance as was first achieved by the factory.

GRINDING and FLATTENING/LIPPAGE REMOVAL: This is the most extreme procedure pertaining to abrasives that can be done to your stone floor. Do to the high level of weight that is needed and the resulting vibrations the flooring could crack, chip or loosen; if it was not properly installed, if this should occur for any reason at anytime, the Company is NOT responsible for the damage or the repair of it.

SLIP, TRIP & FALL: The property owner is responsible for keeping any and all non Company designates out of the work area and surrounding area until the said area is released back to the property owner. The property owner understands that a shiny surface could become slippery at some point in time and does NOT and will NOT hold the Company or its workers responsible for any resulting damage realized, perceived or other wise; at any time.

GENERIAL LIMITATIONS: All grinding machines used by the Company work in a rotary mode, therefore, corners can NOT be serviced. The machines will also miss the first two to three inches along the bases of walls, under cabinets, around faucets, along the edges of said surface, etc. The Company will take what steps it deems necessary to blend these areas together to a level that the Company deems as reasonable. Stone base boards are never any part of any restoration contract. The same limitations with regards to the edges of floors would apply to countertops and surrounding areas as well.
The grout may or may not in effect become clean as a result of work being done to the surface of the stone, either way the end resulting appearance of the grout is the finished product. It is also NOT the responsibility of the Company if water should somehow get behind the tone and result in some type of damage, real, perceived or other wise.

PAYMENT and CANCELATION OF CONTRACT or DATE: Full payment is due upon completion of work. If payment is not made in full upon demand, than the Client is responsible for one and a half times the total value of the contract as a penalty for non-payment; and ten percent of the total amount compounded monthly as a late fee until payment is made in full. The client is also responsible for any and all cost incurred by the collection of this contract, including but not limited to court costs and attorney fees. As a rule, the Client can NOT cancel this contract or the date(s) set forth for the job, for any reason. If a cancellation of date from the Client occurs it shall constitute breach of contract, and the Company reserves its right to impose a penalty that could range from 50% up to 95% of the total agreed price and terms and conditions of this contract. On the other hand, the Company commits itself to honor the date(s) scheduled for the job, but it will not be held responsible for a cancellation of a date in case of I. Illness of personnel. II. Break-down of equipment. III. Severe weather conditions. IV. Strikes. V. Any other possible event beyond its control. Should any such events occur, the Company will schedule a new date together with the Client and this new date shall become part of this contract and be as binding as the original one.

AFTER WORK CLEAN-UP: It is the responsibility of the Company to deliver the object(s) of the contract (floor, wall, vanity, furniture tops, etc) decently clean. The Company’s workers will also remove all masking material and clean the worst of possible splatters from corners, baseboards, moldings, mirrors, walls, etc., but the Client must not be too particular about this, because the Company’s workers are not professional cleaners. However, the nature of the splatters produced during the working process is mostly water with either stone powder or polishing compound in it, therefore, even when dry, splatters can not cause ant damage and can be easily removed with a damp cloth. Further – in the case of a floor – the fine powder mentioned before (usually a light color) may stick to a darker colored grout and may not come out with the standard after work clean-up. The removal of such powder from the grouting is neither included in the price of the contract, nor is it available.

The above explanations and limitations are to make the Client aware of what to expect. This document was delivered to the Client on,

	Abrasive Abrasive: There are two types of abrasives, loose and bonded. Loose abrasives can be used to hone any de-lipped surface and should not be used on any uneven surface. Loose abrasives will not work well in moderate to heavy traffic areas. They work great on counter tops. Loose abrasives are sold in a powder form. Bonded abrasives can be used to remove lips from the surface. Choosing the correct bond is very important. They are sold in metal, copper, and resin bond. To remove lippage the metal will work best. But they are very aggressive. Copper will work on lippage but it will take about 25% more time to complete the same task. If the surface was already de-lipped the copper will remove deep scratches from the surface. Resin is the least aggressive of the bonded abrasives. Resin bonds won’t remove lips. However, they work well on light traffic areas.

	grinding This is the second stage in securing a flawless surface. This stage will remove all scratches from any de-lipped surface.

	Honing Honing: This is the third and sometimes last stage. At the hone stage, the surface is ~65% scratch free. There are several degrees of hone. All will leave the stone looking clean but aged.

	Polishing Polishing: This is the final stage, which leaves the surface with reflective characteristics.

	grout GROUT The material used to fill in the joints between stone tile. Grout can be cement or plastic resins.