A garage-floor coating can look excellent on installation day even when the underlying system is wrong for the slab. Use these questions before you sign a proposal. The goal is not to quiz the contractor on jargon; it is to make the preparation, products, moisture plan and warranty specific enough that you can compare bids.
The short version
A strong proposal should identify how the slab will be prepared, how moisture and defects will be handled, the exact products in every layer, who will perform the work, and what happens if the floor fails. “Diamond grind, full flake, polyaspartic topcoat, lifetime warranty” is not enough detail by itself.
17 questions to ask the installer
- Walk me through exactly how you will prepare my slab. Listen for inspection, contamination removal, mechanical profiling, edge work, repairs and thorough dust removal—not simply “we grind it.”
- What grinder and dust-control equipment will you use, including along the walls and corners? Edge preparation matters because a large floor grinder cannot reach everything.
- How do you determine whether the concrete has sealer, oil, curing compound or another contaminant on or in it? Coating over contamination can compromise adhesion even when the floor looks clean.
- How will you evaluate moisture in my slab? Ask for the actual test method, not merely “we check moisture.” Read our garage-floor moisture testing guide for what different tests can and cannot tell you.
- Can I have the moisture-test results and the product limit they are being compared with? A percentage or meter reading without the test method and manufacturer’s acceptance criterion is incomplete.
- What exact products will you apply—manufacturer and product name or number—for every layer? “Epoxy,” “polyurea” and “polyaspartic” describe chemistry families, not a complete coating specification.
- Can I see the current technical data sheets for those products? The documents should support the installer’s claims about surface preparation, moisture limits, mixing, coverage, recoat windows and return-to-service time.
- What concrete surface profile does the system require, and how will you achieve it? A specified profile is more meaningful than saying the floor will be “roughed up.”
- How will you handle my cracks, control joints, spalls or other defects? Ask which will be filled, which will remain functional, and whether any movement or displacement suggests a concrete problem that should be addressed before coating. See Can You Epoxy a Cracked Garage Floor?
- How do temperature and humidity affect the products and today’s installation schedule? The answer should relate to the actual products being used rather than a universal rule.
- How many floors have you installed using this same coating system? Experience with the actual product stack is more informative than years spent doing unrelated painting or flooring work.
- Can you show me installations of this system that are several years old? Fresh photographs show appearance; older floors can tell you more about adhesion, wear, discoloration and repairs.
- Who will actually perform the work—owner, employees or subcontractors? Know whether the person explaining the process is also responsible for executing it and supervising the crew.
- What business insurance do you carry, and what is your workers’ compensation status? Do not assume “licensed and insured” means Florida has tested or licensed the company specifically for coating expertise. See our Florida flooring licensing and permit guide.
- Exactly what does the warranty cover if the coating peels, blisters, discolors, cracks or fails under tires? Ask separately about materials, labor and removal/reinstallation. Our hot-tire and delamination guide explains why similar-looking failures can have different causes.
- What conditions does the warranty exclude—especially slab moisture, hydrostatic pressure, cracks, concrete movement and substrate failure? A long warranty is useful only after you understand its exclusions and who decides why a failure occurred.
- What happens if you discover a slab problem after grinding begins? The proposal should make clear who evaluates the problem, what work can proceed, what may cost extra and when you get to approve a change.
What good answers sound like
The strongest answers are usually specific and verifiable: an identifiable grinder and preparation method, an identifiable moisture test, named coating products, manufacturer documents, a defined repair approach and written warranty terms. An experienced installer should be able to explain why those choices fit your slab without relying on brand slogans.
Answers that deserve another question
Statements such as “we’ve never had a problem,” “our coating is waterproof,” “we always do it this way,” “the grinder takes care of everything,” or “it’s a lifetime warranty” are not necessarily proof of a bad contractor. They are incomplete answers. Ask for the product, test, specification or written warranty language behind the claim.
Compare proposals by system, not by buzzword
Two bids described as “polyaspartic floors” may specify very different preparation, primers, basecoats, flake coverage, topcoats, film thicknesses and moisture limits. Before comparing prices, make the contractors describe enough of each system that you are actually comparing the same scope. Our garage-floor installation guide shows what each stage is supposed to accomplish, and Epoxy vs. Polyaspartic explains why chemistry labels alone do not identify the better installation.