09/23/2026
🚨 A LITTLE REAL-WORLD CONCRETE EDUCATION FROM MSA DECORATIVE CONCRETE LLC🚨
Two different fellow concrete contractors referred another fellow concrete contractor to MSA for assistance with some very serious concrete issues on a project that already had another contractor servicing the floor.
We would like to share just a tad bit of this experience with you.
During MSA’s on-site evaluation and discussion, we were told that the floor preparation was complete, the cracks had been treated, and the floor was “ready for installation” of a costly self-leveling material.
But here’s what we actually found…
❌ The crack treatment could literally be peeled off by hand or removed with a light rub of a shoe.
❌ Massive amounts of dirt, debris, and contaminants were present on the surface—enough that much of it could simply be gathered up by hand.
❌ The concrete had a smooth, hard, burnished finish with approximately a CSP 1, at best—nowhere near the type of surface preparation required for what was being proposed.
❌ Sheetrock mud and overspray were still present.
❌ There were areas of overwet, degraded concrete.
And this floor was supposedly “ready.”
Folks… please stop letting people take advantage of you.
We hear about it constantly.
Week after week, we see projects where homeowners, businesses, and even fellow tradesmen are left dealing with the consequences of cutting corners, choosing the cheapest option, or trusting someone who simply doesn't have the skill, experience, or commitment required for the system being installed.
And honestly?
I feel like even if we had made this story up and added embellishments, we couldn't have made it much worse—or much more expensive—for the person who would ultimately be responsible for that floor.
The pictures tell the story.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of concrete coatings and surface preparation should be able to look at these conditions and understand the problem.
Matias and I truly love what we do.
We care about our profession.
We are dedicated to continuing to learn, continuing to improve, and doing things the right way—not just the easy way.
We have plenty of reasons to care about the quality of every project we touch:
❤️ Our clients
❤️ Our fellow tradesmen and their clients
❤️ Our community
❤️ Our family
❤️ And the reputation and longevity of MSA Decorative Concrete LLC
Are we the cheapest contractor on the front end?
No.
And we're perfectly okay with that.
Because the cheapest price today can become the most expensive decision tomorrow.
Proper evaluation. Proper preparation. Proper products. Proper installation.
Those things matter.
We are by no means perfect, and we certainly haven't finished learning. But we are licensed, insured, studied, skilled, committed—and we genuinely care about the outcome of your project.
We would much rather tell you that your floor isn't ready than take your money and install an expensive coating over a surface that is destined to fail.
💯 We don't want to be the cheapest option. We want to be the option you can trust.
FULL DISCLOSURE: Due to the sheer number of red flags identified during our evaluation, MSA did not undertake this project.
Sometimes the best service we can provide is knowing when to say:
“STOP. This isn't right.”
