Quality is Job One for Pennsylvania's Custom DesignCrete, Inc.
Domenic Mattei, owner of Custom DesignCrete Inc. in Pittsburgh, Penn., doesn't ask for much. "I'm not looking to get rich, just earn a living and be proud of what I do," he says. That's why his company is focused on quality. In fact, on his website is the quote "it's all about excellence, vision and ethics." Their goals are to provide quality, value and customer satisfaction. One might say this focus is a tradition that's been passed on from generation to generation. Mattei says he got his start in the concrete industry at only 13 years old, helping out in the family-run and owned business, Aspen Concrete Construction, which was started by his grandfather in 1923. When his grandfather passed away, his father took the over the family business, and in the process grew it to provide "the largest concrete sales in the area for 20 years" according to Mattei. Then, in the mid-80s, they downsized from over 100 workers to 15, and when Mattei's father retired, he took the helm. "I was tired of traditional concrete, and I had seen stamped work and done little jobs here and there," Mattei explains. So, in 2000, he broke off from his father's company and started Custom DesignCrete Inc., where he put his 26 years of experience to work. Mattei says he's faced several challenges that go along with starting a business, including facing the dreaded paperwork and technology hurdles. "The major challenge to running my own business is the business end of things," he laughs. "I've been a field person my entire life, and I don't like book work and computer work. I was born and raised in the field." Another challenge is the market Custom DesignCrete is in. Mattei says he's trying to create demand in the local area for stamp work, but a lack of education about decorative concrete is a major hurdle. Serving the Ohio and West Virginia areas, in addition to Pennsylvania, Custom DesignCrete's portfolio consist of 90 percent residential and 10 percent commercial work, with about 99 percent of the work in exterior and one percent interior. Mattei says the commercial side is very slow because "people don't understand the process and benefits of decorative concrete" in the area. As such, he's been trying to get the word out through local trade shows. Custom DesignCrete will be attending their first industry trade show in July "to reach people who need to know", such as architects and designers. "The market here hasn't been educated about the usefulness of decorative concrete yet," Mattei notes. "Everyone first thinks of tile, then carpet and hardwood. With the green building movement, I'm hoping architects and designers will be more on board with decorative concrete." Mattei also thinks part of the problem with his market lies in his competition. "My area got soured by another decorative concrete company a few years ago, so I'm also overcoming the stigma decorative concrete earned here because of that company's work ethic," he observes. Which is why he's also on board with industry certification. (He holds two American Concrete Institute certifications: Flatwork Finisher Technician, and Field Testing Technician Grade One, in addition to certifications from the Decorative Concrete Institute and World of Concrete. He is also a 10-year active member of his local Cement Mason's Union.) "I would like to see some sort of certification launch quickly, because I think the lack of quality across the board is hurting everyone in the industry," Mattei comments. "Everyone working in the industry needs to be able to know concrete. It will help with competition, too, because then the guy working out of his truck with no insurance who offers quick, cheap work will go away." In the meantime, Custom DesignCrete is focused on providing their clients a wide range of products, including countertops, curbs, driveways, interior floors, patios, pool decks, stairs and walkways in a variety of finishes, such as colored, dyed, exposed aggregate, custom, sandblast etching, and texture and vertical stamping. Recently, Custom DesignCrete provided 5,700 square feet of interior work for a local church. The existing floor was acid stained and dyed. To achieve color, they first preformed the necessary surface prep, installed a micro topping and then proceeded to install the acid stain with a water-based dye wash to enhance. For another project, Custom DesignCrete installed pedestrian walkway bridges. "This job was particularly challenging, since the bridges were to have electric heat mats throughout for snow and ice melt," explains Mattei. "We are very familiar with snow melting systems, but electric heat poses the greatest challenges since during the installation of the concrete no damage is allowed to occur to the sheathing of the mats. If any wires are exposed or damaged in any way, the whole project is jeopardized. However this was not the case and the installation went off with out a hitch. All parties involved were very pleased with the outcome." Mattei says he has recently become very interested in polished concrete, and is currently researching the process so he can offer that as well, hopefully by the end of this year or early next year. He's also dedicated to maintenance, which Mattei says is key in his neck of the woods and can "keep the concrete looking good for at least 25 years" if conducted annually. For example, when Mattei decided to re-do his own home's walkway, driveway and patio, he knew maintenance would be part of the equation. The project, which totaled about 50 yards of concrete, started with a new pour after the existing concrete was removed. "I tore out the original concrete, because it was in too bad of shape to overlay," explains Mattei. "Overlays are harder around here, because the weather is worse and they are exposed to extremes." Mattei used exposed aggregate for the bulk of the driveway, then created two-foot borders in an ashlar slate pattern and used a charcoal release to color them. He created the walkway with a cobblestone stamp, using an integral color and release to achieve the grey. The compass was created with a seamless tex stamp, and Mattei used white broadcast color hardener and about seven colors of stain and accent dyes in total. Lastly, he sealed it three times with a high solvent acrylic sealer, which he says he also uses to recoat it every year. Custom DesignCrete goes above and beyond, and the proof is in the details. "I spec out driveways at a minimum of five inches," explains Mattei, adding, "I don't believe in using just fiber for primary reinforcement. We use rods, or heavy highway mesh and fiber." "My main concern is quality," Mattei concludes. "Our concrete work is second to none. With every installation I try to pass along the passion that I have for this industry."
Custom DesignCrete, Inc. Find a Concrete Contractor 24 Services in 221 Metros -- U.S. and Canada 
| Follow us on:
 
| Sign Up for Our Newsletters:
© 1999-2009 ConcreteNetwork.com None of this site may be reproduced without written permission |
Site Sponsors |
Concrete Homes
Prepackaged Admixtures
Free Magazine For Contractors Sign-Up Today!
Concrete Countertops
Professional Grade
Reinforcement for
Concrete Crack Repair
Concrete Polishing
Radiant Floor Heating
Concrete Floor Stains
Foundation Repair
Training By Bob Harris
Concrete Countertop
Products & Training
Tools, Seminars,