Stamp of Approval:

Distinctive Concrete Leaves Its Mark on New England

By Michele Dawson, The Concrete Network

After 14 years of working on heavy-duty concrete infrastructure projects, Bill Guthro came to see the light at the end of the tunnel when he entered the realm of decorative concrete.

Now, four years later, Distinctive Concrete of New England, located in Rowley, Massachusetts, leads the charge in decorative concrete in the region.

"When I was in structural concrete, it was quantity-based. Now in decorative concrete, it's quality-based," Guthro said, saying it's a change for which he had been yearning. "Before I never had anyone coming up to me at the end of the day and saying 'that's beautiful.' Now I do."

Distinctive Concrete specializes in stamped concrete, color acid stains, concrete repair, and countertops.

pool stone stained floor countertop

Guthro's dive into decorative concrete happened by chance.

After being involved in extensive infrastructure projects, including Boston's in-progress Big Dig — the largest and most complex highway and tunnel project in the country — Guthro knew it was time for something different.

While surfing the Internet he was caught off guard when he stumbled upon web sites adorned with decorative concrete projects.

"Maybe it was the Yankee blue blood mentality, but I had never heard of it," he confesses. "As soon as I saw it, I knew this was it — this was what I had to do."

After those life-changing Internet sessions, Guthro gave up his steady paychecks and spent the next six months attending decorative concrete seminars across the country.

"I told people I was going to start a business and they thought I was crazy," he said.

One of the first — and most important — steps Guthro took was to launch a marketing campaign, comprised primarily of educating people about decorative concrete, which was unfamiliar to most of New England.

"People don't know anything about it. Then we they see a countertop or a shower surround in a magazine, they have to have it," he said.

One of the reasons decorative concrete was so rare is because concrete in general is used less regularly for projects like driveways than in other parts of the country.

Guthro estimates that about 90 percent of the driveways in New England are asphalt, 5 percent are crushed stone, and just 5 percent concrete.

stamped pool deck stamped walkway

Part of the educational process involves convincing New England residents that stamped concrete can hold up in the frigid, harsh winters. Guthro says stamped concrete is more durable and will last longer than any other type of masonry installation. Traditional pavers and cobblestone settles unevenly during the freezing and thawing cycles of winter. But stamped concrete is reinforced with 3/8-inch steel reinforcing rods placed 24 inches on center each way in the middle of the concrete. The steel resists the constant heaving during the freezing and thawing cycles.

"If done properly, it does last," he tells his clients.

So Guthro proceeded to create his own market and his own concrete niche in New England. He began with stamped concrete, which earned him numerous pool deck jobs. But he knew he needed something more — the pool season in New England is short.

stamped stained patio

He then added acid-stained floors to his repertoire. And as soon as his company was listed in the phone book, inquiries for concrete countertops flooded in.

"I had at least 200 inquiries — I figured I better start (making countertops)," Guthro said.

And today 11 of Guthro's countertops embellish the prestigious Boston Design Center, a grand 12-story complex that caters to the design industry. Some 75 showrooms feature the most unique fabrics, furniture, wall coverings, floor coverings, lighting, art, accessories, antiques, kitchens and baths from more than 1,200 manufacturers.

Designer Billie Brenner of Billie Brenner Ltd., a bathroom specialty store, chose Guthro and his concrete countertops to showcase her gorgeous sink fixtures. The exposure has been great for Guthro, who faces limited competition in the New England area.

"Every time I get a call, they tell me I'm the only one they could find doing decorative concrete," Guthro said.

Guthro acknowledges there have been others who have tried to take the leap into decorative concrete. But most, he said, have made one of three major mistakes. First, they don't charge enough to compensate for the high costs involved in decorative concrete production, ultimately driving themselves out of business.

Or, they aren't versatile enough. Those who specialize in stamped concrete, for example, are limited to just a few months of the year when the weather cooperates.

But perhaps the biggest obstacle, Guthro said, is making the mistake of assuming that switching gears to acid-staining and countertops is a simple task.

"What's been dangerous is guys who have been cement masons for 30 years attempting this," Guthro said. "This is a totally different animal."

Guthro, who is an authorized installer for 10 product manufacturers, has enjoyed watching his company grow. His company name has become synonymous with decorative concrete in the New England area.

"Distinctive Concrete is almost a brand name," he said.

One of the biggest challenges for Guthro has been finding and keeping skilled employees. Because decorative concrete is such a rarity in New England, there aren't many who know how to do it. That means Guthro has to spend a good chunk of time training.

"Getting help is hard. It's a big investment and it's really tough to replace someone once you've trained them," he said.

And what does he see in the future?

For now, Guthro, who has four employees in the field and two in the office, tries to take each day one at a time — he has to because he's booked about four months in advance.

"I want to walk away from a project and hear the client say, "Geez, isn't that nice?' and see them telling their friends about it," Guthro said. "It gives you a high from a job well done."

Distinctive Concrete of New England
PO Box 325
Rowley, MA 01969
(978) 948-2970
(978) 948-5124 FAX
Send Mail Now - Click Here
www.distinctiveconcrete.com

Michele Dawson Michele Dawson writes each week on one of the contractor members of The Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). She has written about the home building industry for several years and was on the public affairs staff of the California Building Industry Association.

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