Slate floors

Within the past few months, I've fielded over a dozen calls or emails about how to clean or (more accurately) restore slate floors. I hadn't had this many request for slate floor restoration in the past several years, so I wondered why I'm having so many now.

I think I know.

Here in the Pittsburgh area, many homes were built with slate foyers in the 60's and early 70's. People cleaned them the best they could, and often put floor finish on them to give the stone some shine. Years of VCT floor finish application (not a recommended practice) eventually leave these floors even more dull, and sometimes yellowed.

The reason people seem to be wanting to have these floors cleaned is likely because they either have decided to stay in their home longer than they expected, or because of falling home values they are trying to "spruce up the house" and know that a dull, discolored entry area creates a negative first impression.

I think this is a good sign for our industry. First, its a service that you should be providing (I'll give you some tips in my next blog entry), and second, even if you don't choose to restore slate, it proves that people are finally moving into the "clean rather than replace" psychology that usually goes with an economy in recession.

What services do you offer that can help to make your customer's home more pleasant in which to live, or will make the home have the most possible value when its up for sale or rent?