CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT: Surface Specialist, LLC
12/11/2006
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Surface Specialist, LLC corrects, levels and optimizes substrates for new flooring/wall system finishes, in service to many of the region's new and historic landmark build¬ings. They have completed projects ranging in size from 500 to more than 1,000,000 square feet. Their customers are the region's largest building contractors and owners.
"We are unique in that we're a group of commercial flooring installation professionals who eval¬uate the building's substrate, the proposed flooring finishes/wall systems, then correct the surface as needed," says Tim Fahey, owner of Surface Specialist. "When you need us, we respond with educated, hands-on professionals who evalu¬ate, then optimize, the substrate to ensure that the application of floor¬ing and wall system finishes is faster, less costly, visually optimized and not prone to failure."
Services range from minor patching /sand¬ing to the installation of a new super-flat, engineered cement-level¬ing underlayment.
Surface Specialist has enjoyed rapid growth and success since its inception in 2003 by Tim Fahey and Stephen DeGaray. DeGaray is also the president and co-owner of Pyramid Floor Covering, Inc., one of the largest firms of its kind. DeGaray began his career in com¬mercial flooring more than 25 years ago and is a recognized authority in substrate preparation and advanced application technology. Fahey was the former president of LVI Environmental Services, Inc. of Philadelphia, one of the nation's largest demolition and asbestos removal specialty contractors. He grew his Philadelphia-based divi¬sion to more than $20 million in annual revenues before founding Surface Specialist.
"Our customers are general contractors, developers, building owners, engineering firms and com¬mercial flooring contractors," says Fahey. "Whether it's renovation or new construction, we will evalu¬ate the existing substrate, the proposed flooring finishes and then design and install the optimum surface preparation."
A recent project, 1500 Spring Garden Street, provides an excellent example of the services the compa¬ny provides. Several years ago, the one-million-square-foot building was gutted to its core to renovate the vacated space for all new tenants. "The substrate was severely dam¬aged by the removal of the old floor¬ing finishes and the overall demoli¬tion activities," says Fahey. As the building's renovation progresses and new tenants sign on, Surface Specialist is among the first contrac¬tors on the job. "We work closely with the building owner, the archi¬tect and the general contractor — in this case P. Agnes, Inc. — to restore the substrate for the new tenant's flooring and wall system finishes."
In new structures such as the Cira Centre, the company has improved more than 15 floors of the building's substrate to accommodate low-tol¬erance finishes such as glass wall systems and wood flooring, which require an extremely "flat" substrate for proper installation.
Surface Specialist offers unparal¬leled expertise and innovative serv¬ice. "Our crews and managers are trained flooring installers," says Fahey. "We understand the critical detail of substrate preparation as it relates to all types of building finishes and the overall construction objec¬tives."
The company has designed and patented its own application sys¬tems, including a fleet of high-vol¬ume, mobile, self-contained pump trucks for high-volume applications with space constraints.
"We have put an end to the inferior 'Gypcrete' 'one-size-fits-all' solution to surface preparation," says Fahey. "The products we utilize have been carefully selected; we do not cut corners." Additionally, Surface Specialist's ethic is profes¬sionalism; it values each client and earns their loyalty.
Surface Specialist solves prob¬lems and delivers on its commit¬ments. "Our customers repeatedly attest to our value and professional¬ism," says Fahey. "We view each new project as another opportunity for us to earn their confidence."
Surface Specialist is located at 325 Westtown Rd., Ste. 10, West Chester, PA 19382. Phone is 610-458-5254 and Fax is 610-458-5652.
Pullout box: Philadelphia-area projects and contractors that have benefited from Surface Specialist, LLC include: • The Circa Centre • II Liberty • Turner Construction • Toll Brothers • Children’s Hospital • JMB Associates • The National • Drexel University • INTECH Construction • The University of Pennsylvania • Wyeth Labs • Sungard