Knoxville Epoxy Contractor Checklist

Epoxy and polyaspartic floor coating is unregulated work in Tennessee outside the contractor-licensing thresholds, which means a manufacturer-trained installer and someone who watched a video can both hand you a quote. These six questions sort that out fast. Ask every contractor the same ones and compare the answers side by side.

1. 01

   Do you diamond grind or acid etch the concrete?

   Diamond grinding is the right answer. Acid etching is the budget shortcut that fails three to five years sooner. If the answer is “we etch,” that is a no.

2. 02

   What manufacturer system do you install?

   Real coating systems come from manufacturer-backed product lines with documented warranties. “Generic epoxy” with no system name is a yellow flag.

3. 03

   Are you Tennessee-licensed for the size of my project?

   Tennessee requires a Home Improvement License for projects between $3,000 and $25,000, and a full contractor licence above $25,000. Both are verifiable in under a minute.

4. 04

   Do you test the slab for moisture before quoting?

   In Knoxville the right answer is yes. Roughly one in five garage slabs here fails a moisture test and needs a vapor-mitigating primer first. A contractor who quotes without testing is gambling with your floor.

5. 05

   Can I see a written quote with prep, repair and coating itemised?

   Hidden prep is where most bad jobs hide. A real quote shows grinding, crack and spall repair, and the coating on separate lines.

6. 06

   What is the manufacturer-backed warranty length?

   Manufacturer warranties for residential coatings usually run 10 to 15 years. A workmanship-only warranty from the installer is weaker. The right answer has both.

Verifying a Tennessee licence

Tennessee sets two thresholds. Projects from $3,000 to $25,000 require a Home Improvement License. Projects above $25,000 require a full contractor licence. Most residential garage floors fall in the first band, and a large commercial floor can cross into the second.

You can check any licence number, including ours, on the state's own portal at search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov. It takes about a minute, and it is worth doing before you sign anything.