I have been in the Flooring business since 2006. Quite by accident I found myself living in Cat Cay, Bahamas (just South of Bimini) on a GIANT construction project for a Commodities Broker who bought about 1/4 of the island. He was turning it into his own paradise and wanted Dominican Shell Stone (Coquena) EVERYWHERE. Patios, Pool Decks, Walkways, Walls, Columns, Wall Caps, Golf Cart Parking Lots...EVERYWHERE there wasn't a plant or grass.

I learned stone setting with thinset and mortar right then and there. I learned practical geometry. I learned about triangles and their use in squaring. I learned how to calculate wedges for curves. We were fabricating every stone on the job out of 2" thick 24 x 24" Shell Stone. We made shapes and curves and a shit ton of flagging (all walk ways were flagged). 69000SF of walkways. JUST walkways. So I learned...and I made the mud....

It was both horrible and awesome. Horrible because I was just a clueless "Mudman" at this point so I made the mud. Every day. All day. Some of the patios required enormous amounts of setting material and I worked for 'old timers' who insisted it be made BY THE BUCKET. No mixers. I sweat and cussed and made the mud by hand.

Yeah, it occurs to me now they were trying to run me off. This work is laborious and you'll never kneel right again. I was a tech guy. I had no business on a construction site. I must have wanted to quit every day.....

I stuck it out though. Mud. Mixing in a bucket with a drill & paddle. Some pieces they were installing required a whole bucket EACH. I know now that their technique was less than stellar (shouldn't require that much underlayment per piece imho...there IS a better way)) but they were incredible for the most part.

I worked with them as a helper and then installer and then supervising 14 men for many years. In 2017 I branched out on my own. It was long overdue but I am loyal to a fault.

AlphaStone Remodeling (formerly AlphaStone Marble & Tile) has now branched out into doing complete remodels (not just floors anymore baby!) and so far so good. Owning a company is no picnic though. Honestly it's a thankless pain in the ass 97% of the time. The other 3% is on those occasional SUPER FAT PAYDAYS where I can hand out 'Vigs' to the boys. Then it isn't so bad....

That's us. That's me.