ForConstructionPros.com

Pettigrew offers marketing packets for his local architects and has a web presence through ConcreteNetwork.com, which he calls his best marketing tool to reach architects and homeowners.

Since bringing concrete countertops into his remodeling business in 2005, Jarman has begun to focus on more kitchen and bathroom jobs that also incorporate concrete features. "We still want to provide elegant living spaces and more comfortable, usable homes for people, but we try to get those jobs that allow us to do more of the concrete work," he says.

Jarman wants to keep his client base local, and he targets designers, architects and homeowners. One marketing arm he uses is the Internet, both through his website and as a member of the Cheng Concrete Exchange.

On the job with Chris Jarman
Jarman is meticulous on the job. "We kind of go overboard in making sure we don't get stress or structural cracks," he says. "One of the key things we do is add the minimal amount of water so we have a very strong mix."

Jarman lets his pieces cure at least five days before taking them out of the mold. He polishes his pieces with graduated grit on diamond polishing pads, starting with a 50 grit if they're going to expose the aggregate and typically end with either 1,500 grit for a satin finish or 3,000 grit for a glossier finish.