The “Sir” in Sir Grout nods to the origins of the word—a title awarded for an exceptional achievement in any activity, which in this case, underscores the company’s leadership in the “hard surface” restoration industry. Sir Grout of the Lowcountry owners Scott Odom and Barry Raduta have been in the restoration business since 2007, but in 2017 they converted the business to a Sir Grout franchise due to the company’s unparalleled and flagship color sealing process that sets them apart from traditional restoration methods.
Odom, born and raised on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, has spent more than 25 years in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Lowcountry of South Carolina where he owned and managed a successful natural stone restoration company. In 2015, he and his family moved full-time to Hilton Head Island. In 2017, tired of traveling back and forth between Charlotte and the Lowcountry, Odom sold his Charlotte business to focus on their Lowcountry location, which extends from Kiawah to Hilton Head.
“Some people assume that since Sir Grout has only been in the Lowcountry for a few years, we are new,” Odom said. “We’ve actually been in the business here for about 15 years. The next question is usually why would we convert a thriving stone restoration business to a franchise and take on additional business costs? That really speaks to how much we value the color seal that we use in homes. Otherwise, it makes no sense for a successful independent to convert to a franchise. We did it several years back, and our business has grown tremendously since then. We have no regrets.
“The color seal technology is the main reason I bought the franchise,” Odom continued. “If someone has regular ceramic tile with grout, the color seal allows us to change the color of their grout to any color they desire without regrouting. And although we aren’t necessarily a cleaning company, we do clean the surface first to ensure our sealer bonds. Then we seal it with our proprietary sealer, and it is a permanent fix.”
Sir Grout does a lot of color seal. But what Sir Grout of the Lowcountry is most known for is their natural stone honing, polishing, and sealing for marble, granite, travertine, limestone, and other natural stones, which according to Odom constitutes most of their business. “We hone and polish floors and countertops every week. The process is detailed, but the results are fantastic,” Odom said.
-
- Before
-
- After
“Most people are aware that wood floors need to be sanded over time in order to maintain their desired look,” Odom explained. “But the same is true with travertine, marble and limestone. Most people assume that natural stone can just be cleaned, which is typically not the case. Most times, a simple cleaning will not accomplish the results they desire.”
Depending on the stone surface, Odom and Raduta will examine the floor to determine if there is etching or staining, which will reveal how aggressive the honing (sanding) should be. Odom also emphasizes that because they use water in the process, no dust is left behind. As well, he asserts that homeowners who are diligent about sweeping and maintaining a clean floor after a resurfacing, may not ever need another honing—at least for quite a long time.
“We completely resurface the floor by taking a little off the top and leave you with a floor that looks brand new,” Odom said.
Another favorite service provided by Sir Grout is cleaning and sealing granite countertops, which should be done every two years. And in showers, they can install epoxy grout, a grout used in expansion joints of showers due to its resistance to mold or mildew.
“An expansion joint,” explained Odom, “is the angle where two walls meet or where the wall meets the floor. Many times, those crevices will collect mold and mildew and even crack. Our epoxy grout doesn’t mold, mildew or crack, and customers love the results.”
Odom and Raduta work closely with four technicians who have been with them for several years. Each Sir Grout service technician undergoes an extensive training process and is qualified to help you understand the best way to care for your surfaces once work has been completed.
“Our guys are awesome, and we trust them implicitly,” Odom said. “Jonathan Russell is our right-hand man, and our customers love him. We also rely heavily on senior technicians Stephan McMann, Tyler Dykes, and Andrew Russell. We have never had a negative review about any of our guys. They are polite, respectful, and clean when they visit and work in our customers’ homes. These aren’t just any senior techs; these guys are trained professionals and the face of our company in field. We have an excellent reputation, so that’s very important to us.”
-
- Before
-
- After
The team at Sir Grout aims to provide the highest level of customer service and vows to always go the extra mile. Odom tells his guys there is never a traffic jam on the extra mile. “That doesn’t mean we don’t make mistakes, but if we do, we go back and fix it,” he said. “We want our customers to see the finished project and feel that we have exceeded their expectations. We don’t overpromise, but we do provide the highest level of service and a realistic expectation.”
He further explains that though there are other companies that offer the same services as Sir Grout at perhaps a lower cost, there is no one who specializes in resurfacing like Sir Grout. “Maybe they clean carpet, and they also have the ability to clean tile as an extra add-on,” Odom said, “but this is our business. From Kiawah to Hilton Head, no one does more of this kind of work than us. Resurfacing is not just part of what we do, it is ALL we do.”
Sir Grout of the Lowcountry provides all professional services to recover the splendor of your hard surfaces. Whether it’s tile, grout cleaning and sealing, or natural stone restoration, their unique processes and products will transform and renew floors, kitchens, foyers, mudrooms, bathrooms, showers, and more.
By scheduling an appointment, Sir Grout will offer free in-home/office consultations providing detailed written estimates and descriptions of their services. All locations are locally owned and operated (licensed and insured).
The Sir Grout Franchise has been recognized and awarded by many publications, including Entrepreneur Magazine’s list of Top Franchises and Top New Businesses as well as review sites such as Angie’s List and thousands of satisfied customers. With rapid growth, Sir Grout is the best choice for floor care and restoration by homeowners and businesses throughout the Lowcountry and the U.S.
For more information, visit sirgroutlowcountry.com or call (843) 640-5544.
