How to use this guide
This is your home base for your first weeks at High Caliber Concrete Coatings. Read it top to bottom once, then keep it bookmarked as a reference. It's split into two halves: who we are & how we work, and the software you'll use every day.
The Company
Our story, what sets us apart, the coatings we install, and the exact steps of a job.
GoHighLevel (GHL)
Where leads land and conversations happen. Our marketing & speed-to-lead engine.
DripJobs
Where estimates become jobs — proposals, scheduling, payments, and crew dispatch.
The one-line versionBe fast, be clear, and write everything down. A lead that gets a reply in minutes beats one that waits hours. Every call, note, and price lives in our systems — never just in your head or your phone.
Who we are
High Caliber Concrete Coatings is a local, family-owned epoxy & concrete coating company based in Zeeland, Michigan. We transform tired garages, basements, patios, and commercial floors into surfaces that look incredible and last for years — installed by certified, insured professionals who treat every home like their own.
Where we work
Headquartered at 11007 Chicago Dr, Zeeland, MI. We serve a 2-hour radius across West Michigan — Grand Rapids, Holland, Kalamazoo, Lansing and 25+ surrounding cities.
How we operate
Family-owned and hands-on. The owner is involved from estimate to final walkthrough, and we keep crews small, certified, and accountable for quality.
What our brand sounds likeFriendly, honest, and no-pressure. We educate customers instead of hard-selling them. When you talk to a homeowner, you represent a premium, professional product — but in plain, neighborly language.
What makes us different
Anyone can roll out a bucket of "epoxy." Here's what separates a High Caliber floor — and how to explain it to a customer who's comparing quotes.
See it before we coat it
Our AI garage preview tool lets customers visualize their finished floor — color, flake blend, the whole look — before a single coat goes down.
Pro-grade systems
Polyurea and polyaspartic — not big-box DIY epoxy kits. UV-stable, faster-curing, and far more durable against hot tires, chemicals, and abrasion.
Real surface prep
We diamond-grind the concrete and repair every crack. Prep is 80% of a coating's lifespan — skipping it is why cheap floors peel.
Certified & insured
Trained, certified installers and full insurance. Customers get a professional crew, not a weekend side hustle.
Clear communication
One thread from estimate to final walkthrough. Customers always know what's next, who's coming, and when.
Attention to detail
Clean edges, even flake broadcast, tidy job sites, and a final walkthrough on every install. The finish is the reputation.
The talking point that closes"Most floors fail at the prep, not the product. We diamond-grind the slab, fix the cracks, and use a polyaspartic top coat that won't yellow in the sun. You'll see the exact look before we start — and we walk it with you when it's done."
Know the competition
The four names you'll hear most in West Michigan. The play is always the same: respect them, then steer the conversation to prep quality, the finished result, and the experience — that's where we win. Never race them to the bottom on price.
Price snapshot — their final quotes
| Competitor | Final price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore | $3,125 | Lowest — best prep |
| Garage Kings · 3-coat | $3,163 | 10-yr adhesion warranty |
| Premier Edge | $3,284 | Chemistry-heavy pitch |
| Garage Kings · 4-coat | $3,874 | 21-yr adhesion warranty |
| Kent Home Services | $4,355 | Highest — only 1-yr warranty |
We don't win on priceWe're rarely the cheapest, and we don't need to be. Sell the diamond-grind prep, the UV-stable polyaspartic finish, the warranty support, and the experience from quote to walkthrough.
Battle cards
Garage Kings
★★★★★Premier Edge
★★★★★Lakeshore Concrete
★★★★★Kent Home Services
★★★★★Surface prep at a glance
| Company | Grind | Shot blast | Joint chase | Crack repair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Caliber | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lakeshore | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Premier Edge | ✓ | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Kent | ✓ | ? | ? | ✓ |
| Garage Kings | ✓ | ? | ? | ✓ |
One-glance positioning
Our coatings
Almost every floor we install is built as a four-layer system. Understanding these layers helps you talk confidently to customers and quote the right product for the slab.
The 4-layer system
Services & coating types we offer
Garage flake floors
Our signature — durable, decorative flake systems for residential garages.
Granite hybrid flake
Premium high-end flake blend with a natural stone look.
Polyaspartic coatings
UV-stable, fast-curing top coats. Won't yellow outdoors.
Polyurea coatings
Flexible, tough base coats that move with the slab.
Moisture-barrier epoxy
For slabs with moisture/vapor problems before coating.
Grind & seal
Exposed-concrete look, ground smooth and sealed.
Polished concrete
Mechanically polished slab for a sleek, glossy finish.
Acid staining
Decorative, marbled color worked into the concrete.
Driveway sealing
Protective sealing for exterior concrete driveways.
Self-leveling concrete
Resurfaces uneven or damaged slabs to a flat base.
Concrete grinding
Surface profiling and leveling prep work.
Glue & tile removal
Strip old flooring, adhesive, and tile down to the slab.
Know the difference (quick version)Epoxy = strong but can yellow and is slower to cure. Polyurea = flexible, tough base coat. Polyaspartic = UV-stable top coat that cures fast (often a 1-day install) and stays clear. That's why our systems beat a hardware-store epoxy kit.
Our process — quote to completion
Every customer moves through the same six steps. Know where a customer is in this journey at all times — it's exactly what our pipelines in GHL and DripJobs track.
Lead & first contact
A homeowner calls, texts, or fills out a form. We respond fast (minutes, not hours) and capture their name, address, project, and goal.
On-site estimate
We visit, measure, assess the slab, and present options. We use the AI preview tool to show the finished look. No-pressure, budget-friendly conversation.
Proposal & booking
We send a branded proposal with clear pricing. Customer e-signs, picks a color, and we schedule the install (storage trailer offered if needed).
Surface preparation
Crew diamond-grinds the slab, repairs cracks, and cleans thoroughly. This is the make-or-break step for a lasting floor.
Application
Base coat → flake broadcast → polyaspartic top coat. Many systems cure fast enough for a one-day install.
Final walkthrough & care
The owner/lead walks the finished floor with the customer, hands over care instructions, collects final payment, and asks for a review.
Cure & care reminder for customersFoot traffic and vehicles go back on according to the cure schedule for that system — always give the customer the care sheet and the "wait time before driving on it" at the walkthrough. Setting this expectation prevents the #1 callback.
How to use GoHighLevel (GHL)
Think of GHL as the top of the funnel. Anyone who raises their hand — a form fill, a missed call, a Facebook message — shows up here. Your job in GHL is to respond instantly and never let a lead go cold.
The core areas you'll use
Conversations (Inbox)
SMS, email, Facebook & Instagram DMs, Google messages, and calls — all in one chronological thread per contact. Live here. This is your inbox.
Contacts
Every lead and customer with their details, tags, and full history. Always confirm the name, phone, address, and project.
Opportunities (Pipeline)
A visual board of where each lead sits in our sales process. Drag cards forward as the deal progresses.
Calendar
Leads book estimates from links/forms based on real availability. Auto-syncs and sends reminders so no one no-shows.
Workflows (Automations)
Triggered messages — e.g. an instant text the second a new lead arrives. Mostly pre-built; know what they do.
Reputation / Reviews
Send review requests after a completed job and monitor responses. Reviews are our #1 lead source over time.
Your daily GHL routine
- Log in & open Conversations. Clear any unread messages first — these are real people waiting on a reply.
- Reply to every new lead fast. Target a reply within minutes. Greet them, confirm their project and address, and offer an estimate time.
- Check the Calendar. Confirm today's and tomorrow's estimate appointments. Send a friendly reminder if the automation hasn't.
- Update the Pipeline. Move every lead to the stage that matches reality (see the stages below). A clean pipeline is the whole point.
- Log notes on the contact. What did they say? Budget? Concerns? Next step? Write it down so anyone can pick up the conversation.
- Hand off booked estimates to DripJobs. Once a real estimate is set, the deal continues its life in DripJobs (see Section 07).
Our GHL pipeline stages
| Stage | What it means | Your action |
|---|---|---|
| New Lead | Just came in, not yet contacted. | Reply within minutes. |
| Contacted | You've reached them, conversation started. | Qualify & offer an estimate time. |
| Estimate Scheduled | Appointment is on the calendar. | Confirm & remind. Prep for DripJobs. |
| Estimate Sent / Proposal | We've quoted them a price. | Follow up (DripJobs drips help here). |
| Job Booked (Won) | They said yes & signed. | Schedule install, celebrate 🎉 |
| Lost | Not moving forward right now. | Mark lost with a reason; nurture later. |
Speed-to-lead is everythingThe single biggest factor in winning a job is how fast we respond. A lead contacted in under 5 minutes is many times more likely to book than one contacted an hour later. When a "New Lead" notification fires — drop what you're doing and reply.
Golden ruleIf it isn't written in GHL, it didn't happen. Never text leads from your personal phone or keep prices in your head. Everything goes through the system so the whole team has the full picture.
How to use DripJobs
If GHL is the front door, DripJobs is the workshop. Once someone is a genuine opportunity, we run the sale and the job here. DripJobs uses two pipelines — one for the sale, one for the actual job.
Deals The sales pipeline
- Lead → Estimate → Proposal Sent → Won. Tracks the customer through buying.
- Each stage can fire its own automatic drip message.
- This is where you build and send the quote.
Jobs The production pipeline
- Booked → Scheduled → In Progress → Complete. Runs once they say yes.
- Moving a job to a new stage auto-updates the customer.
- This is where scheduling, crews, and payment live.
What DripJobs does for us
Branded proposals
Build professional proposals with package/price options. The customer reviews and e-signs in one click through their client portal.
40+ automated drips
Pre-built SMS & email follow-ups fire at every pipeline stage. Fully editable — text, timing, and channel. This is how we follow up without dropping anyone.
Two calendars
Separate calendars for estimates and jobs. Dispatch crews, reschedule, and send automatic appointment reminders.
Work orders
Approved proposals auto-generate work orders for the crew — so the install team knows exactly what was sold.
Invoicing & payments
Send invoices, take card/ACH payments, and offer financing — all from the same record.
Jobi AI & DripJobs Chat
Two-way texting plus an AI that reads the deal history and drafts the perfect follow-up or update for you.
Sending a proposal — step by step
- Open or create the Deal for the customer (carried over from the estimate).
- Build the proposal: add the coating system, square footage, and color/flake selection. Use package pricing options where it helps the customer choose.
- Review the numbers against our pricing before sending — accuracy here protects the job's margin.
- Send it. The customer gets a branded proposal in their client portal and the drip follow-ups begin automatically.
- Customer e-signs & pays the deposit. A work order is generated for the crew.
- Move the Deal to "Won" and the record into the Jobs pipeline to schedule the install.
Running a job through to completion
- Schedule the install on the jobs calendar and assign the crew.
- Advance the job stage as work progresses — each move can auto-notify the customer so they feel informed.
- Log job notes & photos so the office and crew stay in sync.
- Collect final payment at the walkthrough via invoice/card/ACH.
- Trigger the review request (often handed back to GHL) once the customer is happy.
It's on your phone tooDripJobs has iOS and Android apps. Crews and estimators can update stages, snap job photos, and check schedules from the field — keep the record live as the day happens, not at the end of the week.
Let the drips do the chasingThe whole point of DripJobs is that follow-up happens automatically. Your job is to keep each customer in the correct stage — the right messages then send themselves. A misplaced card means the wrong message goes out, so keep the pipeline honest.
GHL + DripJobs: which tool, when?
We run both systems on purpose — they do different jobs. Here's the simple division of labor so you always know where to work. If your team's setup differs, follow your manager's SOP — but this is the standard flow.
GHL Front of the funnel
- Lead capture from ads, web forms, calls, and social.
- Speed-to-lead — instant first reply & the unified inbox.
- Nurturing cold or early leads and long-term follow-up.
- Reviews & reputation after the job's done.
DripJobs Sale & the job
- Proposals & e-sign with package pricing.
- Job scheduling & crew dispatch.
- Stage-based drips that update the customer.
- Invoicing, payments & financing.
The handoff in one line
Lead in GHL → real estimate → run the sale & job in DripJobs → review request back in GHL.A new contact lives in GHL until they're a qualified estimate. From the proposal onward — quoting, scheduling, building, and getting paid — happens in DripJobs. When the floor's done and they're thrilled, GHL handles the review ask.
| When you're… | Use |
|---|---|
| Replying to a brand-new lead or any incoming message | GHL (Conversations) |
| Booking the estimate appointment | GHL Calendar |
| Building & sending a price proposal | DripJobs (Deals) |
| Following up on a sent proposal | DripJobs drips |
| Scheduling the install & assigning crew | DripJobs (Jobs) |
| Taking payment / sending an invoice | DripJobs |
| Asking for a Google review after completion | GHL (Reputation) |
Not sure where something lives?Ask before guessing — entering a customer in the wrong system (or both) creates duplicates and crossed wires. When in doubt, check with your manager and we'll update this guide.
Quick reference
Your cheat sheet — company facts, your first-week checklist, and a glossary of the terms you'll hear on the job.
Company at a glance
📞 Contact & location
🕒 Hours & service area
Your first-week checklist
Glossary
- Polyurea
- A flexible, fast-curing base coat that bonds to the slab and moves with it without cracking.
- Polyaspartic
- A UV-stable clear top coat that cures fast (enabling 1-day installs) and won't yellow in sunlight.
- Flake / vinyl chip
- Colored chips broadcast into the base coat for color, texture, and slip resistance. Granite-hybrid is our premium blend.
- Diamond grinding
- Mechanically profiling the concrete with diamond tooling so the coating bonds — the critical prep step.
- Moisture-barrier epoxy
- A base layer used when a slab has moisture/vapor issues that would otherwise ruin a coating.
- Speed-to-lead
- How fast we reply to a new lead. Faster = far higher chance of booking the job.
- Pipeline / stage
- A visual board (in GHL and DripJobs) showing where each customer is in our sales or job process.
- Drip
- An automated follow-up message (SMS/email) that fires at a specific pipeline stage.
- Work order
- The crew's instructions for a job, auto-generated from an approved proposal.
- Client portal
- The customer's online page in DripJobs to view, e-sign proposals, and pay.
Welcome aboardYou're now part of a team that takes pride in doing concrete right. Be fast with leads, honest with customers, sharp on the system, and meticulous on the floor — and you'll fit right in.