Business Beat: Quality Asphalt Sealcoating and Epoxy is changing the game – Brendan Higgins

by Brendan Higgins, contributing writer

When I was looking to replace my kitchen countertops, I had no idea I was about to go on an adventure. One by one, contractors came to my house. They were more than willing to rip out my kitchen and install a brand new one. The cast of characters were quite entertaining. Even the lowest price was more than I was looking to spend.

Each experience helped me educate myself on the subject. I quickly learned separating countertops from older cabinets is nearly impossible. Especially in my case, where the countertops were tiled and glued to the top. One thing all these skilled craftsman had in common, they all had a five figure quote. The quotes seemed to get more expensive the longer the conversations lasted. At some point every person would say, “I have an idea, but it’s a little more expensive.” I went from being shocked by this line, to being amused by it. I decided to leave my pathetic countertops just the way they were. Then, fate would intervene.

I was driving on Lafayette Road in North Kingstown and noticed a yard sign that read Quality Epoxy Rhode Island. I called the number on the sign and that turned out to be the best move I could ever make regarding my kitchen countertops. This would be my introduction to Cory Vingi. He is the owner of Quality Asphalt Sealcoating and Epoxy. Vingi has a division within his company specializing in Epoxy painting. They do flaked garage floors, patios, and kitchen countertops. We spoke on the phone about my desire to update my kitchen without breaking the bank. Vingi came to my home and was the first person not giving me any type of hard sell. He explained the process thoroughly and quoted me a very reasonable price. More on that later.

Vingi grew up in North Kingstown. He graduated from Bishop Hendricken in 2002. From there he attended Rhode Island College. He graduated with a degree in communications. When he was still in high school Vingi was introduced to the world of asphalt sealcoating. He recalled, “I remember this vividly. I was 17 years old. My dad, (the late) Donald Maroney, got his driveway seal coated. He paid a guy one hundred and fifty dollars. I told my dad I could have done that for you.

Our neighbor wanted their driveway done so me and my dad went to Home Depot and picked up a couple of buckets and did the neighbor’s driveway. We made one hundred and fifty dollars and that was pretty cool and a lot of money to me. That led us to another driveway and I asked my father why I couldn’t do this for a living. He said, “there is no reason why you can’t.”

Vingi received formal training in the process of sealcoating a driveway. He invested in some equipment and purchased vehicle magnet signs and yard signs. By his own admission, the signs generated a lot of business. He was still in high school but quickly became focused on getting his business off the ground. He would drive his pickup truck to school at Hendricken with his new signs on the side of the truck. This led to him being hired by one of his teachers. He said, “I got jobs here and there and my dad came along and helped me. There were growing pains, and I learned a lot along the way.”

Vingi was a diligent worker at an early age. He cut grass in his neighborhood and added sealcoating driveways to the services he offered. He was not one to sit around idly after school. He was ready to be in the work force.

In 2004 Vingi saw a surge in his business. He explained, “After a few years I started to figure it out. I got rid of the buckets in the back of the truck and got an oil tank. I mounted it on top of a landscape trailer. It was much cleaner. I started to land bigger jobs. Much bigger driveways and parking lots. I was getting a lot of them. I purchased a spray rig. That was a big jump for my company. It enabled me to do the jobs faster, cleaner, and much easier. I added other equipment to keep up with my rapidly growing business.”

Fast forward to today and Vingi is a businessman with over two decades of experience. He started offering Epoxy painting after a friend mentioned how much she was quoted to have a garage floor painted. Vingi said, “I realized at one point that Epoxy is not big in this area. Very few companies offer it. Therefore, customers are not aware of it. I found out New England is an untapped market compared to the southern part of the country. In the south, epoxy floors are quite common. We were not doing it much here in Rhode Island. Florida has hundreds of companies. Here in Rhode Island, you have me and one other company that I’m aware of.

At this point I set out to add epoxy painting to my company. I have 3 employees. They are Nate Dinis, Zach Deschamps and Hugo Tavarez. My guys work great together. They all know what they are doing and they show up every day and go to work. When the decision was made to add an epoxy painting division to the company, the first thing we did was a training seminar in Boston. I also attended a weeklong workshop with a company called Extreme Polishing Solutions located in Pompano, Florida. Their company is twofold. They teach you everything. We worked twelve hour days the entire week. It was classroom learning and firsthand learning. It was a priceless training for me. They walked us through every type of system you can put down with epoxy. From countertops to garage floors to metallic floors to quartz. There are so many options with epoxy. It was an amazing training. One of the most important things was learning when you should and shouldn’t use epoxy. There were twenty people in the class. I was the only person from Rhode Island. I asked the instructor how many people from New England have taken this training. He told me I was the first. When I returned to Rhode Island we got right to work doing garage floors. We recently did a massive 1800 square foot auto body garage which came out amazing.”

I asked Vingi why someone would want to have their floor or patio painted with epoxy. He said, “The biggest reason is the look. You go from the traditional gray look to many color options and designs. It changes the entire look of your garage, basement, or patio. The feel of it is awesome. You can walk on it barefoot. It gives the appearance of another room and not just a garage. It dramatically changes the dynamics of any space. It also looks great on patios and around swimming pools.”

Vingi went on to describe what to expect when you hire Quality Asphalt Sealcoating and Epoxy. He said, “There is a two to three hour prep where we grind the surface but we clean as we go. We are constantly cleaning during prep. We don’t want any of the bond breakers left on the surface. All our equipment have vacuum attachments to minimize dust. I use microfiber pads with acetone. Time of prep will vary depending on the complexity of the space. We can troubleshoot spaces that have issues with moisture by applying a vapor barrier down first. That will prevent any moisture from coming up through the concrete. Next we put down the pigment coat and the flaked colors and the clear coat on top. We use a chemical called polyaspartic. We put it on top of everything we finish. It’s a lot stronger than a typical epoxy. It has a UV protection. This will prevent sun damage and keep the colors looking great.

Most spaces are done in two days. However, it’s extremely important to let it sit for 48 to 72 hours before putting anything on the surface. One of the best things about an epoxy surface is its nonporous, Anything from motor oil to a glass of wine will not stain or seep into the surface. Clean up is a breeze. Simply wipe it up. From countertops to garage floors.”

When Vingi and his crew showed up at my house I had no idea they were going to transform my countertops into a work of art. I found all the guys to be professional and personal at the same time. Cory, Nate, and Zach were friendly and genuinely excited to help me transform my space. I was expecting a big mess during the process but there wasn’t one at all. They covered the floor. They taped up every single thing on or near the countertops. They used sanders that created minimal dust. Within a matter of hours, they had my old tile and Formica tops stripped and ready to paint. I was impressed how much they cared about not disrupting my routine while they worked. With most contractors, it’s usually look out, we are taking over your space until we are done. This was not the case with Cory Vingi. They were the complete opposite. They encouraged me to be there when the epoxy went down. They wanted me to see the design they were creating. They wanted me to tell them if I liked it or not. They could change it to whatever I wanted.

The end result was nothing short of jaw dropping. The old tired looking tile was still under the new surface, but you would never know it. Instead, my kitchen was transformed in two short days. I found myself standing in an entirely new fresh looking space. The process was remarkable.

Cory Vingi has lofty standards for his work. He said, “My name is on every project. I’m on every job site. I want the customer to be happy. I answer my own phone. It doesn’t matter what you have for a surface, I can apply an epoxy system and transform it into a new look for a fraction of the price.”

I can tell you firsthand Vingi is a man of his word. He checked in with me a few days after they finished with my countertops. He wanted my honest feedback on the finished product. I told him I was a very satisfied customer and I would call him soon to sealcoat my driveway.

Vingi lives in Warwick with his wife, Kristin, and their daughter, April. With hundreds of satisfied customers on his resume, Vingi looks forward to hearing from you to discuss your home improvement needs. He will discuss your project without any type of hard sell. Vingi and his team will be at the Rhode Island Home Show from April 10-13. Stop by and say hello at booth 314. You can call him directly at (401) 283-9815. You can email him at [email protected] or visit their website at QualityAsphaltSealcoating.com. You can also check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

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To read all stories by Brendan, here, go to: https://rinewstoday.com/brendan-higgins

Brendan Higgins, writer and author, RIPTA bus driver, former professional wrestler (Knuckles Nelson), and North Kingstown resident.

We welcome Brendan back after a hiatus as a contributing writer to RINewsToday.

To read a story about Brendan, from our sports department, go to: https://rinewstoday.com/knuckles-nelson-waking-up-from-the-wrestling-ring-to-the-yoga-mat-john-cardullo/

Higgins is the author of “Waking Up: From the Wrestling Ring to the Yoga Mat“