It might be easy to make the assumption that when Tony Williamson merged his company with RCN Cleaning Services, it would provide janitorial services. But Williamson is adamant that is not the case. "Everyone was getting the wrong idea," he said, "because we came in as a merge company, and it was hard for me to convince people that we do marble, marble and carpet restoration, tile and grout cleaning, and the like."
Williamson’s company is South Florida Marble & Floor Care, and he said it encompasses a wide variety of floor care. "That’s why we have to sum it all up and separate it from cleaning services, because that’s the first thing people hear – cleaning services – and they think you’re janitorial."
Far from it. His company specializes in natural stone polishing, as well as minor repairs to holes and cracks, marble floors, terrazzo floors, which are currently found in a number of residences and businesses. "Smaller things like tile and grout cleaning, carpet restoration – we do that as well. We use certified power lifting machines that have dual brushes on the bottom. Those brushes actually lift up the carpet fibers and bring the carpet back to life. The carpeting could be 20 or 30 years old and it will look pretty good after we’re finished with it." Following that, Williamson will steam the carpets clean with chemicals and afterwards with fresh water, and he said that process will last up to a month-and-a-half, depending on the amount of traffic.
That’s what Williamson’s company did before the merger, and that’s what it is continuing to do now. "Basically it’s as if we were opening a new division. You have one part that’s RCN Cleaning Services that does real estate cleaning and janitorial services for commercial buildings, and then you have South Florida Floor Care that does all the marble restoration, terrazzo, concrete, polishing, upholstery cleaning in commercial buildings, hardwood floor sanding and sealing, vinyl floor stripping and waxing, copy rooms – any places that have vinyl floors."
This type of work is especially important for hospitals and medical facilities, where cleanliness is a top priority, and where vinyl floors are the norm. "You have strictly vinyl floors, and a lot of tile and grout in there." He said his company does color sealing as well, in the grout lines of the tile. "We have a chemical called grout seal, which is designed to seal the grout lines in any color the client wants – white, black, blue, red, transparent if they just want a clear coat. Whatever they want, we do."
Medical centers also have a wide variety of terrazzo floors that can be cut and polished; vinyl floors to be stripped and waxed and maintained, and the need for tile and grout cleaning, particularly in the restrooms. In addition, when a facility has cubicles or work stations, there are wall panels, which are usually covered with fabric. Williamson said that falls into the upholstery cleaning category, as do the chairs, which are often upholstery.
Williamson has handled work for several medical centers and hospitals in the Miami area, including Baptist and Kendall, and he said the distinction of working in a hospital is the hours. "Yeah, the hours in the hospital are totally different. You usually start at 10 p.m. and work straight through until the morning, while it’s slow. And you have to cone-off areas with caution signs to do it section by section. That’s the main difference from working in a commercial building."
Along with his qualifications, Williamson takes pride in his business approach with South Florida Marble & Floor Care: "We are a privately owned and operated business, and I’ve been doing this for 20 years. I’ve seen a lot of things I didn’t like and that’s why I went into business for myself. I like what I do, my detail work, and I like to see the results, I have a passion in seeing the outcome. If we don’t see the results we’ll go back and do it again or touch it up.
"Also, if you call me we’re going to answer the phone. If you need us, whether for an emergency or if you see something that you weren’t too happy with, we’ll send our technician right back out, versus a company where you have to chase them down to be rescheduled. That’s what sets us apart."
