Mr Christopher Bylhouwer

Hi, my name is Chris Bylhouwer and I started this business in the late 1980’s. At the time, I was operating a building maintenance firm with 20 employees catering for Government housing and private customers. Many of those customers would ask me about treating their concrete. I always had a trade / hospitality background, completing my apprenticeship as a Vehicle Builder with the NSW Railways in 1982. Then managing a 237 room resort in Alice Springs for 2 years.  

In the late 1980’s, the industry of treating or decorating concrete almost didn’t exist.   Yet a demand was there and growing. People wanted their concrete to have better looks and safety, but few options were available to them. I lost a major Government maintenance contract causing me much financial stress, which lead to my divorce.

The concrete resurfacing industry was new to me, so I found the answers and the many options available now.  I believed in myself and the industry. So with much self-determination, a new supportive wife, and the end vision in mind, I kept working hard towards my long term goal of security, with a low-stress / relaxed lifestyle.
For many years I worked with a few staff, but mostly by myself to perfect the application process of all the services. I also had to perfect the many administration, marketing, finance and legal issues needed for this specialised industry. My little business was booming with staff, sub-contractors,  customers and profits always increasing.

With legal help, I established a Franchise system and sold our first Franchise in 1998. The profits and flexibility enjoyed by the Franchisees was amazing, yet some of the guys were still not happy. As a Franchise system we had all the usual fees, rules and reporting systems which restricted growth.There had to be a better way, so again with more legal help, we dropped all the fees, rules and reporting, then changed to a License system in 2006

All these years of determination, hard work and experience have put me in a fantastic position. Even the problems of operating across the country plus overseas have been overcome. I now have a great team of people working with me. Now days, the business is still completing some jobs in the Adelaide region, but mostly training new Licensees at our training centre.