Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on May 31, 2022 Updated on July 16, 2024
Fast Facts
Investment range
$6,050 - $12,100
Revenue potential
$65,000 - $130,000 p.a.
Time to build
0 – 3 months
Profit potential
$58,000 - $90,000 p.a.
Industry trend
Growing
Commitment
Flexible
Here are the most essential things you need to consider when starting your flooring business:
Location — Choose a location that is easily accessible to your target market. Consider whether you need a showroom to display flooring samples and a warehouse for storage.
Specialization — Decide on the range of services (e.g., installation, repair, maintenance) and types of flooring (e.g., hardwood, laminate, tile, carpet, vinyl) you will offer.
Licenses and permits — You will need a contractor’s license and possibly zoning permits.
Tools and equipment — Invest in high-quality tools and equipment for flooring installation and maintenance. This may include saws, sanders, nail guns, and measuring tools.
Materials — Source materials from reliable suppliers. Establish relationships with manufacturers and distributors to ensure you have access to a wide range of high-quality flooring products.
Legal business aspects — Register for taxes, open a business bank account, and get an EIN.
Online presence — Take your business online and build a website where you can showcase your offer and even add scheduling options. Also, get listed on Google Business and Yelp and encourage positive reviews.
Interactive Checklist at your fingertips—begin your flooring business today!
Flooring can be a very profitable business since ongoing expenses are very low. If you do excellent work and provide great customer service, your business will grow from referrals.
How do I find flooring clients?
A great way to find flooring clients is to network with real estate agents who can send you referrals. You can connect and engage with them on LinkedIn.
What kind of flooring is popular?
Carpet is always a favorite for living spaces, and hardwood is also popular. Tile is generally the best choice for kitchens and bathrooms.
How can you ensure that your employees are properly trained to install different types of flooring?
You should only hire employees with experience who have references and pictures of their past work. Alternatively, you could hire interns to train on the job.
How can you ensure that your flooring business complies with safety regulations and standards?
You should stay up-to-date with safety regulations and standards relevant to your business. Also, provide comprehensive safety training to your employees, covering proper equipment use, handling hazardous materials, and emergency procedures.
Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You
Pros and cons
Starting a flooring business has pros and cons to consider before deciding if it’s right for you.
Pros
Flexibility – Run your business from home, work by appointment
Good Money – $8 and up per square foot of flooring adds up
Large Market – Literally every home and business in the US needs flooring
Cons
Skills Needed – On the job learning required
Crowded Market – Compete with established brands like Home Depot
Tile that looks like wood is becoming increasingly popular, expanding the share of homeowners interested in tile flooring, so it’s important for flooring companies to include tile in their floor installation services.
Flooring that is more resilient is seeing increased demand, with products like engineered wood and luxury vinyl tiles gaining popularity.
Challenges in the flooring industry include:
Supply chain issues are delaying jobs as customers wait for materials.
There is currently a shortage of skilled flooring installers, making it difficult for flooring companies to hire workers.
Average level of education –The average floor installer is high school educated.
Average age – The average floor installer in the US is 43.2 years old.
How much does it cost to start a flooring business?
Startup costs for a flooring business range from $6,000 to $12,000. Costs include all the tools you’ll need and a down payment on a truck or van to transport your tools.
You can learn tile installation for about $500 in just three weeks from the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, then take an exam to become a certified tile installer. Courses and the exam involve hands-on work, so you might need to travel to one of their sites.
You can also find hardwood flooring and carpet installation classes near you. Another option is to work as a flooring apprentice. The best education is hands-on experience.
You’ll need a handful of items to successfully launch your flooring business, including:
Wet tile saw
Trowels
Buckets
Grout float
Spacers
Screw guns
Nipper
Grinder
Marginal trowel
Drill
Paddle spinner
Slap stapler
Hammer
Razor knife
Carpet stretcher
Pneumatic nailer
Air compressor
Chop saw
Jig saw
Table saw
Start-up Costs
Ballpark Range
Average
Setting up a business name and corporation
$150 - $200
$175
Business licenses and permits
$100 - $300
$200
Insurance
$100-$300
$200
Business cards and brochures
$200 - $300
$250
Website setup
$1,000 - $3,000
$2,000
Tools
$3,000 - $5,000
$4,000
Vehicle for tools
$1,500 - $3,000
$2,250
Total
$6,050 - $12,100
$9,075
How much can you earn from a flooring business?
Flooring generally costs $5 to $20 per square foot. These calculations will assume an average price of $12, and that each job will be about 150 square feet. Your profit margin will be high, around 90%, since the customers will pay for all materials.
In your first year or two, you could do three jobs per month, bringing in $65,000 in annual revenue. This would mean $58,000 in profit, assuming that 90% margin. As you begin to get referrals, you could do six jobs a month. At this stage, you’d hire hourly workers, reducing your profit margin to around 70%. With annual revenue of $130,000, you’d make a great profit of more than $90,000.
There are a few barriers to entry for a flooring business. Your biggest challenges will be:
Acquiring the skills required to install various types of flooring
Breaking into a market crowded with flooring companies
Related Business Ideas
If you’re still not sure whether this business idea is the right choice for you, here are some related business opportunities to help you on your path to entrepreneurial success.
Step by Step Business values real-life experience above all. Through our Entrepreneur Spotlight Series, we interview business leaders from diverse industries, providing readers with firsthand insights.
Now that you know what’s involved in starting a flooring business, it’s a good idea to hone your concept in preparation to enter a competitive market.
Market research will give you the upper hand, even if you’re already positive that you have a perfect product or service. Conducting market research is important, because it can help you understand your customers better, who your competitors are, and your business landscape.
Why? Identify an opportunity
Research flooring businesses in your area to examine their services, price points, and customer reviews. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing a laminate flooring specialist, or a floor installation company that also installs composite decking.
You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as hardwood flooring, engineered wood flooring, or carpeting.
This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away.
What? Specify the services and types of flooring you’ll offer
You can either specialize in a certain type of flooring or install a variety of floors. You can also make additional revenue by tearing out old floors. You could learn other skills as well and offer remodeling services.
You could also find independent contractors, like plumbers and electricians, to be your subcontractors and earn a markup on their prices.
How much should you charge for flooring installation?
Prices for flooring installation depend on the materials being installed and range from $5 to $20 per square foot. When you’re working by yourself, you should aim for a profit margin of about 90% since your only costs will be for labor.
Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.
Who? Identify your target market
Your target market will be broad so you should spread out your marketing to include sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. You should also connect with people on LinkedIn.
Being on LinkedIn gives you added credibility, plus you can connect with realtors who can give you referrals.
Where? Choose your business premises
In the early stages, you may want to run your business from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows, you’ll likely need to hire workers for various roles and may need to rent out an office. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist, Crexi, and Instant Offices.
When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:
Central location accessible via public transport
Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed
Step 3: Brainstorm a Flooring Company Name
Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:
Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better
Name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
Including keywords, such as “flooring” or “flooring installation”, boosts SEO
Name should allow for expansion, for ex: “Floorcrafters” over “Laminate Flooring Installers”
A location-based name can help establish a strong connection with your local community and help with the SEO but might hinder future expansion
Discover over 410 unique flooring business name ideas here. If you want your business name to include specific keywords, you can also use our flooring business name generator. Just type in a few keywords and hit “generate” and you’ll have dozens of suggestions at your fingertips.
Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these.
Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that sets your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.
Executive Summary: A concise overview highlighting the key points of your flooring business plan, including your business concept, goals, and potential for success.
Business Overview: Detailed information about your flooring business, outlining its mission, vision, location, and legal structure.
Product and Services: A clear description of the flooring products and services you offer, including materials, styles, and any additional services like installation or maintenance.
Market Analysis: In-depth research on the flooring industry, target market, and customer demographics, highlighting trends, demand, and potential growth areas.
Competitive Analysis: Evaluation of competitors in the flooring market, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to your business.
Sales and Marketing: Strategies for promoting and selling your flooring products, encompassing advertising, online presence, and customer acquisition tactics.
Management Team: Profiles of key individuals involved in running the flooring business, emphasizing their expertise and roles.
Operations Plan: Details on day-to-day operations, including suppliers, inventory management, and any specialized equipment or technology required for the flooring business.
Financial Plan: A comprehensive overview of your flooring business’s financial projections, including startup costs, revenue forecasts, and break-even analysis.
Appendix: Supplementary materials such as resumes, additional research data, or any other documentation supporting the information presented in the flooring business plan.
If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist to create a top-notch business plan for you.
Step 5: Register Your Business
Registering your business is an absolutely crucial step — it’s the prerequisite to paying taxes, raising capital, opening a bank account, and other guideposts on the road to getting a business up and running.
Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business!
Choose where to register your company
Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you’re planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to flooring businesses.
If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state.
Choose your business structure
Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your flooring business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely.
Here are the main options:
Sole Proprietorship – The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
General Partnership – Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)– Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
C Corp – Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
S Corp – An S-Corporation refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. An S-Corp can be either a corporation or an LLC, which just need to elect to be an S-Corp for tax status. In an S-Corp, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using an online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization, and answer any questions you might have.
The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN.
Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.
The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist, and taxes can be filed online.
It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you’re completing them correctly.
Step 7: Fund your Business
Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:
Bank loans: This is the most common method but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and strong credit history.
SBA-guaranteed loans: The Small Business Administration can act as guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan.
Government grants: A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
Friends and Family: Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
Crowdfunding: Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
Personal: Self-fund your business via your savings or the sale of property or other assets.
Bank and SBA loans are probably the best option, other than friends and family, for funding a flooring business.
In some states, you may need a general contractor’s license depending on the type of work that you do. Check with your state for requirements.
Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits.
You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more.
You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package. They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.
This is not a step to be taken lightly, as failing to comply with legal requirements can result in hefty penalties.
If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.
Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account.
Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your flooring business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.
Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account.
Step 10: Get Business Insurance
Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.
Here are some types of insurance to consider:
General liability: The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
Business Property: Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
Worker’s compensation: Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
Property: Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
Commercial auto: Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
Professional liability: Protects against claims from a client who says they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
Business owner’s policy (BOP): This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of the above insurance types.
As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business.
Essential software and tools
Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.
You may want to use industry-specific software, such as FONN, JOBBER, or Octopuspro, to manage your estimates, projects, schedule, and billing.
Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks, Freshbooks, and Xero.
If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences for filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial.
Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism.
You can create your own website using website builders. This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.
They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google.
Marketing
Here are some powerful marketing strategies for your future business:
Professional Branding — Develop a branding strategy that emphasizes quality, expertise, and reliability across all visuals, including your logo, business cards, and fleet vehicles if applicable.
Local SEO and Professional Website — Create a website that showcases your flooring products and services with SEO optimized for local searches on flooring and home renovation. Regularly update your Google My Business and Yelp profiles to strengthen your local search presence.
Direct Outreach and Networking — Connect with construction companies, interior designers, and real estate developers through networking and participation in local home improvement shows and trade expos.
Social Media Engagement — Use Instagram and Pinterest to display your flooring installations and Facebook to share customer testimonials and community interactions.
Content Marketing via Blogging and Video — Share blogs on flooring trends and maintenance, and produce video content such as showroom walkthroughs and installation time-lapses to demonstrate your expertise.
Email Personalization — Regularly update your customers with newsletters featuring new products, special offers, and maintenance tips.
Showroom Experiences — Design an inviting showroom that allows customers to experience different flooring options firsthand.
DIY Workshops — Host workshops on floor installation and maintenance to engage DIY enthusiasts and potential customers.
Customer Referral and Loyalty Programs — Implement referral incentives and loyalty discounts to foster customer retention and attract new clients.
Targeted Local Advertising — Utilize local media and online platforms to reach your target audience, particularly during key renovation periods.
Seasonal Promotions — Run promotions during peak home renovation seasons like spring and fall to maximize customer engagement and sales.
Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that sets it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your flooring business meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire.
Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your flooring business could be:
Professional, reliable installation of all floor types
Boost your home’s look and value with stunning new floors
Expert flooring and remodeling for all your home improvement needs
Networking
You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a flooring business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been working in flooring for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections.
The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in flooring. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership.
Step 12: Build Your Team
If you’re starting out small from a home office, you may not need any employees. But as your business grows, you will likely need workers to fill various roles. Potential positions for a flooring business include:
Laborers – assist with tear out and floor installation
General Manager – scheduling, accounting
Marketing Lead – SEO strategies, social media
At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need.
Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed, Glassdoor, or ZipRecruiter. Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent.
Step 13: Run a Flooring Business – Start Making Money!
The flooring installation business has been booming for the last decade, with no signs of slowing. People periodically update their homes, and flooring is a huge part of that process. If you’re handy with tools, you could capture a share of a large market with a flooring business. It will take a love of the work and a passion to serve your customers, but you could build your small business into a regional flooring empire!
You’ve got business knowledge in your toolbelt now, so it’s time to start building your successful flooring business.
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