It is said that the floor covering installation business is a feast or famine type of proposition. When the salespeople are selling, you can count on those installations developing in two to eight weeks. There are cycles; such as new construction, holiday seasons and tax time that affect the availability of work.

As a contractor, I was always looking for an edge over my competition. Often that included expanding my services to meet an end-user’s needs or being more competitive than the other bidders. In order to be competitive, you typically have to be more efficient or sacrifice your quality.

Installation rules! Well, we are at least the ambassadors of everything that comes before us. The manufacturers can churn out the products, adding new bells and whistles each season, and that is good.

Last time around, I tackled the topic of the segregated installation situation. Most subcontractors are in business for themselves simply because that is the majority position that retailers or dealers put us in. If you want to better yourself, this is the model that we are forced to adopt. I think all too often we have let our rates be set by the "what are you paying policy," rather than the real value. We cope by cutting corners, not only on the workmanship and supplies, but also in how we treat our help, who are the future of the installation industry.

Rip up, tear out, or take up are the tag lines that are attached to removal of existing flooring.

With sales people on one side and installers on the other side, it's time to play "Why didn't you tell me?" versus "Why didn't you ask?"

Safety has far-reaching implications in the operation of a floor covering business, as well as the well being of installers.

The old school method was to use hard board, staple, patch and sand it, then install whatever the resilient product was.

Wood: it's natural; it's durable; and it can be in demand in your future.

The 2002 Carpet and Rug Institute Publication 105 "Residential Installation Standard" has arrived and is waiting for you. And guess what? It's free of charge. That's right. There is no longer a charge to own 105, a document that takes steps to improve our industry.