Granite Coat Garage Floors

Words in [brackets] are blanks you fill in with your own details when you adopt this sample in Supreme Plan AI.

Executive Summary

Granite Coat Garage Floors is a floor coating company in South Carolina. We grind, repair and seal concrete and install epoxy, flake and polyaspartic coatings in garages, workshops, warehouses and showrooms. A homeowner gets a garage floor that looks new, cleans easily and holds up to tires and spills. A business gets a durable floor installed quickly with little downtime.

Why this fits. Bare concrete garage floors stain, crack and shed dust, and many owners want something better. A well-done coating is one of the most visible improvements a homeowner can make for a modest cost. Businesses want durable, easy-to-clean floors in shops, warehouses and showrooms. A small company that prepares the concrete properly, follows the product instructions and gives a written warranty wins referrals and repeat work.

Here is what our numbers show. In Year 1 we plan about 80 residential garage floors, 6 commercial floors and 36 polishing, repair and sealing jobs. That brings in sales of $355,000, growing to $990,728 by Year 5 as we add installers and commercial work. We expect a profit of about $29,300 in Year 1, then a profit of about $65,500 in Year 2, $109,500 in Year 3 and $133,600 by Year 5. Lead advertising is our largest cost after pay, and the plan counts all of it.

We need $120,000 in total. Of that, $77,000 is startup costs (concrete grinders, a used pickup and trailer, tools, first materials, a shop deposit, insurance, a wrapped truck and a website), and the rest is cash to cover the first months. I am putting in $65,000 of my own savings and asking for a $55,000 equipment loan.

I am Terrence Boyd, the owner and lead installer, with eight years in flooring and concrete work, including four years installing coatings for a larger company. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Granite Coat Garage Floors is a small, independently owned floor coating company in South Carolina, planned as a limited liability company (LLC). We serve homeowners, small businesses, builders and property managers in our metro area and the towns around it.

Our mission. To give every customer a floor that looks great, lasts and is installed right the first time.

What we believe. A coating is only as good as the preparation under it. We grind the concrete, test for moisture, repair cracks and follow the manufacturer's instructions on temperature and cure times. We say what a floor needs before we quote, tell customers when a floor is not a good candidate for a coating and stand behind our work with a written warranty.

What we offer:
- Residential garage floor coatings. Diamond grinding, crack repair, a base coat, decorative flakes and a clear top coat, usually done in one to two days.
- Commercial floors. Warehouse, shop and showroom floors with durable systems, scheduled to reduce downtime.
- Polishing, repair and sealing. Concrete polishing, joint and crack repair and sealers for floors, patios and driveways.
- Maintenance and touch-ups. A care guide and touch-ups for customers' coatings.

Who we serve. Homeowners, auto shops, small warehouses, retail showrooms, builders and property managers.

What we do not do. We do not coat over wet or contaminated concrete without fixing the problem, rush a cure, skip surface preparation or promise that a floor will never stain or chip.

How we are run. I am the owner and lead installer, and I work on every job in Year 1. One installer joins me in Year 1 and the crew grows to five by Year 5. A sales and office person joins in Year 2. An accountant keeps the books.

Where things stand today. We have quotes for the grinders and a used truck and trailer, a draft warranty and contract reviewed by an attorney, before-and-after photos from sample jobs and early interest from a few neighbors, an auto shop and a builder. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

Concrete garage floors are rough, dusty and stained, and a cheap paint kit from a store often peels within a year. Many homeowners have tried it and been disappointed. Others have hired a company that rushed the job, skipped the grinding or used thin coatings, and the floor failed in months.

Businesses have a different problem. A shop or warehouse needs a floor that handles heavy loads, spills and cleaning. A coating that fails means downtime and cost. Installers who lack training or equipment may not know how to handle moisture, joints and slopes.

For a new company, the hard parts are the cost of grinders, vacuums and a truck, learning to estimate jobs correctly, paying for advertising to win customers and building a gallery of finished work that earns trust. A single failed job can damage a young company's name.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Floor coatings are a real and popular home improvement, and good installers are in demand. We do not know how quickly the first customers will come, so our plan includes enough cash for the early months. We will use current local numbers on housing and commercial buildings in our final plan and will not overstate them.

Products & Services

Granite Coat Garage Floors will install floors that look good, last and are backed by a written warranty.

How it works, step by step:
1. Request and visit. The customer sends photos or calls, and we visit to measure and test the concrete for moisture and condition.
2. Quote. We give a written quote with the system, the colors, the prep and the warranty.
3. Schedule. We agree on a start date, protect cars and belongings and plan around weather.
4. Prepare. We diamond-grind the floor, repair cracks and joints and vacuum the dust.
5. Coat. We apply the base coat, flakes and the clear top coat in the right order, at the right thickness and in the right temperature.
6. Cure and inspect. We check the finish, explain the cure time and walk the customer through the care instructions.
7. Warranty. The customer gets a written warranty, a care sheet and a thank-you card.
8. Follow-up. We call a week later, then a year later, and offer a touch-up if needed.

Why this approach is strong. Preparation and the right products make a coating last. Written warranties and photos of finished work give customers confidence.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: homeowners, small businesses, builders and property managers in our metro area and the towns around it.

Our primary group is homeowners with a one- to three-car garage who want a better floor. Our secondary group is auto shops, small warehouses, showrooms and builders who want a durable floor with little downtime. We will use the most recent local numbers on homes, garages and commercial buildings in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan about 80 residential floors, 6 commercial floors and 36 polishing and repair jobs in Year 1, growing to 185, 20 and 84 by Year 5. Our Year 1 prices are about $3,050 per residential floor, $9,500 per commercial floor and $1,500 per polishing or repair job, rising about 3% a year.

Demand data. Early interest from a few neighbors, an auto shop and a builder covers part of the first months. We do not count on any one customer. Demand is strongest in spring, summer and fall, when concrete cures well and homeowners are doing projects.

We do not take every job. We decline floors with moisture or structural problems that a coating cannot fix and customers who want us to skip steps.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for customers, and what makes us different.

- National coating franchises. They have strong advertising and name recognition. We offer a local owner who works on every job.
- Other local installers and concrete contractors. Some are very good. We compete on preparation, clear quotes and warranty.
- Do-it-yourself kits. They are cheap but often fail. We offer professional grinding and thicker, more durable coatings.
- General handymen. They may offer coatings as a side service. We specialize.
- Paint and tile. Floor paint and tile are alternatives. We offer a seamless, easy-to-clean surface.

What makes us different.
- Diamond grinding and moisture testing on every job.
- A written warranty and a written quote.
- Photos of finished work and references from customers.
- A one-year follow-up call.

What we do not claim. We are new. Larger companies have bigger crews and more advertising. We plan to earn our name one floor at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach customers.

Online. A website with before-and-after photos and an online quote form, a Google business listing, reviews from every customer and a monthly budget for search and social media advertising.

Builders and contractors. We will meet home builders, remodelers and property managers and offer a trade price and quick scheduling.

Local businesses. We will visit auto shops, small warehouses and retail showrooms, bring a sample board and offer a free site visit.

Referrals and neighbors. Every customer receives a card and a discount for a referred neighbor, and a yard sign during the job, with permission.

Pricing. About $3,050 per residential floor, $9,500 per commercial floor and $1,500 per polishing or repair job in Year 1, quoted in writing with the system and warranty.

Operations Plan

How the business will run.

Setup (the 6 to 8 weeks before the first job). We will form the LLC, get an EIN and open a business bank account, get the business license and contractor registration our state requires, buy and test the equipment, outfit the truck and trailer, take the manufacturer's installer training, build a sample board and gallery and write the contract and warranty.

The shop. A small rented shop for storing materials and equipment. The plan counts $10,800 a year in Year 1.

Staffing. In Year 1: I serve as owner and lead installer. One installer, paid $38,000 a year, works with me. The crew grows to 2 in Year 2, 3 in Year 3, 4 in Year 4 and 5 in Year 5. A sales and office person, paid $30,000 a year, joins in Year 2, and a second in Year 5.

Costs. Materials, supplies and disposal are about $1,200 per residential floor, $4,300 per commercial floor and $480 per polishing or repair job in Year 1. Truck fuel and maintenance are about $9,000 a year, insurance about $7,200, lead advertising and marketing about $26,000, software about $2,400 and accounting and legal about $3,600.

Quality and safety. We test moisture, follow the manufacturer's mixing and cure instructions, use dust extraction and protective gear and photograph each step.

Payments. Homeowners pay a deposit to schedule and the balance on completion. Commercial customers usually pay in about 15 days. Our plan holds about $14,200 in unpaid invoices at the end of Year 1.

Insurance. We carry general liability, commercial auto, workers' compensation and coverage for tools and materials.

Management & Organization

The people who will run Granite Coat Garage Floors.

Terrence Boyd, owner and lead installer. Eight years in flooring and concrete work, including four years installing coatings for a larger company, where he led crews, wrote estimates and trained new installers. He leads installations, sales, quality and finance. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Installers (from Year 1). Trained by the owner to follow the same steps on every job.

Sales and office (from Year 2). Handles estimates, scheduling, follow-up and invoices.

Outside advisors. A builder, an attorney, an accountant, an insurance broker, a materials supplier and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: owner and lead installer $52,000, installer $38,000 and sales and office $30,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them.
- Before the first job (6 to 8 weeks ahead): get quotes for the equipment and truck, form the LLC, get the business license, take the manufacturer's training, build a sample board and gallery and book at least 10 first-month jobs through neighbors, builders and businesses.
- Year 1: about 80 residential floors, 6 commercial floors and one installer; $355,000 in sales and a profit of about $29,300.
- Year 2: about 120 residential floors, a second installer and a sales and office person; $555,170 in sales and a profit of about $65,500.
- Year 3: about 150 residential floors, a third installer and a second truck; $731,490 in sales and a profit of about $109,500.
- Year 4: about 170 residential floors and a fourth installer; $867,626 in sales and a profit of about $137,000.
- Year 5: about 185 residential floors, 20 commercial floors and five installers; $990,728 in sales and a profit of about $133,600.
Growth depends on winning and keeping customers, so treat the later years as goals, not promises.

What we check every week: quotes sent, jobs booked and finished, warranty calls, material cost per job, advertising cost per booking, unpaid invoices and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total we are raising: $120,000.

How we got that number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds up three things:
- Startup costs of $77,000, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section: $14,500 for two concrete grinders with dust extractors and vacuums; $28,000 for used pickup truck and enclosed trailer; $4,000 for squeegees, rollers, mixers, spike shoes and safety gear; $3,500 for moisture meters, pump sprayers, heaters and fans; $7,500 for first stock of epoxy, flake and polyaspartic topcoat; $3,600 for shop deposit and first month; $700 for business license and contractor registration; $2,400 for attorney: contract, warranty terms and LLC setup; $5,800 for truck wrap, before-and-after photos and a website; $4,500 for insurance down payment; $2,500 for manufacturer installer training course.
- The cash the business uses before it breaks even, about $0. Sales cover the daily costs once jobs are booked, so the money we need up front goes mostly to the equipment, truck and first materials, which are counted in the startup costs.
- A cash cushion of about $40,800: three months of Year 1 operating costs.
- Together, the cash used before break even and the cushion come to about $40,800, and the three pieces add up to about $117,750, rounded up to the nearest $500: $118,000.
We are raising $2,000 more than that, $120,000 in all, to cover a slower first spring than planned and the cost of adding a second installer in Year 2. With this funding, the lowest year-end cash balance is about $95,000, at the end of Year 1.

Where the money comes from:
- My own money: $65,000.
- Equipment loan: $55,000.

Kind of funding we are looking for. An equipment loan from a lender that finances trucks and tools, with the equipment as collateral, backed by my own savings.

How we will pay it back. We expect a profit of about $29,300 in Year 1, a profit of about $65,500 in Year 2, a profit of about $109,500 in Year 3, a profit of about $137,000 in Year 4 and a profit of about $133,600 in Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank at the end of every year of the plan. Our loan is the equipment loan at 10.5% over 7 years, about $927 a month. That payment is already included in our cash flow. We chose these as cautious planning rates; ask the lender for the real rates, which may be lower or higher.

What we are offering the lender: the equipment and truck as collateral and my personal guarantee.

A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan:
- Phase 1: start with one grinder and a smaller truck, work with one helper and spend less on advertising, which lowers startup costs and the loan.
- Phase 2: once jobs are steady, add the second grinder, more installers and the sales person and follow this plan.
To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match.

All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume and a personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form).
- Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov).
- Quotes for the grinders, truck, trailer and materials.
- Your contract, warranty and care sheet.
- Photos of finished floors and references.
- Your insurance quotes and any contractor license your state requires.
- Letters of interest from builders, shops or neighbors.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Residential Garage Floor Coatings (per job): about $3,050 in Year 1, rising to $3,433; about $1,200 in direct costs, rising to $1,377; about 80 in Year 1, growing to 185.
- Commercial, Warehouse and Showroom Floors (per job): about $9,500 in Year 1, rising to $10,692; about $4,300 in direct costs, rising to $4,934; about 6 in Year 1, growing to 20.
- Concrete Polishing, Repair and Sealing (per job): about $1,500 in Year 1, rising to $1,688; about $480 in direct costs, rising to $551; about 36 in Year 1, growing to 84.
- About 80 residential jobs in Year 1 is roughly 7 a month, rising to 185, about 15 a month, by Year 5. Prices rise about 3% a year and materials about 3% to 4%.
- A second truck and trailer are added in Year 3 ($28,000), and the plan counts smaller amounts each year for tools, pads and repairs.
- Pay (a full year, per person): owner and lead installer $52,000; installer (full-time equivalents) $38,000; sales and office $30,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: truck fuel and maintenance $9,000, insurance $7,200, shop rent $10,800, lead advertising and marketing $26,000, estimating and invoicing software $2,400, accounting and legal $3,600, payroll taxes $14,000. These grow between 4% and 12% a year.
- Startup equipment and later purchases ($50,000 in Year 1, then $6,000, $28,000, $6,000 and $6,000) are spread evenly over five years in the plan's books.
- Customers and payers pay about 15 days after service, so at the end of Year 1 about $14,200 is still owed to us. Income tax at 21%.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs