Flooring Company

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

Executive Summary

True Level Flooring is a flooring company serving homeowners, landlords and small businesses in the north side of our city and the nearby suburbs. We install hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl plank, tile and carpet, with careful prep and clean finishes. New floors change how a home feels, but a poor installation shows up fast as gaps, squeaks, lifting boards or cracked tile. Many homeowners wait weeks for a flooring crew, get surprises in the final bill or find that the subfloor was never checked. We will win customers by measuring carefully, checking the subfloor, giving a clear written price and finishing on time. Here is what our numbers show. We expect sales of about $232,400 in Year 1, growing to about $929,200 by Year 5 as we add flooring installers and win more commercial contracts. We expect losses of about $35,600 in Year 1, $27,900 in Year 2 and $3,700 in Year 3 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 4 (about $53,900), growing to about $89,300 by Year 5. We need $118,000 in total. That covers $18,500 in startup costs (flooring tools, a trailer, opening supplies, license fees, insurance and samples) and a cash cushion of about three months of bills. I am putting in $16,000 of my own money, and I am asking for $88,500 as an SBA 7(a) loan, plus $13,500 from an investor or partner. In Year 1 I will use my own truck to haul the trailer and materials. I am Aisha Perry, the owner. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

True Level Flooring will be a limited liability company (LLC) in West Virginia, owned by Aisha Perry. We will work from my home, with the trailer parked in my driveway and materials stored in my garage. What we believe. Check the subfloor, measure twice, give a clear written price, finish on the day we promise and leave the house clean. What we offer:
- Hardwood, laminate and luxury vinyl plank installation. - Tile for floors, showers and backsplashes. - Carpet and stair installation. - Floor removal, subfloor repair and leveling. - Small commercial flooring for offices, shops and rentals. Licenses and insurance. Flooring rules vary. Some states and cities require a contractor license or registration for installation jobs, and many require one above a set dollar amount. Our state requires a contractor license for jobs over $1,000, so I will get my license before taking larger jobs. We will carry general liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. On homes built before 1978, we follow lead-safe rules when sanding or removing floors that might contain lead paint. Where things stand today. I have worked for a flooring contractor for four years, I own hand tools and a tile saw, and I have installed floors for friends and neighbors.

Problem & Opportunity

Homeowners and landlords near us want new floors that look good and last. 1. Slow starts. Good flooring crews are often booked for weeks. 2. Skipped prep. Installing over a damp, uneven or damaged subfloor leads to gaps, squeaks and failures. 3. Surprise costs. Subfloor repair, trim and furniture moving often appear on the final bill. 4. Mess. Dust, scraps and tracked-in dirt are common. How we know people want this. Five neighbors asked me for estimates last year, and a real estate agent said she needs a reliable installer for her listings.

Products & Services

What we sell. 1. Residential flooring installations. Installing new floors in homes, from one room to the whole house. Our plan assumes an average of about $3,600 per job in Year 1, rising to about $4,052 by Year 5. Flooring materials and direct costs run about $2,100 per job. We expect about 45 jobs in Year 1, growing to about 156 a year by Year 5. 2. Commercial flooring contracts. Larger jobs for offices, shops, restaurants and rental properties. Our plan assumes an average of about $8,800 per contract in Year 1, rising to about $9,904. Materials cost about $5,400 per contract. We expect about 8 contracts in Year 1, growing to about 30. Our prices. Laminate from $3 a square foot installed. Luxury vinyl plank from $4. Hardwood from $8. Tile from $10. How it works for the customer:
1. A free in-home estimate, with measurements and a look at the subfloor. 2. Help choosing materials, with samples to hold and a written price. 3. A set install date, with furniture moved and the area protected. 4. A clean finish, a final walk-through and a warranty on our work. Gross margin, explained. "Gross margin" is the share of each sale left after paying for materials and direct job costs. Our plan shows about 41% in Year 1. That money pays the owner and crew, vehicle costs, insurance and other bills.

Market Analysis

Who will hire us:
- Homeowners updating a room or the whole house. - Home sellers and real estate agents getting a property ready. - Landlords and property managers refreshing rentals. - Small businesses, offices and shops. Where we will work. A service area close enough to reach jobs easily, starting with four neighborhoods and two nearby towns within 20 minutes of my home. Season. Flooring work is steady all year, with extra demand before the holidays and in the spring. Commercial jobs often fill the slower weeks. Our plan is careful on purpose. About 45 residential jobs in Year 1 is a pace the owner and one installer can handle well.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices customers have:
1. Large flooring stores and chains. Big Floor Store (a made-up name) charges about $5 a square foot installed; known for choices, but slow to schedule. 2. Independent installers and handymen. Often cheaper, but may skip subfloor checks and insurance. 3. Doing it yourself. Cheaper, but hard to do well, especially tile and hardwood. How we will win customers: careful prep, clear written prices, reliable start dates, clean work and a warranty on our work.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How people will find us. - A free Google business listing with before-and-after photos, and a simple website. - Asking every happy customer for a review and a referral. - Relationships with real estate agents, property managers and interior designers. - Sample boards and truck magnets. - Posts in neighborhood groups like Nextdoor and Facebook. Marketing budget. About $6,000 a year. Sample boards, truck magnets and the website are paid for from startup costs.

Operations Plan

How the business runs day to day. Estimates and installs. The owner measures, quotes, orders materials and schedules installs by area. In Year 1 the owner works with one installer, and we grow to four installers by Year 5. Each job has a measured plan, a materials order (with extra for waste), a subfloor check and a final walk-through. Equipment. About $10,000 to start: tile saw; floor nailer, stapler and air compressor; hand tools, knee pads and layout tools; floor sander, grinder and dust extractor; used utility trailer. We set aside about $2,000 to $3,000 a year for repairs and replacements. Upkeep. Saws and sanders cleaned and serviced after every job, blades replaced on schedule and the trailer checked before each trip. Safety. Dust control and masks when sanding and cutting (tile and concrete dust can harm lungs), knee protection, safe lifting of heavy tile and boxes, and proper ventilation with adhesives. Running costs in Year 1: installation equipment about $9,000, showroom and sample costs about $6,000, marketing about $6,000. Scheduling and billing. A simple scheduling and invoicing app on my phone, with customers billed half at the start and half at completion.

Management & Organization

Who runs the business. Aisha Perry, owner. As owner I will install floors, measure and quote jobs, order materials, schedule installs and handle the money side of the business. I plan to pay myself $52,000 a year in salary in Year 1. Crew. Flooring installers at about $44,000 a year each (or part-time pay): one in Year 1, two in Year 2, three in Year 3, three in Year 4 and four in Year 5. People who will help us: a bookkeeper or tax preparer, an insurance agent, and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Daniel Russell serves as a key volunteer advisor.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them. - Before starting: register the business, get insurance, buy the saw, nailer and trailer, and make sample boards. Target start: February 2027. - First year: complete about 45 residential jobs and 8 commercial contracts, for about $232,400 in sales. - Year 2: add a second installer, about $360,900 in sales, and a loss of about $27,900. - Years 3 to 5: grow to four flooring installers and about $929,200 in sales by Year 5. Growth depends on hiring good people and winning the work, so treat the later years as goals, not promises. What we check every week: estimates given, installs finished, callbacks, material and fuel costs, and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total needed: $118,000. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan shows a minimum, and we plan to raise a little more than that so the loan payments in the early years are also covered. The calculator's number adds up: - Startup costs of $18,500, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section (about $10,000 for the tile saw, nailer, sander, tools and trailer, $2,500 for opening underlayment, adhesive and trim, $800 for a business license and contractor registration, $2,500 for the first insurance payment, $700 for business setup and bookkeeping software, and $2,000 for sample boards, truck magnets and a website). - A cash cushion of about $99,500: the deepest cash dip in the early months plus about three months of bills, so slow weeks do not put the business at risk. Lenders call this "working capital." - Together that comes to about $104,500 (rounded up to the nearest $500), which is the minimum the calculator shows. We are planning for $118,000, which adds room for the early loan payments. Where the money comes from: - My own money: $16,000. - Amount requested: $88,500. - From an investor or partner: $13,500. Kind of funding we are looking for: an SBA 7(a) loan through a local bank or community lender, plus investor or partner money, which is not paid back with interest but gives that person a share of the business. How we will pay it back. We expect losses of about $35,600 in Year 1, $27,900 in Year 2 and $3,700 in Year 3 while we build our customer base, then a profit from Year 4 (about $53,900), growing to about $89,300 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank every year of the plan. The loan is planned at 12.75% interest over 10 years, the most the SBA allows for a loan this size, so payments of about $1,308 a month are already included in our cash flow. What we are offering the lender: our equipment and trailer 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 or two rooms at a time on evenings and weekends using hand tools and rented equipment, while keeping your current job. Startup can be under $2,500. - Phase 2: once you have more jobs than you can handle part-time, buy the saw, sander and trailer 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 (one page is fine) and any licenses or certificates. - 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). - Proof of insurance, or a quote. - Quotes for the equipment and vehicle. - Your price list and a sample written estimate. - Photos of past work and references, if you have them. 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 Flooring Installations: about $3,600 per job in Year 1, rising to $4,052; about $2,100 per job in direct costs; about 45 jobs in Year 1, growing to 156. - Commercial Flooring Contracts: about $8,800 per contract in Year 1, rising to $9,904; about $5,400 per contract in direct costs; about 8 contracts in Year 1, growing to 30. - Owner salary: $52,000 a year. Crew: $44,000 a year each, from one in Year 1 to four in Year 5. - Other yearly costs in Year 1: installation equipment about $9,000, showroom and sample costs about $6,000, marketing about $6,000. - Tax rate: 21%. - Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs