December 2023 | E&M Services

Choosing a commercial flooring contractor for your business can be a difficult decision. With so many contractors, how do you pick out the pros from the Cowboys? Choosing the wrong contractor can have negative implications for your business, including costs and damage to your reputation. Discover how the right flooring can benefit your business Fortunately, there are some things you can look out for. Consider these 10 tips to make the process smoother when choosing a commercial flooring contractor easier: 1. Experience The first tip to look out for when choosing a commercial flooring contractor is their experience. Do they specialise in a specific type of flooring? How many years of experience do they have? These are essential questions to answer when looking at potential flooring contractors. The experience of a commercial flooring contractor can be a significant factor in determining the best one. While some new flooring contractors may provide good work, working with an experienced contractor can be more advantageous. Experienced flooring contractors are more adept at overcoming problems or setbacks. They are also likely to have worked with a range of clients too. At E&M Services, we have over 30 years of experience in the flooring business, with experience installing a range of beautiful floors. 2. Reputation Another factor to consider in deciding on a commercial flooring contractor is their reputation. A flooring contractor's reputation will be the most significant indicator of whether they are trustworthy. You can check a contractor’s reputation by looking at online reviews or obtaining client testimonials. E&M Services has a long-standing reputation in the Midlands as a high-quality flooring contractor. We also have vast knowledge and experience with many flooring options and can help you choose the right flooring for the job. We pride ourselves on our long-standing reputation for reliability and quality service. 3. Expertise Expertise is another tip to consider when choosing a commercial flooring contractor. You should consider whether the flooring contractor has the expertise or specialism to install your desired flooring properly. Some flooring contractors may only specialise in a particular type of flooring or have limited experience with installing your choice of flooring. You should also consider if the flooring contractor has subfloor experience, as this can go a long way in delivering a high-quality installation. Our vast experience at E&M Services covers a range of beautiful flooring options, including carpet, carpet tiles, luxury vinyl tiles, vinyl, and linoleum. We also have extensive expertise in dealing with all kinds of subflooring problems. We also have expertise in working in a range of commercial environments. We’ve successfully installed retail flooring in restaurants, shops, and airports, safety flooring for healthcare premises, linoleum for sports premises, and carpet tiles for schools and colleges. 4. Certifications and Accreditations Another tip is to look out for certifications and accreditations. Some certifications and accreditations a flooring contractor may have include CHAS, Constructionline, CFA, and ISO 9001. Flooring contractors must meet strict standards and criteria to gain these certifications and accreditations. For example, CHAS requires compliance with health and safety procedures. At E&M Services, we are both accredited by CHAS and Constructionline. 5. Warranties and Guarantees Warranties and guarantees are an important safeguard in manual labour jobs, including flooring installations. When choosing a commercial flooring contractor, you should always check if they offer a warranty or guarantee for the work they complete. You should contact a flooring contractor beforehand and find out what coverage they provide, how long for, and what is covered under the warranty or guarantee. 6. Cost The cost will be one of the most significant deciding factors when choosing a commercial flooring contractor. Many may opt for the cheapest option, but that may not always be the best for your business. The flooring quality or standard of work may not live up to expectations. Opting for cheaper flooring may also wear out much quicker, leading to a higher long-term cost in replacing or repairing the floor. Consider this when deciding on the cost a contractor has provided. Also, check that a flooring contractor has no hidden fees. It is essential to know about a project's costs upfront before starting. Businesses working on a tight budget may not have sufficient funds for unexpected costs. 7. Timeline The timeline or timeframe a commercial flooring contractor provides for completing a flooring project can also be another tip that affects your choice. Flooring installations will cause delays to a business. While a good flooring contractor will try to minimise disruption, it can’t always be helped. In some cases, the disruption to a business can affect the daily operations. If this is the case, business owners will want to pick a timeframe that ensures the job gets done quickly but professionally. Experienced flooring contractors, like E&M Services, can deliver quality flooring installations on time and within budget. 8. Health and Safety One factor that may slip people’s minds when choosing a commercial flooring contractor is health and safety. When choosing a commercial flooring contractor, it’s important to consider their health and safety practices. A professional and reliable flooring contractor will achieve a flooring installation in the safest possible way. To ensure this, they will have appropriate health and safety procedures to reduce the risk of accidents on your business premises. Health and safety are the top areas assessed under a PAS91 during the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). To ensure the highest safety standards, E&M Services has a health and safety specialist to ensure no safety risks to those on the premises while work is carried out. 9. Reviews and Testimonials When choosing a commercial flooring contractor, you should look at the reviews and testimonials from previous clients. While you can do this online, there is a better way to obtain more insightful and trustworthy client feedback. The best way to check a commercial flooring contractor's reputation is by checking out their previous clients. Contacting previous clients is a great way to determine their reputation. In some cases, you may also see samples of previous work. The more research you conduct on a contractor’s reputation, the more confidence you’ll have in their integrity and honesty. Over the 30 years in business, E&M Services has worked with clients to build a solid reputation as a top Midlands flooring contractor. You can check out some of our previous work here: Stoke St Michaels Community Centre Refurbishment Mary’s Church Coventry Refurbishment Project Hollyfast Primary School Reception Refurbishment 10. Links With Manufacturers Our last tip is to check whether they have any links within the industry, such as with manufacturers. A top flooring contractor will have connections with various manufacturers, including product manufacturers. You can also do this in reverse and check with manufacturers if they have any familiarity or links to a flooring contractor. This can help add that extra safety factor to your decision for the right flooring contractor. We have links with several flooring manufacturers at E&M Services to deliver high-quality and professional flooring installations. Some manufacturers we have links with include Ambiance, Karndean, Lifestyle Floors, and Burmatex. Choosing the right commercial flooring contractor for your business can be long and challenging. But by considering the 10 tips above, selecting a flooring contractor from a pool of choices is much easier. It will also help you choose a flooring contractor that is right for your business to help boost your business reputation and image.

10 tips for choosing a commercial flooring contractor

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