As a flooring installer, have you ever shown up to a job site for a remodel or new construction only to find out that the job is not ready? The HVAC system is not in place and running, drywall is not hung and other wet trades have not been completed. This has happened one too many times at 50 Grit Flooring, so we decided to take action by co-hosting an educational event with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Southwest Ohio, designed to educate contractors on the importance of job-site readiness for hardwood flooring.
We sent invitations to all the home builders, remodelers and general contractors we knew, instructing them to bring their project managers and crew leaders with them. NARI helped get the word out by sharing it with their members as well.
The event took place on Aug. 19, and we created a classroom in our warehouse to present on job-site readiness for hardwood flooring pros. The entire presentation was referenced in accordance with the National Wood Floor Association’s standards and guidelines. The presentation addressed problems that we at 50 Grit Flooring always encounter, as we figured other contractors likely face the same issues. This included flatness regulations, different types of subfloors, and temperature and relative humidity environments. The presentation also went over some of the benefits of job-site readiness, including cost savings, quality assurance and fewer delays. We based our presentation on the NWFA guidelines rather than relying on our own knowledge in order to provide contractors with universal information that can be easily found online after our event. The goal of the event wasn’t to generate business for us—it was to help out our fellow hardwood flooring pros.
Aside from the presentation, we used the event to showcase our new location and freshly renovated space through tours of our warehouse and design center. We also brought in a food truck by Street Kitchens and had live music by up-and-coming musician Emma Hansman.
Feedback following the presentation was that it was very educational. As flooring professionals, so many of us assume that job-site readiness is basic knowledge. I am confident that every one of the 65 GCs in the room left the presentation having learned at least one thing they did not previously know. The very next day, a contractor called us to conduct a walkthrough of their project to ensure everything was ready before the wood delivery. His words were, “Everything that you talked about last night is going on at this job, and we want to make sure we get things right.” During the walkthrough, I noticed that the hygrometer we had gifted was hanging up at the job site, showing further proof that our message had been received.
The event took months to plan, which included renting tables and chairs, booking the music and food truck, promoting the event and putting together the presentation, but being able to help out other contractors was worth all the work. We plan to host another event like this in the future, so this was a valuable learning opportunity on how to organize an event like this and the work that goes into it. Our mission at 50 Grit Flooring is to collaborate on finding the best solutions. That was the exact purpose of this event: a collaboration between the installer and the GC. Not only did it help to educate, but it also strengthened our relationship with so many of our trade partners. I strongly suggest that any flooring contractor follow our lead and share their knowledge with the trades that surround your business.
