Did you ever feel like you have done a lot, but not a lot got done? We started off installing some trim, then had to switch trailers so we could have the flatbed to pick up wood and take it to the job. I got a call from a friend who was trying to get glue off the subfloor and not having any luck. I helped them out and then got the wood in the house and took the trash from the last install to the city dump. I did not make a bunch of money, but I got some stuff done.
I have been asked if I work for anyone full time now and do flooring as a hobby? I am doing this full time and have been for almost two years now. We started Cardinal Hardwood in 2006 with the desire to earn extra income, but as you all know, Clarke American Sanders let me go, so this has become my main source of income. I have to deal with the day-to-day struggles just like anyone else working in the wood flooring trade. I do not get free stuff from anyone; I buy supplies from Jeffco Flooring, Greer Company. and MTL. My wood comes from a mill in Henry, Tenn., and I also buy stuff from a local HWI hardware/builder supply company here in Paris, Tenn. We do not take work from anyone; I bid the work just like anyone else and trust that my knowledge will sell the jobs.
A great key to being a contractor is learning how to handle each day; every day brings a new task or challenge that only adds to your skills as a floor person. I enjoy the work and yes, I go home with the same back pain or tired body just like the rest of the world. Would I go back to work for a large company again? I'm not sure at this point, but truth be told, no one has asked, so at the end of the day all one can do is the best work they can and trust God for the rest.
I hope that clears that up and answers question for a few people; this is not a hobby, it is a life path and one of the greatest learning times in my life. I look forward to sharing my day-to-day "life" stories and truly with all my heart thank the NWFA and Hardwood Floors for all they do for me and my family. The education from the classes and information is second to none.
