Commercial flooring is won by whoever shows three things the buyer worries about: how long the material takes to arrive, what the subfloor needs before anything goes down, and whether you can install after hours. Put those three lines in every bid. Then aim at two buyers: the general contractor's project manager on new builds and tenant improvements, and the property or facility manager on replacements. Below is how to find each, a bid format with numbers that add up, and the emails and follow-ups that fit.

This differs from residential flooring because homeowners pick a look and a date, while commercial buyers have a schedule that other trades depend on. A floor that arrives two weeks late holds up painters, furniture installers and a tenant's move-in. If you also do homes, how to get customers for a flooring company covers that side. Rocketship finds business buyers, so everything here is aimed at contractors and managers, not homeowners.

Two buyers: GCs and facility managers

A general contractor on a new build or tenant improvement (TI) wants a flooring sub who prices clearly and shows up on the day. The person to reach is the project manager or the estimator. A facility or property manager replacing worn carpet or a damaged floor wants minimal disruption and a fixed price. Reach the property manager, the facilities manager or the director of operations at the building owner. They're different pitches. The GC cares about schedule and the bid line items. The facility manager cares about tenants, noise, and when it will be done.

Tenant improvements and replacements as triggers

Four triggers. A tenant improvement permit, which is public and names the contractor. A new lease signing, where a business is moving into space and wants it ready on a date. A flood, leak or wear complaint at a building. A lease renewal, when landlords often refresh finishes to keep a tenant. Permit records, commercial real estate news, and listings of newly leased space all hold names. See how to find property managers to sell to for the second kind of buyer.

Finding projects and managers by name

Weekly routine, 30 minutes: scan new commercial permits (tenant improvement, alteration, new construction) in your county, note the GC listed, find the project manager's name and email. Do the same for the top 20 property management companies in your metro, and note their buildings. Rocketship can build this list, show 25 buyers by name before you spend a lead, and email them from your own Gmail. If you're doing it by hand, how to find general contractors to sell to lists sources.

Bids that show lead time and prep

Illustrative example: a 4,800 square foot office tenant improvement in luxury vinyl tile. Numbers are made up to show the layout.

  • Material: 4,800 sq ft plus 10 percent waste is 5,280 sq ft, at $3.40 a sq ft: $17,952. Lead time: 5 to 6 weeks from order, confirmed with the supplier in writing.
  • Moisture testing: 3 in-situ relative humidity tests (ASTM F2170 is the standard method) at $150 each: $450. Required before install; results in 3 days.
  • Subfloor prep: grind and patch, 4,800 sq ft at $1.35: $6,480. Skimcoat extra if flatness fails; priced per sq ft.
  • Install labor: 4,800 sq ft at $2.10: $10,080.
  • After-hours premium: 25 percent on labor, $2,520, for nights 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
  • Total: $37,482.

Check the math: 17,952 + 450 + 6,480 + 10,080 + 2,520 = 37,482. Below the numbers, state the schedule: order placed on approval; material arrives week 6; moisture test week 1 to 2; prep week 7; install weeks 7 to 8; adhesive needs 24 to 72 hours before foot traffic, depending on the product. A buyer comparing bids can see exactly what is and isn't in yours. Exclusions: furniture moves, base and transitions beyond the plan, any work under existing flooring that is not shown. Then validity: "price held for 30 days; material prices change after that."

A first email to a project manager, with a sample

Subject: Flooring for the Pinecrest Tower suite 410 TI (permit issued Sept 29)

Hi Ayesha, I saw the tenant improvement permit for suite 410 at Pinecrest Tower. Ironwood Commercial Flooring does LVT, carpet tile and polished concrete for offices around Charlotte. If flooring isn't awarded, I can walk the suite this week and give you a bid that shows material lead time, moisture testing and subfloor prep, and an after-hours option, in separate lines. If it's already awarded, tell me who has it and I'll be on the list for the next one.

Marcus Boyd, Ironwood Commercial Flooring, marcus@ironwoodcf.example, 900 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202. Reply "stop" to end these emails.

CAN-SPAM applies: accurate From and subject, your physical address, a working opt-out. Names of the permit and suite show you did the research, which is what a project manager notices first.

Following up on material lead times

Lead time is the follow-up. After the bid, send a note on day 3: "I checked with the mill and the pattern is still at 5 to 6 weeks. If your schedule needs it sooner, I can quote an in-stock alternative." Material lead times shift, so a call that gives fresh information beats "just checking in." Day 10: call and ask what the critical date is. Day 21: if the GC hasn't decided, send the stock option with a date to order by. More wording in how to follow up on a quote.

Getting onto an approved list

Many GCs and property management companies keep approved subcontractor and vendor lists. Ask the project manager after a job: "Who maintains your approved sub list, and what do they need from me?" Typical needs: a certificate of insurance, a W-9, a safety record and two references. Keep a ready packet: insurance certificate, W-9, three project photos with square footage, and a one-page schedule sample. Once you're on a list, you receive bid invitations instead of hunting. Related trade pages with a similar bid layout: excavation contracts and demolition contracts.

The weekly search and the emails are the grind. Rocketship finds the buyers, emails them from your own Gmail, follows up, and books the meeting on its own. Plans that get you customers start at $24.99 a month (Launch), and both Launch and Frontier start with a 7-day free trial, card required. Answering your existing number works on Launch, with call minutes bought as you go ($15 for 50), and a dedicated line is $5 a month. See the AI workers.