What a flooring proposal is for
Flooring customers often know the look they want but not the trade-offs: water resistance, wear, comfort and resale. Three products on the same rooms, with the same prep, show the price of each and what it gives. It lets them decide in one visit instead of collecting samples for weeks.
What to put on a flooring proposal
- The same rooms and prep in each.
- The product and its strengths.
- Care and water resistance.
- Warranty differences.
- One acceptance line.
A worked example
The same 750 sq ft main floor. Price each product from your supplier and labor rates.
Option 1: Good: carpet. Soft and quiet; not for the kitchen.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove old flooring | 750 | sq ft | Your price |
| Carpet and pad, installed | 600 | sq ft | Your price |
| Sheet vinyl, kitchen | 150 | sq ft | Your price |
Option 2: Better: luxury vinyl plank. Water resistant, pet friendly, one floor throughout.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove old flooring | 750 | sq ft | Your price |
| Underlayment | 750 | sq ft | Your price |
| Luxury vinyl plank, installed | 790 | sq ft | Your price |
| Quarter round | 240 | ft | Your price |
Option 3: Best: engineered hardwood. Real wood surface, can be refinished, warm look.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove old flooring | 750 | sq ft | Your price |
| Underlayment | 750 | sq ft | Your price |
| Engineered hardwood, installed | 790 | sq ft | Your price |
| New baseboard | 240 | ft | Your price |
Keep removal and prep identical in all three so the difference is the floor. Say in each note how it handles water and pets.
Line items flooring installers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury vinyl plank, installed | sq ft | Product line, wear layer and click or glue-down. |
| Engineered hardwood, installed | sq ft | Species, width and floating, nail or glue. |
| Solid hardwood, installed | sq ft | Species, grade and finish. |
| Tile, installed | sq ft | Tile size and pattern; tile itself an allowance or supplied. |
| Carpet and pad, installed | sq ft | Carpet line and pad weight. |
| Remove and haul old flooring | sq ft | Carpet, tile, vinyl or wood; glued floors take longer. |
| Subfloor leveling | sq ft | Self-leveler or grinding where the floor is out of flat. |
| Underlayment | sq ft | Type and whether it is a vapor barrier. |
| Baseboard or quarter round | ft | Remove and reinstall, or new. |
| Transitions and thresholds | each | Where floors meet. |
| Stair treads | each | Per step. |
| Move furniture | room | Say what you move and what the owner moves. |
| Sand and refinish hardwood | sq ft | Coats and stain color. |
Terms and deposit language for flooring
- Deposit. A deposit at signing orders flooring, which often needs time to arrive and acclimate. Check your state's rules on deposits.
- Payment. Balance due when the floor is installed and trim is done.
- Warranty. Products carry the maker's warranty, which may require proper installation and moisture limits. State how long you warrant your installation.
- Subfloor condition is checked after removal; repairs or leveling found are priced by change order.
- Material quantities include a waste allowance; leftover boxes stay with the customer.
- Doors may need trimming for new floor heights; say who does it.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Check each option's name, its one-line difference and its lines.
- Add your prices; each option totals on its own.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print it, download it, or send it from Koira so the customer can pick and sign on the phone.
Free tools for flooring
The same proposal for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.