We use cookies to keep you signed in and to see what's working and what breaks. No advertising cookies, nothing sold. Details in our Cookie Policy.
Straight answers
The questions people ask most about starting and running a flooring business in Ontario. Answered straight, with links to the official sources.
Resilient and LVT have the most volume and commercial work and the fastest learning curve — but they're the hardest on your knees. Hardwood (especially refinishing) and tile carry craft premiums and higher tickets. A common play is to start in high-volume LVT/carpet for cash flow, then move toward hardwood refinishing or tile for margin and a longer body life.
Yes — it's hours a day on your knees and bent over, and knees and backs feel it over the years. Good kneepads and a kneeling board help, but the real protection is planning a move toward refinishing (you're standing behind a sander), estimating, or running a crew before your knees force the issue.
Document, document, document. Most flooring failures — cupping hardwood, peeling LVT, failed adhesive — are moisture failures originating in the subfloor or slab, not your install. Run ASTM moisture tests over concrete, record the readings, and flag problems in writing before you install. The installers who get burned are the ones who laid floor over a wet slab and have no record they warned anyone.
Residential and commercial install work is often piece rate (per square foot/yard), so your income tracks your speed — great once you're fast, rough while you're learning. Hourly is more common on complex tile, commercial accounts, and union work. As with drywall, know your speed honestly before you choose piece over hourly.
It's one of the smartest lanes in flooring: good margins, steady demand (every old hardwood floor eventually needs it), and far easier on the body than crawling around laying floor all day — you're standing behind a sander. The catch is dust management (dustless systems are worth it) and finish quality. Many installers add refinishing as the higher-margin, longer-career play.
Low barrier — tools, a vehicle, and skill. No licence required. Many start as a solo installer subbing for flooring retailers, then add a crew and sometimes a retail/supply side (selling the product carries its own margin). Becoming a manufacturer-certified installer and mastering moisture testing unlocks the commercial and warrantied work where the better money is.
No provincial trade licence — flooring is non-compulsory. You need a business licence, WSIB, and insurance. The Floor Covering Installer (448A) and tile-setter (241A) certificates are voluntary but valued for commercial and manufacturer-warrantied work.
Start with tools and a vehicle, incorporate, register WSIB and CRA, and carry liability insurance. Becoming a manufacturer-certified installer and learning ASTM moisture testing unlocks the commercial and warranty work where margins are better than cash-job residential.
A sole proprietorship is cheaper and simpler to start, but you are personally liable for the business's debts and claims. Incorporating creates a separate legal entity that limits personal liability, can reduce tax once you are profitable, and reads as more credible to larger clients. Most contractors incorporate once they have employees, real revenue, or work on others' property.
Yes — construction is a mandatory WSIB sector in Ontario. Even independent operators and partners with no employees generally must register, and clients and general contractors will require a valid WSIB clearance certificate before you can work on their site.
You must register for and charge HST once your revenue exceeds $30,000 over four consecutive quarters. Many contractors register before that threshold so they can claim input tax credits on tools, materials, and vehicles from day one.
Ontario's Construction Act sets the rules: a 10% holdback on most contracts, prompt-payment timelines (you must be paid within set periods after a proper invoice), and an adjudication process for disputes. Understanding holdback, lien rights, and prompt payment is essential to protecting your cash flow.