What to Ask Before Hiring a Commercial Flooring Contractor in Austin

I've been doing commercial flooring in Austin for years. I've walked into spaces after other contractors left them half-finished. I've seen property managers sign contracts that didn't include subfloor prep, then get blindsided by a $4,000 change order on day two. I've also seen business owners get taken by the lowest bid on a restaurant kitchen floor that failed a health inspection three months later.

So before you hire anyone — including us — here are the questions you should be asking. If a contractor can't answer them clearly, that tells you everything you need to know.

1. Are You Licensed and Insured for Commercial Work in Texas?

This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many crews operating in Austin are working without proper coverage. Ask for a certificate of insurance that shows general liability and workers' compensation. The GL should be at least $1 million per occurrence. If they can't produce it same day, move on.

For commercial jobs in Austin, also ask if they can provide a COI naming your business as an additional insured. Any contractor who has done real commercial work knows what this means and will have it ready.

2. Can You Give Me an Itemized Bid?

A lump-sum bid is a red flag. It means the contractor is either hiding something or doesn't know their own costs well enough to break them out. A real commercial flooring bid should separate demo and haul-off, subfloor prep, moisture testing, material, labor, transitions, baseboards, and cleanup.

When we bid a job, every line item is visible. If you're comparing bids and one is $3,000 cheaper but doesn't include subfloor prep, it's not actually cheaper. It's a setup for a change order.

3. Have You Done This Type of Space Before?

A contractor who is great at residential LVP installs is not automatically qualified to floor a commercial kitchen. Restaurant floors require NSF-certified materials, sanitary cove base, and knowledge of health code requirements in Travis County. Office spaces have different subfloor requirements than retail. Ask for references from similar projects — not just a portfolio photo.

If you're in Austin and you're doing a restaurant, ask specifically whether they've worked with the Austin Public Health inspection process. The answer will tell you a lot.

4. What Is Your Plan for Minimizing Business Disruption?

For most commercial clients in Austin, the floor has to get done without shutting down the business for a week. Ask whether they offer after-hours or weekend scheduling. Ask how they handle dust and debris containment. Ask what happens if the job runs long.

We've done restaurant floors that started at 10pm and were done before the morning prep crew arrived. We've phased office installs room by room so employees never lost a full workday. If a contractor hasn't thought about this, they haven't done much real commercial work.

5. What Does Your Warranty Cover?

Material warranties come from the manufacturer. Labor warranties come from the contractor. Make sure you understand both. A contractor who offers no labor warranty is telling you they don't stand behind their work. At Capital City Flooring Austin, every commercial install comes with a 5-year craftsmanship warranty. That's not a marketing line — it's in the contract.

Also ask what voids the warranty. Some contractors write warranties so full of exclusions they're essentially worthless. Read it before you sign.

6. Who Is Actually Doing the Work?

Some flooring companies in Austin are essentially brokers. They take your job, mark it up, and hand it to a sub. That's not always bad, but you should know. Ask whether the crew doing the work is employed by the company or subcontracted. Ask if the person you're talking to will be on site during the install.

We run our own crews. When you call me, I'm the one who shows up. That's not the case with every company in Austin, and there's nothing wrong with using subs if they're vetted — but you deserve to know who is walking into your building.

7. What Happens If You Find a Problem Under the Floor?

Subfloor surprises are the number one source of commercial flooring disputes in Austin. Moisture, old adhesive, uneven concrete, previous water damage — these things happen, especially in older buildings in East Austin, South Congress, and downtown. Ask the contractor how they handle it when they find something unexpected.

A good contractor will tell you upfront what they'll do, what it costs, and how they'll communicate before they spend a dollar of your money on it. A bad contractor will just do the work and hand you a bill.

The Bottom Line

Austin has a lot of flooring contractors. Some are excellent. Some are not. The questions above will separate them fast. If you're getting bids right now and want a straight comparison, call us. We'll walk you through our bid line by line and answer every one of these questions without hesitation.

Frequently Asked Questions