Summer is almost over! Vacations are finished, kids are heading back to school, you can see an end to the heat and football is in the air! Work is getting back to a regular routine. You may be thinking about a couple of year-end projects you need to get done in your industrial facility. Is it new lighting, rearranging workflow, new equipment, installing a new epoxy floor or polishing concrete? No matter what project you have in mind, now is the time to start your epoxy floor project planning.

Every year, in my 22 years of epoxy flooring installation, I have one or two manufacturing facilities call in the first two weeks of December to get their floors coated or polished. Unfortunately, we have to tell them it is too late. The last few weeks of every year are in high demand, because facilities shut down and spend the last of their budget money to make facility improvements. The old saying “the early bird gets the worm” is true in industrial project planning. Let’s walk through a timeline on planning a successful project. (I will use epoxy flooring projects for reference.)

Timeline to plan a great Epoxy Floor project

Decide on the project you are considering. Consider needs, wants and budget. Estimated time 1 – 2 weeks.
Now, you have to meet with contractors and vendors. If you push, you could meet with three to four in a week or two.
If you press potential contractors, you should have all your quotes back in a week.
All your quotes are in, and you are looking at options and different approaches to the project. You need to now meet with your team to decide your direction and to prepare questions for your potential contractors. Depending on your facility and departments involved, this could take 1 – 2 weeks.
Send questions, and request for final quotes back out. 1 week.
Now you’ve selected your contractor. You can issue them a PO. Every facility is different, but 1 week is possible. Remember they have to be set up in your system as a vendor and a COI issued. Think through the requirements of your facility.

The timeline above is a six-week window based on each “phase” taking only a week. This is just to get a PO issued. I know it can be done faster but will it be done thoroughly and correctly? Plus, keep in mind that after the PO is issued, there are still things that need to be done and considered – https://liquidfloors.com/resources/how-to-plan-your-project

If you are thinking about spending money on an epoxy floor at your year-end shutdown you want to make sure you spend your money wisely and you get the best contractor for the job. The best way to do that is to plan it, and planning takes time. Liquid Floors, Inc. can help you start – call 704-543-7565 or email at info@liquidfloors.com