Father & Son-In-Law Duo Bring Floor Coverings International to Wellington, FL
This article was originally published in Patch on June 11, 2024. (Wellington, FLA.) – For Ed Walsh, many years in Commercial Cleaning certainly came in handy when COVID-19 hit. He is now happily operating Floor Coverings International of Greater Wellington, a Florida Market that includes Wellington, West Palm Beach, Royal Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Loxahatchee, and parts of Western Boynton Beach.
“Prior to this, I was Vice President of one of the most respected commercial and medical cleaning service providers. I was responsible for approximately 1,000 people throughout the entire state of Florida when COVID hit. Those three years were the most challenging of my career,” said Walsh. “With many unknowns, sleepless nights, worry, and concern about protecting my team. I, searched for answers, to make the right decisions that would support those I was responsible for leading, while serving, protecting, and educating our customers and their customers, including my own family and friends about cleaning and safety rules for COVID.
“During this reflection period, I realized I wanted to take on a new challenge and find a way to create a greater quality of life. Starting my own business would afford me this chance and provide a path to have my daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren relocate to Florida and build a Legacy Business that would give me a purpose-driven life again. This also has given my son-in-law, Ian Joyner, the opportunity to be part of starting up our business.”
Enter Floor Coverings International. The top brand in flooring in 2024 with growth exceeding all other home improvement franchises in North America. In 2023, FCI awarded 95 franchise locations covering more than 160 territories with awards from top publications and business brokers for being “Best in Class.”
“In the end, I chose Floor Coverings International because I was impressed with the Leadership, Philosophy, Training, Tools, Resources, and their focus on doing the right things, AND primarily a true and sincere commitment to delivering ‘Real Solutions’ and not just ‘selling’ flooring,” adds Walsh. “They do this by providing the best In-Home Flooring Experience in North America, producing raving fans. I believe that the support and domain knowledge from our Corporate Partner specifically in the flooring industry is second to none.”
FCI offers a wide variety of flooring options, including carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl stone, tile, and engineered flooring. The Design Associates at Floor Coverings International provide personalized assistance in making selections and the mobile showroom allows clients to see how different options will look with existing furniture, lighting, and paint colors all within the comfort of their home. “We also have a private studio showroom accessible by appointment specifically designed to support our B2B2C clientele including real estate professionals, interior designers, disaster recovery, home and business renovation partners, and many more,” said Walsh.
With Floor Coverings International having already revolutionized the market, the flooring industry is undergoing significant changes and innovations as well, as consumers demand more quality, variety, and sustainability in their flooring choices. Current market conditions are also factoring into when and why consumers decide to invest in new flooring. According to U.S. Bank, the housing market continues to be strongly affected by elevated interest rates.
Higher rates, combined with rising home values, means housing is now a much costlier expense for potential buyers than was the case only a few years ago, it reported. As a result, people might be choosing to stay in their current homes and remodel, rather than move.
The big flooring favorites throughout the system? Pet-and kid-friendly floors that clean up with one mopping and look like genuine wood. Favorites in the Florida market include:
- Sustainable Materials: Homeowners are turning to laminate flooring crafted from eco-friendly materials such as recycled wood fibers.
- Authentic Wood Look: The demand for realistic-looking wood floors continues to soar.
- Waterproof Performance: Given recent erratic weather conditions, waterproof laminate floors are hot!
- Vinyl Flooring: As technology advances, vinyl flooring gets close to natural wood and stone looks that are easily cleaned with a damp mop.
- Carpet: There are still die-hard carpet lovers because of the feeling and look of cozy and warm. Not so much shag. More flat piles, textures and patterned looks are available.
- Engineered Hardwood Flooring: This is the best luxury flooring offering real wood veneers with remarkably high quality and detail.
“I am thrilled by the continuous advancements in hardwood, carpet, vinyl, and laminate products. These materials are becoming increasingly durable with features like enhanced scratch-resistance and stain-resistance becoming standard,” Walsh said. “The industry’s ongoing innovation and improvement in its products is thrilling and I am eager to bring these high-quality, innovative options to my community.”
For more information about a consultation go to: wellington.floorcoveringsinternational.com.
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About Floor Coverings International
Norcross, GA-based Floor Coverings International ranks consistently as the No. 1 Mobile Flooring Franchise in North America by Entrepreneur Magazine. The 240 franchisees (with 95 more under development) and their Design Associates offer a unique in-home experience with a mobile showroom that comes directly to the client’s door. More than 3,000 flooring choices are available to view in the home with and alongside the existing lighting, paint, and furniture. The company will open more locations throughout the U.S. and Canada through franchise expansion. For franchise information, please visit www.flooring-franchise.com.
