Family Craftsmanship Backed by a Proven Franchise System

This article was originally published in Patch.com on February 13, 2026. Norwalk, CT — When Troy Heidenberg opened a Floor Coverings International, he wasn’t stepping into an unfamiliar trade—he was returning to the work that shaped him. Serving Fairfield County communities including Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield, Easton, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Redding and Danbury (among others), Heidenberg is building a business grounded in old-school craftsmanship.

Heidenberg, 31, credits his earliest—and most influential—training to his first job: working alongside his father, a wood-flooring expert with more than 40 years in the trade. Throughout high school and college, Heidenberg worked firsthand in the field, learning the demanding, detail-driven nature of flooring work from the subfloor up.

“I learned what it takes to build a high-skill craft by hand,” Heidenberg said. “Everybody has a floor and it’s something we look at every day. ‘If you open a door, you see a floor.’ Making homeowners love their floor helps them love their home… it’s something that most customers have an emotional connection with.”

That early experience wasn’t limited to basic projects. Heidenberg spent years helping with a wide range of installations, sanding, and refinishing—everything from classic Oak floor refinishing to exotic Brazilian hardwood installations and custom carpentry work. The result is a foundation built on real jobsite problem-solving: understanding how materials behave, how finishes perform, and why preparation and precision matter long after the tools are put away.

Flooring, for Heidenberg, isn’t just a business category; it’s a family legacy. “My family has over 100 years of combined flooring experience. It’s something I’ve been around my entire life. I am passionate about and know it very well,” he said.

That blend—deep roots with fresh perspective—shows up in how Heidenberg educates customers. While he still appreciates the timeless appeal of solid hardwood, he’s equally focused on helping homeowners understand today’s expanded range of durable, design-forward options at all price points.

He points to major improvements in pre-finished hardwood products, which can offer exceptional durability and a simpler homeowner experience. Manufactured to rigorous specifications, today’s pre-finished options allow homeowners to get a customized, real-wood product with less disruption in their home.

Heidenberg also sees significant value in categories that have changed dramatically in the past two decades, especially Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) and modern laminate. These options can replicate the look and feel of wood while delivering impressive performance at more accessible price points. “These products have many qualities of hardwoods—such as look, feel and performance—but at more attractive price points,” he explained, pointing to the efficiency and scale of modern manufacturing.

Before launching his flooring business, Heidenberg graduated from Boston College and spent eight years of his career in investment banking and private equity, working on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, and investments. He believes the experience gave him an unusually sharp lens on what make businesses good versus great.

“In my career I evaluated hundreds of businesses,” he said. “I saw what a good business looks like and what an excellent business looks like, from customer service to product to people and technology. It was clear to me: if you go above and beyond for customers at every single step, your business will succeed. Everything else is second.”

Heidenberg chose to build with the Floor Coverings International system because, he says, it aligns with what he believes homeowners want most: clarity, confidence, and a smooth process from selection through installation. “Whether it’s ordering coffee on an app or getting your groceries delivered into your refrigerator, customers in 2026 demand an easy experience in all aspects of their life. We’ve refined decades of experience at Floor Coverings International to provide the most seamless customer experience that is not even comparable to the rest of the industry.”

With his new business now open and serving communities across Fairfield County, Heidenberg is focused on helping homeowners make decisions they’ll feel good about every day—because, as he puts it, ‘If you open a door, you see a floor.’

For more information or to schedule an in-home consultation, visit the location page at floorcoveringsinternational.com/locations/us/ct/fairfield/ or call (203) 701-7957.