Floor Coverings International Franchisee Says Family Drives His Passion to Flourish

This article was originally posted in American Towns on August 7th, 2024. (Houston, TX) – When family comes first, good things follow. That philosophy is going to serve Preston Dumas well since he announced the opening of Floor Coverings International of Clear Lake, serving a wide territory including League City, Friendswood, Clear Lake, Seabrook, Kemah, Clear Lake Shores, Nassau Bay, El Lago, Taylor Lake Village, Dickinson, Bacliff, San Leon, Bayview, Webster and parts of Houston and Texas City.

Dumas is joined in the venture – which officially opened its doors on June 17, 2024 – by his wife, Emily, who serves in the combined role of project coordinator and office manager. In addition, Miles Dumas, Preston’s brother, will serve as the team’s Design Associate. To say that family is the bedrock of their business is not an understatement. “I have a wife and two young children,” Preston said. “They are the reason I get up and go to work each day. When I leave the house, I want to make sure that my time spent away from them directly impacts our lifestyle in a positive way. I want to be proud of the products I sell and the service I provide. As a business owner, I get to ensure that happens on every job. Whether we sell a floor or not, we strive to help our customers make the best experience they can have with us a positive one.”

Forty-seven-year-old Preston spent more than 25 years in hospitality and sales management, a background that he believes closely parallels his new career. “I’ve always gravitated toward solving problems for customers with a focus on customer service,” Dumas said. “Flooring is the same thing: customers come to me with flooring problems they need to solve, and everyone appreciates a great customer experience.”

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. And Dumas speaks from experience…plenty of experience.

“Most people only buy a floor on average 1.7 times in their entire life. My wife and I have replaced flooring in our house five times prior to owning Floor Coverings International,” Dumas said. “We have the unique experience of understanding how transformative a new floor can be and I really want to be able to share that feel-good experience with my customers. We can’t all afford to move every time we get bored with our living space, but we can change the flooring and feel as though a dream came true.”

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 Houston 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.

Preston’s background has uniquely positioned him to navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship, especially working alongside his wife. His advice to aspiring franchisees is grounded in honesty and realism. “My wife and I both realize the most important thing is to trust and respect one another and stay in your lane,” Preston said. “And my advice to other franchisees is to do your research and find something that speaks to you the way Floor Coverings International did to us. Once you can get behind an idea, it becomes fun and rewarding.”

And while the real estate market may still be somewhat fickle, those who do take the plunge and become movers, are also shakers when it comes to their flooring, Dumas said. “Fifty percent of new home buyers replace a floor in the first six months and our area is growing fast,” he said. “Both millennials and boomers are turning to home improvements and remodeling rather than moving. Every one of these people can benefit from the fantastic customer experience we provide.”