One of the challenges we all face as commercial flooring contractors is the extra material we generate from our projects. Extra flooring materials mean there’s more inventory to track, and more inventory means more space is taken up in our warehouses. As I have traveled around the country visiting our network members, in every case I see warehouses that have loads of extra material left over from projects that have been long completed. We fondly refer to this extra inventory as overstock.
In the normal course of business, as we bid jobs, we wind up with leftover materials. How does this happen? There is always a certain amount of waste on a project first off due to room sizes and job layout, and the fact that materials must be cut and sized to fit the project. Additionally, flooring contractors order extra materials due to box sizes in hard surface, such as LVT and VCT, and roll sizes, which are found in carpet and sheet vinyl goods. When it comes to broadloom, pattern repeats must be figured into the order, whereas additional material is required so that the pattern is not compromised during installation. Lastly, many products are made to order, therefore we are required to purchase 5% overage (or more) as part of the manufacturer’s requirements.