Most flooring problems are decided before a sample is ordered. The room use is unclear, the subfloor has not been tested, and three suppliers are quoting three different products. A consultation exists to stop that.
What to send
The form asks for the minimum needed to be useful. If you have more, include it in the message:
- Building type and room names, including back-of-house.
- Approximate floor area per room.
- Existing floor and how it is fixed.
- Subfloor type and any known moisture or levelling issues.
- Opening hours, access restrictions and lift availability.
- Who cleans the floor and with what.
- The date the space needs to be back in service.
Photographs help. A picture of the existing floor at a doorway, a drain and a threshold tells more than a paragraph.
What the conversation covers
The first pass is about eliminating options. A kitchen with wash-down and grease does not need a carpet discussion. A first-floor office on a raised access floor does not need a slab moisture test in the same way as a ground-floor retail unit.
The second pass is about sequencing. Strip-out, substrate repair, levelling cure, acclimation, installation and handover all take time. If the unit must be re-let or the shop must reopen, the schedule has to be built backwards from that date.
The output is a written specification: floor type by zone, performance requirements, substrate preparation, details and a maintenance note. You can send it to contractors and compare like for like.
What it is not
It is not an installation quote, a product supply order or a substitute for a site survey. It also does not replace the manufacturer’s instructions or a contractor’s method statement. It gives those documents something consistent to work from.
Before you send
If the question is simply which floor family suits a room, the commercial flooring types page may answer it. For rental units, start with rental unit flooring. If the issue is wear, read durability ratings explained. Send the form when the decision has money and a date attached.