- Register your business and file municipal licences
- Get liability insurance suited to coatings work
- Invest in surface prep: a proper grinder is the business
- Learn your systems: epoxy vs. polyaspartic, moisture testing, prep standards
- Price per square foot with minimums ($6–$12+/sq ft installed is common)
- Build a portfolio brand — this trade sells on photos
- Capture quote requests from Google and social
Epoxy flooring occupies a sweet spot: residential garage coatings routinely quote at $3,000–$6,000+ for a weekend of work, material costs leave strong margins, and demand in Metro Vancouver's garage-proud suburbs — Coquitlam, Langley, Surrey, South Delta — keeps climbing. Commercial floors (warehouses, shops, breweries) scale the ticket further.
It's also unforgiving of amateurs, which is your moat. Failed DIY coatings and peeling budget jobs are everywhere, and homeowners know it — they're actively looking for installers who look professional, explain prep properly, and show a portfolio of surviving floors. Credibility is the product.
What it costs to start
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration | ~$40–$380 |
| Municipal business licence | $100–$250/yr |
| Liability insurance | $1,000–$2,500/yr |
| Concrete grinder + vacuum system | $3,000–$8,000 |
| Application tools, mixers, spike shoes | $500–$1,500 |
| Initial material inventory | $1,000–$3,000 |
| Branding, portfolio website & quoting | $0 DIY – $4,000+ agency |
| Realistic total | $6,000–$16,000 |
Grinder rental can bridge your first jobs before buying. Material cost per garage typically runs $500–$1,200 against a $3,000–$6,000 quote — the margin is real if the prep is.
What you can earn
Installed pricing in Metro Vancouver commonly runs $6–$12+ per square foot depending on system (full-flake polyaspartic at the top). A standard two-car garage (~400–500 sq ft) quotes at $3,000–$6,000+, often completed in 1–2 days. Two garages a week is a $25,000–$45,000+ revenue month in season. Commercial work trades lower per-foot pricing for much larger floors.
True Cost of Launching Calculator
Before you quote your first job, work out what launching actually costs you — then price so the work covers it. Real 2026 Canadian rates, every source listed.
Run the numbers →Licensing & requirements in BC
No trade certification is required for floor coatings in BC — this is a registration-licence-insurance trade like painting. Business registration, municipal licence (IMBL if you install across cities), and liability insurance appropriate to coatings work. Two practical notes: manufacturer training/certification programs, while not legally required, materially help both your quality and your marketing (“certified installer”), and proper respirator practice around grinding dust and coatings is a WorkSafeBC-relevant habit whether or not you have employees.
Let's name it
“Who trusts a new company with a $5,000 floor?” Homeowners who've seen budget coatings peel. Lead with prep — moisture testing, diamond grinding, system choice — and a portfolio, and being newer stops mattering. Prontco builds the portfolio site and quote system that carry that story.
Talk it through on a free callThe 7 steps, properly
01Register and structure
Sole prop to start, though the job values in this trade make incorporation worth considering early — it's included in our Launch package.
02Licence where the garages are
Your home city's licence, plus the Inter-municipal Business Licence if you'll install across Metro Vancouver — coating businesses almost always do.
03Insure for coatings
Tell your broker exactly what you do: surface prep, chemical application, occupied homes. $1,000–$2,500/yr is a common range.
04Buy prep, rent the rest at first
The grinder is the business — bad prep is why coatings fail. A proper grinder and dust extraction is the investment; specialty tools can be rented until volume justifies them.
05Master and message your system
Epoxy vs. polyaspartic, moisture mitigation, flake systems. Explaining these clearly on your website is what separates you from the peel-in-a-year crowd — it's technical marketing.
06Build the portfolio machine
Every job produces gleaming before/after photos. Your website, Google profile, and social should be a continuously growing gallery with a quote button next to it.
07Quote fast and professionally
A branded quote with system specs, prep process, and warranty terms wins against a texted number — especially at this ticket size. Speed matters: garage-coating shoppers get multiple quotes.
The shortcut: launched in about 10 business days
Everything above is doable yourself over a couple of months of evenings. Or you hand us the details on one 30-minute call and we build all of it — registration, licence filing, brand, website, online booking, payments, accounting setup, Google Business Profile, socials, and your service agreement — in about 10 business days, with 30 days of support after handoff. Epoxy installers fit Launch ($1,997) — incorporation, local pages for the suburban cities where the garages are, and a portfolio-forward site built to justify premium quotes. Starter ($997) works if you're testing the trade before committing.
Epoxy Flooring business FAQ
Do I need certification to install epoxy floors in BC?
No legal certification is required — you need a registered business, municipal licence, and insurance. Manufacturer training programs are optional but worthwhile for both skill and marketing. We handle the business registrations and filings; approvals rest with the authorities.
How much do epoxy businesses charge?
Installed residential pricing commonly runs $6–$12+ per square foot depending on the system, putting a typical two-car garage at $3,000–$6,000+. Materials often run $500–$1,200 per garage, which is why margins attract so many operators — and why credibility decides who wins the quotes.
What equipment do I actually need to start?
The non-negotiable is surface prep: a quality concrete grinder with dust extraction ($3,000–$8,000, rentable at first). Application tools are comparatively cheap. Total realistic startup: $6,000–$16,000.
Epoxy or polyaspartic — what should I offer?
Most successful Metro Vancouver installers lead with full-flake polyaspartic systems (faster cure, UV stable, premium price) and offer epoxy where budget demands. Explaining the difference on your website is itself a sales tool.
How do I get my first coating jobs?
Photograph everything, publish prices or price ranges, and capture quote requests from Google and social. Your own garage, friends' garages at material cost — the first three floors build the portfolio that sells the next thirty. Our Launch tier includes the playbook.
Related guides
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