Tier 01
Lean start
$1,500–$3,500
Buy PPE, mix station, squeegees, rollers, spiked shoes. Rent the grinder and vacuum per job.
// 04
Cost & Earnings
What it actually
costs — and earns.
Ranges drawn from typical North American market conditions. Numbers vary by region, slab condition, and skill. Use them as a sanity check, not a quote.
//01Training costs
What different training formats tend to run.
Online-only course
$200 – $800
In-person classroom
$500 – $1,800
Hybrid (online + in-person)
$1,500 – $4,000
Hands-on workshop (multi-day)
$2,500 – $6,500
Private 1-on-1 coaching
$1,000 – $3,500
▸ Ranges exclude travel, lodging, and lost wages. Always confirm pricing directly with the provider; multi-day workshops often include consumable materials and demo seats.
//02Startup tool budgets
Three honest tiers — pick the one that matches your runway.
Tier 02
Working solo
$6,000–$14,000
Add an owned grinder, dust-rated vac, edge tool, moisture meters, hand crack-repair gear.
Tier 03
Production-ready
$18,000–$45,000
Larger grinder, dedicated dust extractor, multiple roller setups, trailer/branded vehicle, inventory of common systems.
//03Material cost concepts
How to think about material cost on a job.
Material cost is the sum of every coat and consumable touching the floor. The trick is forecasting it before you quote — not after the buckets are empty.
Primer
$0.30 – $0.80 / sq ft
Coverage is high. Costs scale with system spec and surface porosity.
Body coat (epoxy)
$0.70 – $2.20 / sq ft
Pigmented coverage. Cost driven by mil thickness and color blend.
Flake / chip media
$0.20 – $0.90 / sq ft
Coverage depends on broadcast density (light, partial, or full reject).
Topcoat (polyaspartic)
$0.80 – $2.50 / sq ft
Wear layer. UV resistance, chemical resistance, and gloss level move the price.
Repairs & joint fill
Variable
Estimated per linear foot of cracks and joints. Easy to underbid early.
Consumables
5 – 10% of materials
Tape, plastic, mixing buckets, paddles, rags, gloves — they add up faster than expected.
//04Job pricing bands
Five bands.
Real ranges.
No optimism.
01
Entry / DIY-adjacent
$2 – $4 / sq ft
Thin systems on clean residential garages with light prep. Often loses money once travel and consumables are honest.
02
Standard residential
$4 – $8 / sq ft
Full prep, primer + body + topcoat, flake broadcast, moisture testing. Where most beginner installers should land.
03
Premium residential
$7 – $14 / sq ft
Metallic, quartz, designer blends, complex layouts, or premium-spec topcoats. Requires real reps to earn.
04
Light commercial
$5 – $12 / sq ft
Showrooms, retail, small warehouses. Larger sq ft averages lower per-foot pricing but better margins.
05
Industrial / heavy duty
$8 – $25+ / sq ft
Mortar systems, quartz double broadcast, MMA, ESD floors. Specialty trade with serious entry bar.
▸ Ranges are illustrative for North American markets. Regional cost-of-living, slab condition, mobilization, and insurance all shift real bids. Always estimate per scope, not per template.
//05First-year revenue framing
What a beginner can realistically expect.
Scenario
Conservative
$30k – $60k
Side-business or part-time start. ~30–60 jobs at residential-standard pricing. Pays for tools and training.
Scenario
Realistic full-time solo
$80k – $140k
Full-time, one person, mostly residential and small commercial. Real cost of doing business: ~35–45% of revenue.
Scenario
Aggressive growth
$150k – $300k+
A second crew, sub-help on production days, commercial mix. Requires sales and scheduling, not just install skill.
// Earnings disclaimer
These are ranges, not promises.
Real-world earnings vary widely with market demand, your sales ability, the local labor pool, slab quality, and how tightly you run a business. We’re publishing honest ranges to set expectations, not project income. Anyone showing you specific income claims should also be showing you their tax return.
Treat this page as a planning tool. Validate every number against quotes from your local suppliers, training providers, and a small set of conversations with working installers in your region.
//06Stay in the loop