Floored: The Long Island Company that’s Passionate about Floor Coverings

Pyramid Floor Covering
Written by Nate Hendley

Pyramid Floor Covering, Inc., as the name suggests, is all about the furnishing and installation of floors. “I joined their team in 2005, after passing the reins of a three generational family-owned floor covering company into the highly capable hands of Pyramid Floor Covering,” says Vice President of Business Development David Liepper. “David Liepper and Sons was founded by my Grandfather (and my namesake) in 1926. I am proud to say that floor covering is a passion and a vocation; it is in my blood.”
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Pyramid Floor Covering, Inc. is headquartered in Port Washington, New York, on Long Island, and works with Self-level underlayment, Indoor Athletic Flooring, Resilient Flooring, Carpet and Polished Concrete. Pyramid’s projects are public and private-sector clients alike, in both new construction and renovation, and in the Education, Health-Related, Transportation, Civil, Federal, Retail Mall, Office, Hospitality, and Residential Buildings sectors.

Given its Long Island locale, Pyramid’s work is provided throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island and Westchester. The company has also taken on projects in New Jersey and Connecticut, and does a bit of work in other regions along the Eastern Seaboard.

“Everything is provided in-house. We furnish and install,” states David, and Pyramid’s personnel numbers fluctuate, depending on workload and type of work. Pyramid partners with a local of the New York City District Council of Carpenters and Joiners of America floor covering division. When a contract requires more labor, the company contacts the union to increase personnel as needed.

“Peace of mind” is one of the many benefits employing unionized installers, according to David. PFCI can be assured its floor installers are well-trained and will strive do a quality job. “There’s an understanding that when you reach out to the union hall, the caliber and level of skilled workers they provide [will be excellent]. There is a bit of trust there. For the most part, it’s worked out great.”

In addition to being well-trained, the company promotes floor installers who show a willingness to learn and have pride in the project. Floor installation, “is like artwork,” says David, adding that installers should enjoy what they are doing and appreciate “the quality of the finished product.” The self-level underlayment sector in particular “has been a passion of PFCI and myself for many years,” he adds.

PFCI office staff are equally eager about their roles and appreciative of the company’s new and returning clients alike. “If somebody calls, we want to help them,” says David. “Satisfying the needs of our clients is our top priority. Repeat business assures us that we are succeeding. It is a snowball effect.”

David believes that passion, combined with promoting high-quality workmanship, makes the company unique. “If quality of performance and reputation is earned, then we at PFCI move into the future,” he says. “The snowball effect has started and will continue to roll forward.”

Installing flooring can be physically demanding, and PFCI continuously strives to improve safety in the field. The company follows silica dust regulations set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that require workers in certain environments to wear protective gear. Beyond that, installers can rely on advances in materials used to ensure their health and safety.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are potentially dangerous substances such as gases or vapors emanating from industrial or consumer products. Pyramid installers do not have to worry about working with toxic chemicals. “The chemistry today, most of it is low-VOC or zero-VOC,” explains David, who adds that in terms of “noxious odors, a lot of that has been eliminated.”

However, safety is paramount. The company hosts ‘toolbox talks’ to discuss safety matters centered on both the use of materials and chemicals and the actual physical process of installing flooring safely.

The company is also particular when it comes to dealing with suppliers. Anyone who wants to sell materials to PFCI has to meet stringent standards. Quality control and credibility are critical, as is a vendor’s “track record in the past – whether they can provide the product when needed,” states David. Suppliers are local, national and worldwide.

When asked if there are any particular projects of note, large or small, David laughs. “I wouldn’t even know where to start; we’ve successfully completed so many projects. Our database currently has 17,000 projects and grows daily. We’ve completed 4,500 projects to date over the last twelve years,” he shares.

The focus, since the firm was founded in the mid-1970s, has always been on flooring. There are no plans to expand this focus, though David does anticipate taking advantage of any new developments in materials, means and methods. “The plan is to further improve upon what we have now and to enhance existing service offerings.”

The company firmly believes in forward thinking. “I was the first to have a fax modem in my day,” notes David. At the time, this was considered cutting-edge technology, and the company remains interested in innovation to this day. Teamwork, communication, pump truck, On-screen Takeoff and an enormous database are our trump cards to the future.”

David says bidding on new projects is one the company’s primary forms of promotion. “My time is spent meeting people and advertising through bidding. The more accurate bids I provide on a timely basis [the better]. I reach as many people as I can. Bidding is a form of social media marketing. In our industry, bidding is free. You get many teams asking for pricing. It gets the ball rolling,” he explains.

In addition to assertively pursuing bids, the company is proud of its reputation for promotion. “If you hire a team from PFCI, we are going to get the job completed on time and properly. Reputation is huge,” states David.

In terms of the future, company growth is anticipated and welcomed, particularly in the Self-Level Underlayment segment. David, however, also sees an educational function in the company’s activities. “The floor covering world is a huge opportunity for a career choice. The construction industry as a whole is never going away,” he says. “My motto is, ‘Until Gravity Changes, There Will Always Be A Floor.’ No matter what the market is doing or how the product might change, there will still be flooring required.”

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