Floor Covering Installers

(NOC 7295)

in All Trades and Transportation

Floor covering installers install many types of resilient or carpet floor coverings in residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. They work for construction companies, floor-covering contractors, and carpet outlets, or they may be self-employed.

Job Outlook

Average

Read more

  • Estimate Strong growth employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 25 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate High rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Trades and Transportation

  • Estimate 4040 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 8425 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Size of the occupation in Nova Scotia: small, with infrequent opportunities.
Demand: Employment growth will lead to several new positions. Some positions will become available due to employee turnover. There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation. A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
Work hours: full-time, usually. Jobs are typically permanent positions.

Hourly Pay

$14.50

Minimum

$21.50

Median

$25.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,012

Minimum

$22,598

Median

$50,296

Maximum

Compared to: All Trades and Transportation

Hourly Pay

$15.00

Minimum

$24.00

Median

$37.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$7,580

Minimum

$37,269

Median

$79,787

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Floor covering installers install many types of resilient or carpet floor coverings in residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. They work for construction companies, floor-covering contractors, and carpet outlets, or they may be self-employed.

Job duties

Floor covering installers:

  • Inspect, measure, and mark surfaces to be covered.
  • Measure, cut and fasten underlay and underpadding.
  • Measure, cut and install carpeting using hand or machine stitcher, seaming iron, bonding tape, or other bonding materials.
  • Stretch carpeting using knee-kicker or power stretcher and secure carpeting to floor or other surfaces using staple gun or other devices.
  • Measure, cut and install resilient floor covering using adhesive, rollers and other hand tools.
  • Install hardwood floors using glue, staples, nails, or other means.
  • Inspect and repair damaged floor coverings.
  • May estimate material and labour costs.

Sample job titles

  • carpet installer
  • carpet layer
  • floor covering installer
  • floor layer
  • hardwood floor covering installer
  • residential floor and wall covering installer
  • vinyl floor installer
  • wood floor installer

Skills

  • Strength and stamina
  • Good colour vision to match colours
  • Hand-eye coordination
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Mathematical skills
  • Communication skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Customer service skills

Job requirements

  • High school or equivalent (usually).
  • Over four years of work experience in the trade and some courses in floorcovering installation are usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
  • Trade Qualifier option, 8,100 hours, and other criteria.
  • Certification for floorcovering installers is voluntary in Nova Scotia.
  • Write and score a minimum of 70% on the Red Seal exam for floorcovering installers.
  • Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) allows for interprovincial mobility.

Other considerations

  • Floorcovering installers work indoors in a wide variety of settings.
  • They work a 40-hour workweek and overtime may be required to meet deadlines. Renovating or decorating premises already in use may require working at night.
  • Risks include contact with toxic materials or injuries from working with tools or heavy lifting.
  • A growing number of floorcovering installers work primarily in one specialization like carpet or resilient floor installation.
  • Floorcovering installers may work closely with designers, engineers, architects, and other tradespeople such as carpenters, painters, lathers (interior systems mechanics), drywallers, and cabinetmakers.
  • Jobs in the construction industry are affected by seasonal changes and economic conditions. Work may be on a project basis. Workers should be prepared for periods of unemployment.
  • With experience, journeypersons may move into supervisory, management, and sales positions, or start their own business.

By the numbers

Quick look

425

employed in 2016

79.8%

employed full-time

31.0%

self employed

2.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
97.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
47.8

median age

Compared to: All Trades and Transportation

57,925

employed in 2016

85.9%

employed full-time

11.8%

self employed

5.3%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
94.7%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
46.8

median age

Where will I likely work?

58.3%

Halifax

$22,598 median annual income
15.5%

North Shore

$15,651 median annual income
11.9%

Cape Breton

$34,833 median annual income
10.7%

Annapolis Valley

$19,942 median annual income
3.6%

Southern

N/A

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

89.7%

Construction

4.4%

Retail trade

2.9%

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

2.9%

Manufacturing

What is the age of Employment?

25.0%

45-54

22.0%

55-64

21.0%

35-44

15.0%

25-34

11.0%

15-24

6.0%

65+

Compared to: All Trades and Transportation

24.4%

45-54

22.1%

55-64

17.7%

35-44

17.7%

25-34

10.9%

15-24

Top levels of education

35.7%

Less than high school

$20,483 median annual income
33.3%

High school

$19,867 median annual income
15.5%

Trade Certification

$34,784 median annual income
13.1%

College Diploma

$19,100 median annual income

Compared to: All Trades and Transportation

29.2%

Trade Certification

$46,494 median annual income
25.5%

High school

$31,260 median annual income
22.3%

College Diploma

$42,050 median annual income
18.7%

Less than high school

$28,319 median annual income
2.8%

Bachelor

$30,527 median annual income

Education & training

Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker

College or Trades Program

These programs prepare students to plan, prepare, install, and repair carpet, linoleum, vinyl, ceramic, marble, quarry, mosaic, and terrazzo tiles, and wood materials on floors, walls, and stairs. They include courses in measuring, cutting, and installing materials, use of hand and power-operated equipment, estimation of material and labour costs, and safety training.

Institutions providing this program

Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

Halifax, NS

Carpenter Millwright College (CMC) Inc.

Lower Sackville, NS

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

Regulations

Floorcovering Installer

Certificate of Qualification (Voluntary): This is a designated trade in Nova Scotia. Employers may require certification, but a certificate is not needed to legally work in this trade.

Regulating body:
Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency
Halifax, NS

Contacts

Construction Association of Nova Scotia
Dartmouth, NS
BuildForce Canada
Ottawa, ON
Nova Scotia Construction Sector Council
Halifax, NS
Atlantic Home Building and Renovation Sector Council
Halifax, NS
Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades
Lakeside, NS
Merit Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS
Cape Breton Island Building and Construction Trade Council
Sydney, NS

Additional resources