Five years ago, I wrote an article exploring how floor care companies could navigate the sudden shift to remote work during the pandemic. We adapted, because we were all staring at empty office buildings and wondering what came next.
If there is one thing I’ve learned in this industry, it’s that the only constant is change. We are now on the verge of another major shift. A recent report in Floor Daily highlights a study by RentCafe showing that over 90,000 apartments will be created through commercial office-to-residential conversions in 2026 alone—a 28% increase over previous years.
You might initially think, “Bill, why are you sharing this? This sounds like more bad news for commercial floor care.”
But if we look at this through a different set of lenses, it isn’t a loss, it’s a massive opportunity! Specifically, it’s an opportunity for the commercial floor care specialist, something that the typical residential cleaner simply isn’t equipped to handle.
The “High-Rise” Advantage
Most residential carpet cleaners rely on truck-mount extractors. You can’t easily drag hoses up 15 or 30 floors of a converted high-rise. This is where commercial providers—equipped with high-performance portables, low-moisture encapsulation systems, and specialized vertical transport logistics—are perfectly positioned to dominate.
Whether these conversions become apartments or luxury condominiums, the scope of work is vast. We aren’t just talking about the individual living units; we are talking about the “lifestyle” infrastructure of the building:
• High-Traffic Lobbies: Often featuring natural stone or large-format porcelain that requires specialized honing and polishing.
• Amenity Spaces: Corridors, resident lounges, and co-working hubs.
• Fitness Centers: Specialized rubber flooring that requires specific pH-neutral chemistry to maintain its lifespan.
• Transition Areas: Parking garage decks and elevator banks.
• Soft Goods: Common area seating and acoustic panels that require regular maintenance.
A New Management Model
The biggest change isn’t just the flooring, it’s the management. In a traditional commercial office, you often have nightly janitorial crews and day porters handling spills. In these new residential conversions, property managers are looking for a “one-stop shop.”
They don’t want five different vendors; they want one expert who can maintain the stone in the lobby, the rubber in the gym, and the carpet in the hallways.
Adapting your services to meet the needs of this ever-changing landscape will do more than just fill the gap left by the “remote work” era—it will provide a new level of financial stability and specialized growth for your business. The buildings are still there; they just have a different heartbeat now.
Are you ready to service it?
