Contractors
Class Code 5478: Floor Covering Installation—Resilient Flooring, Carpet and Laminate Flooring — Workers' Comp Insurance
Covers contractors who install carpet, vinyl, laminate, and other resilient flooring materials in residential and commercial buildings. It reflects the kneeling, cutting, and material-handling work typical of flooring installation.
- Risk level:
- moderate
What code 5478 covers
Class 5478 applies to contractors installing resilient flooring, carpet, and laminate flooring, covering installers who measure, cut, and lay flooring material, along with the adhesive, seaming, and finishing work involved. The work is physically demanding in a different way than most construction trades — extensive kneeling, bending, and precise cutting rather than heavy lifting or work at height — and involves the use of flooring tools such as knee kickers, seam rollers, and cutting equipment. This classification is distinct from hard-surface tile, stone, or terrazzo installation, which involves different materials, tools, and physical demands and carries its own classification. Contractors installing both resilient/carpet flooring and tile in the same job may need payroll evaluated across both classifications depending on how the work is divided.
Included operations
- Carpet measuring, cutting, and installation
- Vinyl, laminate, and resilient flooring installation
- Subfloor preparation for flooring installation
- Adhesive application and seam finishing work
Assigned elsewhere
- Ceramic tile, stone, marble, or mosaic installation — see code 5348 (Ceramic Tile, Indoor Stone, Marble, or Mosaic Work)
- Hardwood flooring installation and refinishing, evaluated under the applicable classification if distinct from resilient flooring
- House furnishings installation and upholstering — see code 9521
- Carpentry work performed as a primary service beyond flooring subfloor prep — see code 5403
Businesses that typically carry 5478
- Carpet installation contractors
- Vinyl and laminate flooring installers
- Flooring contractors serving both residential and commercial customers
- Small, owner-operated contracting businesses
- Regional trade contracting companies
- Subcontractors working for general contractors
- Design-build contracting firms
Common misclassifications
Code 5348
Flooring contractors who install both carpet/resilient flooring and tile can blend two distinct classifications if the work isn't tracked and split appropriately.
Code 5437
Flooring installers who also handle baseboards and trim as part of the same job can blend flooring work with finish carpentry exposure if that portion isn't tracked.
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What drives the cost of code 5478
- Total payroll for employees performing the classified work, not gross receipts
- Experience modification factor built from claims history
- State-specific base rates and loss costs filed for this class code
- Use of subcontractors and whether they carry their own workers' comp coverage
- Safety programs, jobsite supervision, and documented training
- Payroll properly split across multiple classifications when work crosses trades
What underwriters look for
- Years in business and prior workers' comp loss history
- Types of jobs typically performed (new construction, remodel, residential vs. commercial) and average job size
- Whether subcontractors are used and certificates of insurance are collected and tracked
- Total payroll for employees actually performing the classified work
- Safety program, training documentation, and any OSHA history
Eligibility
State differences
This entry uses standard NCCI class code phraseology, which applies in most NCCI-governed states. Pennsylvania (PCRB), Delaware (DCRB), California (WCIRB), New Jersey (NJCRIB), Michigan, New York (NYCIRB), and Massachusetts maintain their own classification manuals, and code numbers or phraseology can differ there. Our agency confirms the correct classification for your state before quoting.
Where code 5478 fits
Quote class code 5478.
One application goes out to every carrier we can access for your class of business. You get a ranked comparison you can review and purchase online — with a licensed agent available whenever you want one.
Mon–Fri, 8:00am–6:00pm ET · Independent agency licensed in 23 states
Class code 5478 questions
Does this code cover tile installation too?
No, ceramic tile, stone, and mosaic work is a separate classification (5348) given the different materials and tools involved.
What about hardwood flooring?
Hardwood installation and refinishing may be evaluated under this or a related classification depending on the specific work; we confirm the best fit.
Is subfloor preparation included?
Yes, subfloor prep performed as part of a flooring installation job is included in this classification.
What if we install both carpet and tile on the same jobs?
Payroll may need to be split between the flooring classification and the tile classification depending on how your crews' time is divided.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by Provident Financial Group licensed agents