About Us

From Anthony Martinez
The Story Behind Bay Area Custom Floors

I wanted to share my journey so you know exactly who is working in your home.

I didn’t grow up thinking I would own a flooring company. I was just a teenager in 1998, trying to figure life out and earn a little money. A friend from church invited me to help on a flooring job—removing old carpet from a home that was being completely redone.

I still remember stepping inside that house. It was stripped down, dusty, and quiet—like it was waiting for something new. My job that day was simple: pull up carpet, carry material, clean up debris. It was hard, physical work, and I went home tired. But something about it stayed with me.

I watched the installers move through the house with purpose. I saw how patience, skill, and attention to detail could completely change a space. What started as an empty, worn-out house slowly turned into something fresh and full of life. That was the first time I realized this kind of work mattered more than I thought.

After that, I kept coming back.

When I finished high school in 2000, I decided to stay in the flooring industry. I didn’t have a perfect plan or a clear roadmap—I just knew I wanted to keep learning. I worked for a large home improvement retailer, where I learned product knowledge, customer service, and how to help people make decisions for their homes. But the real education came outside the store—on job sites, side work, and every opportunity I could find to gain hands-on experience.

I took on different types of projects whenever I could—residential homes, rental properties, remodels, and small commercial jobs. I learned how to install hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl plank, and tile. I learned how to fix uneven subfloors, prep concrete, handle transitions, and solve problems that most people never see once the floor is finished.

But the truth is, it wasn’t always stable.

There were seasons where work was steady and everything felt like it was moving forward. And there were other times where things slowed down, and I had to push through uncertainty. I know what it feels like to worry about what’s next, to work long hours, to be physically exhausted, and still show up the next day because there was no other option.

Those were the challenging parts—but they also shaped me the most.

I learned discipline when I didn’t feel like working. I learned patience when projects didn’t go smoothly. I learned how to solve problems instead of walking away from them. And I learned that in this industry, your reputation is everything—you earn trust one job at a time.

Over the years, I expanded my skills beyond flooring alone. I worked in hardwood refinishing, subfloor repair, self-leveling concrete, trim and baseboard installation, tile work, and water damage restoration. I didn’t want to turn away work because I didn’t know how to handle it. I wanted to be the person a homeowner could rely on when things got complicated.

Every job added something to my experience. Every mistake taught me something valuable. And every success reminded me why I kept going.

In 2018, after more than 20 years in the trade, I founded Bay Area Custom Floors.

It wasn’t just about starting a business—it was about doing things the right way. I wanted homeowners to deal directly with the person doing the work. I wanted honesty instead of pressure, communication instead of confusion, and craftsmanship that speaks for itself.

Building this company from the ground up meant earning everything—every customer, every referral, every opportunity. There were no shortcuts. Just consistency, hard work, and the belief that if you do good work and treat people right, the business will grow the right way.

Today, when I walk into a home, I don’t just see flooring. I see people’s lives. I see families gathering in kitchens, kids growing up in living rooms, and homeowners finally getting the space they’ve been working toward.

That’s what keeps me going.

This business represents everything I’ve learned over the past 25+ years—the hard days, the lessons, the setbacks, and the growth that came from all of it.

And even now, I still feel the same thing I felt in that first house back in 1998.

A space can change.

And I’m grateful to be part of that change, one home at a time.