When Fred Miller decided to change career paths by opening a business, there was only one person he could imagine working with.

After he was laid off from a job that required long hours traveling, Fred Miller and his son, Sam, started laying the groundwork last year to open Miller Flooring in Raymond. The perfect spot opened up on Route 302, but Fred and Sam Miller knew a big job lay ahead.

“It was pretty discouraging when we walked in, because it was an old machine shop,” said Fred Miller, of the building that used to house Martin Machine Shop.

But with the help of their wife and mother, Susan Miller, the two were able to get the place ready for business by January. Since then, success has surpassed Fred Miller’s expectations.

“I said, ‘You know, it’s going to be a long, hard winter. If we can just get through the winter, we have a pretty good shot.’ But January was great, February was good, March was a little slow, but we have a lot of quotes coming in now. It’s shaping up well,” said Fred Miller.

Miller Flooring offers a wide range of flooring materials, including “green” products, like carpeting made from recycled plastics, any type of hardwood flooring a customer could imagine, ceramic and porcelain tile, and stylish linoleum.

Customers visit Miller Flooring only to buy the products, or to have home or commercial remodeling done for them. And if customers take on a job on their own, and find they need help finishing, Sam Miller, who is in charge of the installation side of the business, will even lend a hand to finish the project.

“We’re here to help the customer in any way we can,” said Fred Miller.

Sam Miller got into the flooring business at the age of 17. Now in his mid-20s, he has sharpened his skills over the years.

“It was kind of a hands-on type of learning,” said Sam Miller.

Kathy Otis, who works at Port Harbor Marina in Raymond and lives in Westbrook, called Miller Flooring when another contractor delivered a sub par job on her bathroom floor. Sam Miller came in and quickly fixed it.

“He told me it would take three days, and it took three days. And the other guy told me it would take a week and it took six weeks,” said Otis.

Otis added that Sam Miller was very courteous, and made sure to clean up when the job was complete.

This work ethic is what Fred and Sam Miller say makes a family-run business attractive to customers. Walk-ins should not be surprised if they see Fred Miller’s two young granddaughters, Elizabeth and Mara, in the shop, as well as his wife on weekends.

Sam Miller, who will inherit the business from his father in the future, said working with his father because they “know what to expect from each other.”

“It gives us some time to spend together. It’s a good little set-up,” said Sam Miller.