Whether you are moving to a new place or just want to renovate your present home, new flooring can give a good vibe and make your home look and feel better.
Before you embark on this journey of giving your home new flooring, there are some things you need to know and consider. Ignoring them can make you pay big time. So, let’s have a look at them, one by one.
Do you even need a new floor?
First things first, you need to see if you need a new floor in the first place or not. You do not want to spend a huge chunk of your savings on something you do not even need. Here is how you can know if you need a new floor or not.
- The floor is damaged by water
Water is the biggest culprit behind damaged flooring. No matter what kind of flooring you have, whether it is vinyl or hardwood or carpet; if water gets in there, you are in big trouble. If you don’t clean it quickly, it can seep into the subfloor and ruin it. It will cause rotting, mold, or some other major issues that will require either repair or change of flooring.
So, if your flooring is damaged by water, it’s an indicator that you need to get in touch with flooring contractors.
- Permanent stains
If you have some really obvious stains on your floor that won’t go away no matter what you do, then it may be time to consider getting new floors. The older the stains are, the less likely it is that they will come out. So, if you have some really obvious stains on the flooring of your home, it’s time to stop scrubbing and start shopping.
- Outdated style
f you think it’s been long since you had a change of flooring and your current flooring is outdated, get yourself a new flooring. It will do wonders for the look and feel of your home.
- Uneven flooring
If for some reason, you start hearing creaking sounds when you walk on the floor, or your flooring is obviously uneven, hire a flooring contractor. Also, make sure to check if there is any underlying reason for that or not.
- You’re planning to sell
Although it is less common, one of the reasons behind the change of home flooring is that you’re planning to sell the home. New flooring can make a big difference in selling price as it’s literally the first thing any buyer would step on. Get yourself a great deal by impressing your potential buyers with new flooring.
Choice of flooring
Now that you know for sure that you need new flooring and there’s no way around, the next thing is to choose what flooring type do you need. Flooring costs are dependent on flooring types and you need to make a decision considering this. Your choice of flooring type would depend on these factors:
Click Here for a Comparison on Wooden Floors and Tiles that Look Like Wood
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- Flooring installation location
Every part of your home has different conditions and different flooring choices would be made for each part. Areas that will have a lot of moisture and temperature changes, like bathroom, basements, etc., would need a flooring that can bear these conditions. Vinyl flooring and tiles are the best options in this case.
For the areas of your home which remain busy the most, you need to go for durable and long-lasting options. Hardwood floors, porcelain tiles, and carpet tiles are among feasible options.
For the parts of your home which receive plenty of sunlight and heat, you need to go for fade-resistant flooring options like laminates or engineered hardwoods.
- Your lifestyle
Your lifestyle would influence your flooring choice in a big way. If you have pets or kids, you need to opt for flooring types that are scratch-resistant and easy to clean. Cork, hardwood, and tiles are the best options.
If you or anyone in your family has any allergies, you need to go for flat, hard flooring that is easy to clean. Carpet, bamboo, cork, tiles, and hardwood can be considered.
- The best look
Why have flooring that doesn’t even look good? Make sure the flooring you choose complements and uplifts the overall look of the home. Light color flooring would make your home feel bright and spacious. Dark color flooring would be more inviting. Choose wider planks or tiles of flooring if you want to give a contemporary look to your home. Go for thinner planks if you love traditional looks. Here’s a pro tip, if you have a cramped space and want it to feel bigger, go for wider tiles or planks. You’ll thank me later.
- Heated flooring system
Imagine when you come home after a tiring day at work and your home welcomes you with a warm floor. That’s what you get with a radiant heated flooring system. In your choice of flooring, you also need to consider if you want a heated flooring system or not. Although it can cost big bucks when you install it, it can save your energy costs considerably. They are also covered by home warranties. Get in contact with your flooring contractor to get cost estimation for your heated flooring system.
- Your budget
Probably the most important factor behind the choice of flooring is your budget. The best flooring options at affordable rates are laminate and vinyl flooring. Hardwood, carpet, and tiles are relatively expensive. You can choose bamboo planks as an affordable alternative to hardwood flooring.
Regardless of the flooring type you choose, take a measurement of the square footage of your home, order 10% extra for flexibility in installation, and future repairs.
Valuable tips if you are considering DIY (Doing it Yourself)
If you are considering doing this task by yourself, kudos to you! You will not only be saving some valuable money but also learn a new skill that you can add in your resume (or perhaps not). Here are some valuable tips if you are considering DIYing your flooring installation.
Tip 1: You need to be aware of the flooring types which you can install yourself and those which you cannot. Vinyl planks, carpets, and laminate flooring options are usually easy to install over existing subflooring. You need to hire a flooring contractor if you are opting for tiles or hardwood flooring.
Tip 2: Mostly, flooring products come with an installation manual that contains all the information you need to have to install it yourself. If you didn’t get one, get the manual from the website of the manufacturer. Head on to YouTube and familiarize yourself with the process of installation of that flooring type.
Tip 3: The installation manual would also contain a list of tools you need to install the flooring. Try to rent those tools as you’ll be only needing them for a short while and they’ll be useless to you after that. Buying them may be a waste of money.
Tip 4: Understanding your sub-flooring is crucial. Mostly, wood or concrete sub-flooring is used in homes. There are do’s and don’ts of each type that must be considered before choosing the flooring type.
As a homeowner, you have numerous things to worry about, so give your flooring enough time and budget to make it a success so you don’t have to worry about it again. If you try to go for cheap options to save some money, it can backfire. You don’t do the flooring of your home very often and it is suggested to put your best efforts to make sure that it is free from any flaws. Apart from some flooring types which you can do yourself, it is always suggested to get help from professional flooring contractors rather than doing it yourself.
