Five Ways Your Floors Could Cost You
Did you know there are five ways your floors can cost you more than their sticker price? Most people don’t. After 35+ years in the flooring and interiors business, I’ve seen it all. Based on my experience, I’ve collected the five most common cost-adders associated with installing new floors or renovating existing ones.
Damaged Subfloor
All flooring has a subfloor. Usually made of plywood, it is installed between your home’s foundation and your flooring. Ordinary preparation of the subfloor is part of the installation of any flooring. But when a subfloor is damaged, it must be repaired or replaced. There will be an added cost.
The two most common causes of subfloor damage are age (foundation settlement) and moisture. Moisture damage can happen when your dishwasher overflows or a pipe bursts, etc. Whatever the cause, the subfloor beneath the carpet, hardwood or laminate, etc. weakens and becomes compromised. In that case, a new subfloor must be installed or repaired before new flooring can be applied.
Glue Applied Directly to Foundation
Direct-glue application is used in both residential and commercial spaces, especially when using carpet tile. It is generally stable, but removing it is labor intensive. The old flooring has to be hand-scraped inch by inch, and then a new, smooth surface has to be applied to prevent flaws from appearing in the floor. This process is very time-consuming and a cost-adder.
Matching Existing Flooring
Matching an existing floor may be needed when a portion of an existing floor gets damaged. It may also be required when a homeowner wants to expand their existing flooring to a new area of their home. For example, you may have installed luxury vinyl plank in your office and entry, and now you want to replace your carpeted stairs with a matching LVP.
With most flooring, matching an existing floor is just a matter of ordering more of the original material. But when the flooring has been discontinued, or in the case of hardwood, when one lot may not be identical to another, custom color matching is a good option. A reputable provider will let you know beforehand if color matching is necessary. But be sure to ask.
Customization
There is a long list of customizations available for flooring, but hardwood and area rugs are the two most common. Both offer custom finish and colorization options that must be crafted by hand. The result is a one-of-a-kind design all your own. Prices will vary.
Staircases
You can apply virtually any flooring to a staircase, but they are trickier to work with than the wide-open spaces of a dining room or living room. There are dozens of corners and angles and banister legs to account for, and every staircase is different. To do it well is a real art form and takes a high level of experience. Be sure your installer can show you a history of staircase work.
Those are five the most common cost-adders associated with installing new floors or renovating existing ones. Keep these in mind if you are considering a change.
As always…. Enjoy Your Floors!
