Redoing Flooring: What You Need to Know Before Starting

If you’re redoing your floor, that means you want to upgrade your home’s aesthetic appeal, comfort, and value. In other words, your floor renovation project is a crucial part of a much bigger picture. As such, you don’t want to leave anything to chance for the entire flooring project. But because flooring isn’t something you think about every day, we have prepared a short flooring guide to get you started.

How To Prepare for a Flooring Renovation Project

• Clear the space

Furniture becomes an unwanted nuisance when you’re prepping the floor for renovation. They get in your way and make your work a lot harder than it should be. An empty room is easier to work with because you can move around with ease, conveniently assess the extent of damage on the existing floor, and take necessary measurements. You may also want to clear the closets and remove your precious decor items from the wall to save them from potential damage. There will be a lot of vibrations and dust going on when the renovations begin. 

• Cost estimation and budgeting 

Cost estimation in any renovation project is important because it guides you through the budgeting process. You need price estimates for all the flooring materials you need, labor costs, installation expenses, and potential miscellaneous expenses. Note that these estimates are meant to help you figure out your project costs, so you should not make final decisions before consulting flooring experts. 

Here are the steps to follow when developing budget estimates for your flooring project:

1. Measure the length and width of your space and calculate its square footage.
2. Request your local home improvement store for samples of different flooring materials. It is easier to visualize your new floor and interior design with the samples on hand. The samples will also give you an idea of the best way to position the actual planks for the perfect cost-design balance.

iii. In case your space isn’t rectangular or a perfect square, you may need to square it off into rectangles or squares. You will get more accurate area calculations when you square off the room. 

1. When you get near-accurate flooring calculations, budget for at least 10% of extra flooring materials. The extra materials will account for the materials that will get damaged during the project. Also, it’s cheaper to buy flooring materials in bulk. And in case your products of choice get discontinued by the manufacturer, you won’t end up with a mismatched floor. 
2. If you have friends who have renovated their flooring recently, ask them for advice on the labor costs in your area.  
3. Budget for installation costs from removing the old floor. You can request bid quotes from different contractors for comparison. 

Bottom line: Cost estimates will give you a rough idea of the money you need to see the project through. The actual budget will most certainly shift either upwards or downwards. 

• Assessing the condition of existing flooring

The condition of the existing flooring will determine the extent of floor surface preparation needed in readiness for the new flooring. You want your new flooring to lay flat and stay bonded, which means your subfloor or floor slab needs to be clean, level, and in perfect condition. You will know its condition after removing the existing flooring. Call in a professional flooring expert for a job site assessment, which might include removing the existing floor and assessing the condition of what lies beneath it. The expert should be able to advise you on how to fix any problems on the subfloors such as squeaks, moisture damage, crowns or dips, etc. 

Note: A job site assessment tells you how many installation days the project needs and any additional costs that may arise from subfloor damages.

• Selecting the appropriate flooring materials

Appropriate flooring materials vary from one project to another depending on a raft of factors. 

1. Your budget. Hardwood flooring, for example, is a lot pricier than vinyl flooring. Stick to your guns.
2. The quality of your subfloor. Hardwood flooring, for example, warps when installed on a subfloor that’s prone to moisture damage.

iii. The room you’re renovating. You, for example, wouldn’t want to install wood flooring in the bathroom, kitchen, or any other room with obvious sources of moisture. You may want to install tile flooring in such rooms because tiles are hardy and easy to clean. 

1. The shape and size of the room. If the room is tiny, you may want to install flooring with light colors to make it feel more spacious. If the room is too spacious, darker flooring accents can bring much-needed warmth.
2. Your personality, tastes, and preferences. 
3. Your ability and willingness to maintain the flooring. Each flooring comes with its unique amount of maintenance work and costs. If you want to put in the least amount of effort, you should go for resilient flooring such as tiles, vinyl, and laminate flooring. If you don’t mind a little more work, only then should you go for wooden floors.

• Hiring professional help

You should not consider DIY flooring unless you are a qualified flooring specialist. The floor is a critical part of your interior decor- it has to be perfect for your home to be functional and look classy. You need the expertise of a flooring installation professional when selecting & sourcing the materials, assessing the existing floor, preparing the subfloor, and doing the final installation. They have the tools, training, and experience to guarantee high-quality work within a reasonable timeframe. A flooring expert will also help you with care and maintenance tips for your new flooring to protect it from damage such as scratches and spills. 

Note that flooring experts are specialists in specific flooring types. You will find a flooring professional specializing in tiles, which makes him an artist in laying down ceramic, porcelain, etc. Someone else might be a hardwood flooring specialist, etc. Working with a flooring contractor, therefore, means you don’t just get a flooring expert. You get a specialist for your specific flooring needs.

Final word

Quality flooring requires proper knowledge, tools, and equipment. Try to involve an experienced flooring specialist as much as possible throughout the flooring process. That’s how you’ll get the most out of your investment.