If you're reading this you're looking for
flooring--or thinking about looking for flooring and, failing a
magic wand, hoping for some guidelines to simplify the process. If
you're renovating, flooring is just one of many decisions you need
to make. And face it, even if you're not renovating nine times
out of ten a new floor means new room decor so be warned--new
paint, trim and window treatments are soon to follow.
Budget, lifestyle, room use/traffic patterns and
taste are the main considerations to help you navigate a world of
choice. Let's consider each one in turn.
Flooring prices that meet your budget
Is money no object? Or are you juggling preferences
and practicalities within clear spending limits? Here's a very
general rule of thumb: medium grade installed carpet or
vinyl runs about one-third of the price of hardwood or
ceramic installed in the same space; installed laminate is roughly
two-thirds of the price. That said the variety of quality and
choice is seen in the range of floor pricing--installed vinyl can
be anywhere from $1.40 to $6.50 a square foot, installed laminate
from $2.50 to $7.50 and installed hardwood from $9.00 to
$12.00.
Of course, if you're handy and undaunted at the
thought of doing your own installation all bets are off. You
can save a lot of money as long as you know what you're doing,
have the requisite time, skill, tools, patience and understanding
roommates. (Remember, your work encroaches on their evenings,
weekends and holiday time too.)
Brands and warranties also factor into budget
considerations. Basically the longer the warranty period, the
better the floor and the higher the price. You do get what you pay
for so if you want flooring that will last, look for a
decent warranty along with brand recognition. Recommended brands
are mentioned in the lifestyle section below.
Flooring that suits your
lifestyle
Taylor's Custom Flooring