Did you know there are five ways your new floors can cost you more than the sticker price? Most people don’t. After 35+ years in the flooring and interiors business, we’ve seen it all. Come take a short journey with us as we explain what those costs are, and what you should be asking your flooring consultant – BEFORE you buy.
Damage to Subfloor Caused by Standing Water
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, and 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 weakens and becomes compromised. In that case, a new subfloor must be installed or repaired before new flooring can be applied.
Removing Floors that are Glued 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 must be applied to prevent flaws from appearing in the floor. This process is very time-consuming and a cost-adder.
When and Why You’ll Need to Color-Match Flooring
Color matching may be needed when a portion of an existing floor gets damaged. It may also needed when a homeowner wants to expand their existing flooring to a new area of the 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.
What Flooring Types Can You Customize?
There is a long list of customization options available for flooring, but hardwood and space rugs are the two most common. Both offer custom finish and colorization options that must be crafted by hand. There will be added costs for these services.
What Makes Staircases Difficult to Update with New Flooring
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 cut around, and every staircase is different. To do it well is a real art form and takes a high level of experience. So be sure your installer can show you a history of staircase work.
Those are the five the most common cost-adders associated with installing new floors or renovating existing ones.
As always…. Enjoy Your Floors!
