Stop Making These 3 Expensive Flooring Contractor Mistakes Before You Start

Flooring can be an expensive investment and may be with you a long time, so you want to ensure that it is laid expertly, both for durability and to maximize its appearance. When looking for a contractor, personal recommendation is a good start, but different floors need different skills so make sure the contractor is experienced in laying your type of floor.

Qualifications

The most important thing is to ensure that the contractor is licensed, bonded and insured. Organizations such as the Certified Flooring Association offer extensive training and certification for flooring contractors and also keep a directory of members, so this is a good resource for finding someone.

If possible, set a specific brief for the work. Do you want to do some parts yourself such as painting and cleaning afterwards, or should the contractor do this? Shop around, getting 3 detailed quotes if possible, and remember to ask for references.

Cost

A quote is normally based on the type of flooring and the square footage to be covered. It should include travelling time for the contractor, cost of equipment delivery, preparation (including protection of existing structure), installation, clean up costs and removal of debris. It won’t include remodeling existing surfacing or electrics, dealing with hazardous surfaces such as asbestos, markup for supervision by a general contractor, or sales tax on materials and supplies.