Almost every homeowner takes on renovation projects at some point during their tenure in a house. For many, that means updating kitchens and bathrooms to meet their needs or expectations. For others, it means upgrading the flooring because of wear and tear or simply because their tastes change.
Unlike painting or switching out basic plumbing fixtures, many homeowners prefer using contractors for projects like flooring. A poorly installed floor can become a source of constant irritation and even result in damaged floors.
So, how do you go about choosing a flooring contractor? Keep reading for our guide to picking the right one.
Establish Your Budget
Some companies, such as Dad’s Flooring, provide the flooring and offer installation. In cases like that, you can often fold the flooring and installation into the same budget.
If you plan on getting the flooring from a vendor and hiring an installer separately, you need a separate floor installation budget. Labor can run from around 50 cents per square foot up to around $4 per square foot.
This is just an average, but it can help you plan a general budget.
Get Recommendations
Chat with your friends and local family member to see if any of them had flooring installed in the last year or two. If they’re ready to recommend the installer they used, it provides you with some flooring contractor options.
You can also check out online customer reviews for more insight. If a company has an overall positive rating, odds are pretty good that they’re reliable. Don’t put too much stock into it if you happen to see one really bad review.
If you don’t see a pattern of bad reviews with the same complaints, it was probably an atypical situation.
Licensing and Insurance
In most areas, flooring contractors need licenses much as a general contractor needs a license. Ask about licensing if it’s not clear from their website. Most states also maintain a database of licensed contractors that you can check.
Ask your potential contractors about their insurance. Most states make carrying a general liability policy a requirement for getting a license.
Quotes
You should ask for quotes from the contractors for installing new flooring. Quotes are not estimates. Many contractors will give estimates over the phone or online.
A quote typically calls for them to visit your home. This lets them see exactly what they’ll need to do, such as tearing out the old flooring. Once you get the quotes, you can compare and see what’s about average in your area.
Choosing a Flooring Contractor for Your Project
Choosing a flooring contractor for your renovation project is mostly about doing your research. You should establish a general budget for the installation apart from the materials. You’ll want recommendations where you can get them or at least good reviews online.
You should check on the licenses and insurance policies of your potential contractors. Finally, you need quotes so you can compare costs.
Once you have all of that information, you can pick the option that suits your budget best.
Looking for more home improvement tips? Check out our Home Improvement section for more posts.