In preparation for installing new flooring, you have to consider several different factors to make sure that you budget correctly and are not surprised by any unexpected fees. The best way to do this is to meet with a flooring expert who can walk you through all of your options, but you can start the budgeting calculations before you seek professional assistance. Browse through the guide below to learn how to budget for different types of flooring in your home renovation.
Decide How Much Flooring You Need
Depending on the extent of your renovation, you could be re-flooring a single room or an entire house. When you get to the flooring phase of your renovation, sit down and determine how much space in your home is going to need new flooring. Then you will need to walk through the house and measure out each room so that you have a more accurate calculation. From there, you can determine what kind of flooring you want in each room as that will be a big factor for your overall price.
Research Flooring Options
In the modern world, where flooring can be manufactured from many different kinds of materials at many different price points, you have a lot of choices when it comes to flooring for your home renovation. From hardwood flooring to vinyl flooring, the choice you make will take up the biggest part of your budget. Looking at a scale of most expensive to least expensive, hardwood flooring generally tops that list followed by tile and other natural materials like bamboo or cork. Materials that are friendlier to the budget are laminate, vinyl, and carpet.
Each flooring option has its own benefits and drawbacks that need to be considered when creating a budget. Hardwood is typically very durable and long-lasting but does require maintenance like waxing to maintain quality and can be the most expensive flooring option. If you go with hardwood, you need to make sure that you still have room in your budget for all of the other costs associated with floor installation. Vinyl and laminate flooring are more modern options and are great for their versatility as they can be created to replicate the look of tile or hardwood without the installation and material costs.
Tile is usually the most durable flooring and is great for areas of the home like the bathroom or kitchen because it is water resistant but it usually has the highest installation costs because its installation is a tedious process. Unlike the rest of the options, carpet flooring is unique in that it is soft and cozy and it is an economical choice for covering hallways, bedrooms, and living rooms. The downside of carpet is that it can stain easily and needs to be replaced more frequently than other flooring options.
Factor in Installation Costs
Each type of flooring has its own installation process, so depending on who you hire to install your flooring and their expertise, the prices can vary. This is an important element to factor into your budget for flooring because unless you choose to install the flooring yourself, the workers need to be paid for their time. To determine general prices for installation in your area, search around different company websites to determine which business will fit into your budget.
Consider Additional Costs
On top of flooring and installation costs, there are other materials that you will need to purchase to complete the installation process. Underneath the flooring material, there will need to be an underlayment layer depending on which flooring you choose. You may also run into unpredictable repairs underneath old flooring as you rip it up. This will need to be fixed before you install the new flooring, which can raise your budget. Another added cost to consider is waste management. If you are ripping up old flooring and then installing new flooring, there will be a lot of torn-up flooring that will need to be disposed of. This will require you to rent a dumpster of some kind, which could factor into your overall renovation cost.
Review and Adjust
Once you have put everything together in a spreadsheet or worked through the overall costs with a flooring expert, it is time to review everything and decide if you need to adjust. If the final budget is too high, review the material you have chosen to use and cut back or choose alternative flooring options to save money.
Changing the flooring in your entire home is a big task that can take days or weeks once the process begins. Before you even begin, remember to follow these steps to make sure you do not go over budget.
