Jason Burns' Real Estate Blog

You’ve all sorts of various choices of flooring accessible to you. You’ve considered ceramic tile, hard wood floor, engineered wood veneer, plastic laminate, vinyl, and linoleum flooring.  After reviewing your remodeling requirements and the floor systems, you’ve decided to go with laminate flooring.  Laminate flooring comes in a variety of styles, colors and patterns and is low-maintenance. Laminate flooring utilizes photo-realism technology that can make the top of the laminate floor look just like wood, stone, ceramic tile, marble and concrete. Plastic laminate is generally made of dense fiberboard with the photo beneath a clear plastic protective layer. Isn’t Technology Great?! Laminates come as planks or tiles. Most are floating floor systems that can be installed directly over existing floors and no tear-out is necessary. 

There are so many brands like Armstrong, Pergo, Quick Step, Mannington, Alloc, Wilsonart,  Columbia Flooring, and others that offer a variety of styles, colors, features and finishes.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.  You can find these floors in home improvement stores, warehouse clubs, flooring companies/contractors, floor distribution warehouses. Check out what is suited for your home improvement and remodel.  I recommend not to over build or under build from your home’s base appearance and function.  If you forsee changes to other areas like walls, cabinets, and other flooring, then you can design the floors and space to coordinate. 

If you thought that wood flooring was the only way to go in your project, consider the savings going with laminate.  In general, laminate flooring is less expensive providing the same function and appearance to wood flooring.  Just be sure to choose high quality flooring with a long warranty. Doing this, along with choosing one from the thicker choices, will make the floor last longer too as appear more like hardwood. Make certain to select a good underlayment so you don’t end up with hollow sounds when individuals walk on the floor.  Lots of people choose laminate flooring simply because it’s so easy to set up. Depending on your circumstances and the project, you can do the installation yourself. Laminate flooring is kid friendly and pet friendly.  It can have an embossed finish and is more scratch resistant than wood flooring. Most options on laminate flooring have a stain resistant coating. However, you should keep it away from getting wet, and clean up spills as soon as possible.  You still want to protect it from being punctured or scratched, and damaged.  You would like to protect the floor when moving heavy objects, appliances and furniture on the floor.  Easy maintenance is also an additional advantage. You just need to sweep up or vacuum up the dust and clean up any spills. Should it become damaged it’s easy to replace damaged parts without having to worry about the pattern not matching as lengthy as the original pattern is still accessible. With hardwood flooring you have to worry concerning the wood grain not matching.  The protective coating on the laminate helps keep the ultra violet rays from fading the flooring.  This makes the flooring less likely to fade with exposure to the sun and can help the product last. Laminate also uses recycled materials so it’s more environmentally friendly.

If you are into comparing flooring like comparing appliances, refer to a source like Consumer Reports or similar.  Look at articles that show the results from testing which types of flooring best resisted everyday wear, scuffs, and scratches based on simulating kitchen use.  I recommend getting a few estimates from companies who have qualified installers.  Make sure that all estimates are as close as possible.  Look out for things when going over your work with a flooring scope or detail list of what is included in the material and labor.  Avoid any incidentals since they have looked at the areas where the installation will occur.  Will the retailer/installer include a way to reduce hollow tapping noise? What type of underlayment will be used?  Is it extra thick with a pre attached moisture barrier which helps protect floors from moisture damage? In the material specifications, is it resistant to mold, mildew and bacteria growth? And is it non-allergnic?  Does it emit any chemicals that can cause any harm inside the home?

TIPS IN DEALING WITH THE FLOOR COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE

1. Get an explanation on the method of floor installation.  Some systems may require more intensive labor and materials than others and may have a cost impact.
2. Check what preparations are required before installing the floor system.  The base floor if wood or concrete may require additional work to prepare for the floor.  Removal of existing floor material to leveling the floor can add up if it is not addressed up front. A good preparation should result in a good final installation.
3. Identify with  the flooring representative of any appliances, fixtures, pipes or penetrations that  may be involved in the flooring preparation and final installation.  Moving the stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, toilet and/or pedestal sink yourself will save some money. Check to see if your installer can do this with no additional charge.  If you do remove and replace your own appliances and fixtures, be sure to slide them over plywood panels, so as not to damage your new flooring.
4. Identify with the flooring representative of any wall base, toe kicks, wood frames and moldings that will need to be removed and replaced after installation.  
5. Identify with the flooring representative what items will be trashed and what will be salvaged and reused. 
6. Identify with the flooring representative what new trim and transition pieces will be needed.
7. Identify with the flooring representative of height differences.  Be aware of what affects of the new flooring will have on the bottom of doors. What else will be affected?
8. Do you need to contact another company that the flooring company will not provide in the remodel?  
9. Comfirm warranty.
10. Have additional material in case the model is no longer available when it is time to make repairs. 

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW FLOOR!

Call me at (559) 975-9048 if you need additional assistance.  Thank you!