How to Get the Beautiful Floors You Are Paying For!
In today’s marketplace there are too many ways to throw away good money!!
On average, at Michael’s, we receive five to ten calls per month from people looking for assistance with traumatic flooring problems due to:
- improper subfloor preparation, or
- short-cut installation methods (used by installers to reduce their costs)
In order to remedy a failed floor, you most often end up losing the original flooring material - PLUS add the additional costs of removal, appropriate slab preparation, and replacement flooring.
Basically, rather than saving money by using a less costly installer, you now have to pay a great deal more!Consumers are usually unaware of the factors that determine differences in flooring bids between flooring contractors. It is important to understand there are no regulations governing flooring contractor’s bidding and installation, therefore the consumer is totally dependent on the knowledge and integrity of the flooring contractor.
To insure the value of your flooring investment, use the following steps:
STEP ONE: SELECTING YOUR CONTRACTOR
Require and check many references
(preferable in your area and greater than two years old). Solicit Information from reputable business referral organizations
such as Angie’s list and the Better Business Bureau. Verify that the contractor has adequate insurance
(and bonding if required) Verify the number of years the contractor
has been in business in the same general location Determine the extent of the installer’s warranty,
which is separate from the flooring manufacturer’s warranty that covers
only the product, it does not cover problems due to defective installation. Verify that your installer has adequate experience with the
product being installed in case a manufacturer’s claim is necessary.
Note: Large stores often use independent contractors or hand you a list of
preferred contractors. Such stores cannot provide credentials for the
installers, nor do they provide a warranty for the installation. Additionally, when purchasing surplus, liquidation, and outlet flooring,
these products are often seconds, discontinued, or improperly milled.
There are no legitimate manufacturer’s or installation warranties
associated with these products and it is rare to find or match the product
in the future when needed for repairs or additional spaces. Wood flooring purchased over the internet usually carries no warranty
at all.
(preferable in your area and greater than two years old). Solicit Information from reputable business referral organizations
such as Angie’s list and the Better Business Bureau. Verify that the contractor has adequate insurance
(and bonding if required) Verify the number of years the contractor
has been in business in the same general location Determine the extent of the installer’s warranty,
which is separate from the flooring manufacturer’s warranty that covers
only the product, it does not cover problems due to defective installation. Verify that your installer has adequate experience with the
product being installed in case a manufacturer’s claim is necessary.
Note: Large stores often use independent contractors or hand you a list of
preferred contractors. Such stores cannot provide credentials for the
installers, nor do they provide a warranty for the installation. Additionally, when purchasing surplus, liquidation, and outlet flooring,
these products are often seconds, discontinued, or improperly milled.
There are no legitimate manufacturer’s or installation warranties
associated with these products and it is rare to find or match the product
in the future when needed for repairs or additional spaces. Wood flooring purchased over the internet usually carries no warranty
at all.
STEP TWO: BID COMPARISON
To avoid flooring failure, verify that your contractor has included the following in their bid:
Moisture testing: An essential step that should be performed prior to the installation
of most flooring types. If moisture is found to be an issue, a moisture barrier should
be installed to prevent moisture related failure. Slab treatment/cleaning: Subfloors should be properly scraped and cleaned prior to installation. Floating/leveling: Most concrete slabs require some floating or leveling prior to installation
of any hard surface flooring. Your contractor should include an allowance or estimate for this. Installation: For Flooring that requires adhesives or mortars, the appropriate products and
amount needed for proper and lasting adherence is specified by the flooring manufacturer. Verify
that the contractor will be following these specifications. Indoor air quality: To avoid high levels of toxic emissions in your home, discuss with your
contractor the VOC rating of the products they will use.
of most flooring types. If moisture is found to be an issue, a moisture barrier should
be installed to prevent moisture related failure. Slab treatment/cleaning: Subfloors should be properly scraped and cleaned prior to installation. Floating/leveling: Most concrete slabs require some floating or leveling prior to installation
of any hard surface flooring. Your contractor should include an allowance or estimate for this. Installation: For Flooring that requires adhesives or mortars, the appropriate products and
amount needed for proper and lasting adherence is specified by the flooring manufacturer. Verify
that the contractor will be following these specifications. Indoor air quality: To avoid high levels of toxic emissions in your home, discuss with your
contractor the VOC rating of the products they will use.
Subfloor Preparation, notably the most important step toward
the sustainability of a beautiful floor, is also the most prominent
way contractors use to cut corners and reduce their costs!
Note: you should expect transparency regarding all of these items from your
contractor – reputable contractors are happy to share this information, whereas
hesitance to provide this information should be regarded as a red flag.
For more detailed information regarding a specific flooring type, please refer to the
CONTACT page of our website. An information packet will be promptly emailed to you.