How Much Does Flooring Installation Cost?
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Flooring costs around about $6 – $10 per square foot for engineered hardwood flooring; plus another $1.75 – $2.20 per square foot for installation. Typically, consumers will pay $6 to $13 per square foot for quality hardwood flooring.
Are you wondering about flooring installation costs? Here’s your guide to compare flooring contractors cost and find top floor installers near you.
When you’re doing a remodel it can be incredibly stressful. You have to juggle everything, budgets, flooring contractors cost, time, and expectations.
There’s always a point in the remodel where you want to throw your hands up and call it quits. For some reason, that point tends to be right around finding someone to do your flooring.
Have no fear, we are here to help take some of the burden off of you. We’ve put together a list of things that will help you find the best flooring person to complete your remodel.
Know the Average Flooring Contractors Cost
The average cost will give you a baseline to go off of. That way, if someone goes way over that, you can weed them out right away. On the other hand, if they go way under, you know to ask more questions.
When someone comes in too low there is a possibility that they are using subpar materials. It might be tempting to still use them, but you might have to get the floors redone sooner down the road or have other repairs done that could be more costly.
You might save on the front end but you get what you pay for.
When you know the average, you can also avoid being taken advantage of. While you need to make sure the contractor is using proper materials and isn’t too cheap, don’t let them price gouge you.
Basic engineered hardwood has three core layers topped with a layer of wood veneer between 1/16- to 1/12-inch thick. Jobs at 1000 sq foot and more see pricing ranges from $2.95 to $5.25 per square foot, with installation costs running between $3 and $10 per square foot depending on the complexity of the layout.
How Long are They Estimating?
We’ve all heard it, time is money and it’s true. Not only on the contractor’s end but on yours as well. Remodeling your home is tiring and sometimes you don’t want to wait any longer.
Some contractors will promise you the world, be wary of those. However, feel free to make sure who you hire is willing to adhere to your timeline.
You want to keep in mind that if you have other projects going on, they might need to be put on hold to allow the flooring contractors to work. This can push other projects back. If you have other projects set to start after the flooring it is even more important that you have a realistic timeline.
Ask Around – Get Reviews
One of the best ways to figure out if a contractor is worth your time and money is to ask around. Word of mouth is one of the most valuable forms of marketing.
If you have friends or family that have done remodels then that’s always the best place to start. They can give you details about the contractor and if they came through on time and on budget.
That way you can even see what the finished product looks like and how it’s held up over time.
If you don’t have friends or family that can point you in the right direction, take a look online. There are plenty of websites that can give you a good idea of the contractor’s work.
Is the Flooring Company Throwing in Any Extras?
A lot of time contractors are willing to sweeten the deal. They might not be able to come in under the budget another contractor can but that might be willing to do a little extra.
Sometimes it comes in the form of a warranty, Scotchguard or a protective layer over the flooring.
In other cases maybe they can to a second room for less than market value for you or add some extra thick paddings so your carpets are more plush and comfortable.
All of these sorts of things add up. They might not be considered in the original price but if you are looking to do more than one room or are interested in softer carpets then it might be worth it to go with them.
How Do They Want to be Paid?
This might seem like a weird thing to consider, but it can make a big difference. You might want to pay with a credit card. And while most places accept them, not everyone does.
On the other hand, a contractor might be willing to let you make payment, which could free up some of your budget to do other projects with. Not to mention it would save you from paying the interest you would have on the card.
It might also be worth asking for a cash discount. Some contractors will cut off some of the cost if they know they will be getting cash in hand. Just always make sure that when you pay in cash you get a clear invoice and receipt for your records.
Get Enough Flooring Company Prices to Actually Compare
One of the things a lot of people do wrong is only getting a few prices. If you don’t get an adequate number of contractors to compare, you might be cheating yourself.
One, two or even three contractors are not enough to really compare and get the best flooring option.
There are a lot of different factors to remember as you compare and while one might have lower prices doesn’t mean they are the one you should go with.
With so many different factors such as payment options, outside reviews, timeline, and extra goodies you need at least 5 different contractors to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck.
Don’t sell yourself short.
Make the Right Choice for You
There are a lot of factors in your own life, you will need to make the best chose for you and your family.
If your budget is the biggest issue right now then maybe having to replace the floor sooner rather than later is an okay compromise for you.
Maybe you don’t care so much about extra padding, that’s okay too. However, if you take these things into count when you are comparing flooring contractors cost then you will have a great chance at getting the most out of your money.
If you need help finding flooring contractors to compare, let us do some of the heavy lifting for you.