It is one thing to hear a flooring cost estimate; it is an entirely different thing to know if it’s a fair offer. The professionals here at Ozburn-Hessey are always going to have your best interests at heart, but the whole process might go a bit smoother if you understand how flooring professionals arrive at the number to begin with.
What to Expect from Floor Estimates
Flooring Installation Cost Basics
There are two main things that go into determining the price of your new floor: the cost of the material and the cost for the installation labor. Luckily, both are measured in terms of square footage, meaning you can easily calculate how much flooring material you will need, and how big the project will be for whomever is going to actually install the floor. You can obtain this by measuring the dimensions of the perimeter of the floor, then multiplying them. Having the square footage will at least give you a baseline of knowledge you can take into the store or use when you seek out more information.
Flooring Material Cost Estimates
To illustrate how widely flooring materials range in price, consider this: the most expensive flooring, on average, is about 20 times more expensive than the cheapest. There are so many different types of flooring you can have installed, with multiple levels of quality. It’s best to already know what kind of flooring you want, or at least know why you want that particular kind of flooring, before you look at the cost. For example, engineered wood flooring is usually one of the cheapest flooring materials, due to its reputation as a low-quality material. The truth is, high-end engineered wood flooring is one of the most expensive flooring options. If you want a floor that looks like hardwood flooring and won’t break the bank, the option is there, but you need to be careful and work with someone you trust, such as the professionals here at Ozburn-Hessey. Commercial carpeting is by far the cheapest flooring option, at about $1 to $3 per square foot, but it’s not the best option for a place with a lot of water, moisture, or a lot of heavy equipment. Knowing what you need the space for will help you decide which material is best, which in turn, will help you save money.
Flooring Installation: Should You Get it Done Professionally?
Looking at the estimates for flooring, it’s easy to look at the final number and realize the majority of that is labor. On average, the cost for installation is between $6 and $10. Flooring looks simple enough to install yourself, and some people in the greater Nashville area may appreciate doing a home project themselves, so paying the flooring company to install the floor may seem unnecessary. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. An improperly installed floor is going to have problems, even if they aren’t immediately noticeable. These problems will lead to further complications. Costs to fix it are bound to be more than if you had hired someone to make the installations in the first place.
When it comes to estimating how expensive the installation of your new floor will be, keep two things in mind: the cost of the material, and the cost for labor. Both will be measured in dollars per square foot, and that information is essential, so make sure to have it with you when you begin your research. When it comes time to pick out the new floor, be sure to give the professionals here at Ozburn-Hessey a call!
