It’s easy to get sucked into wanting to remodel your home. After all, an afternoon spent on the couch with HGTV as your binge-of-choice will quickly show you all of the areas your home is currently lacking.

In many cases, it starts with the floor. Those stains and scuffs on your vinyl have been there far too long. The broken tiles aren’t just unsightly, they are also a tripping hazard. And did you ever think you’d be the one with the ugly shag in a color straight out of the 80s?

When most homeowners start thinking about installing new flooring, they start with a top desire. Thanks to many of the remodeling shows, they’ve pinpointed their top choices. But it might be a shock when you start calculating costs and have them fit your budget. That’s where many homeowners start to get into trouble.

You don’t want any regrets with your flooring choice, long before you’ve lived with it for any length of time.

But how do you ensure you won’t live with regret? What flooring remodeling mistakes should you know about, so you don’t make them yourself?

Don’t buy cheap flooring materials

For many of us, we consider ourselves to be great at bargain shopping. We’ll search extensively online for great deals. We’ll watch for sales and even try to talk our way into a better offer. That might work well for some things – you can always find another dress if you can’t get the one you’re after at a decent price. But for flooring materials, it’s a different story.

Let’s talk about one example we see quite frequently. A homeowner shops a big box store regularly, and notices a sudden flash sale offering engineered wood planks at an incredible price. They buy it up with the plans to install it themselves. Two questions arise from this situation:

What happens if you run out of materials, and the special offer is no longer in sight? Even the product is long gone off the shelves. In most cases, it was a special run just for the big box store. Even going back to the manufacturer won’t bring you any closer to finding a match.

Where is the material sourced from?  Because these specials are usually created in large quantities, and made for profit, they are often sourced from less than reliable sources. Do you want questionable materials inside your home?

The adage “you get what you paid for” applies here. If you want flooring that will last, talk to a flooring expert and thoroughly understand the product you are laying on your floors.

Don’t skimp on the installation process

Thanks to the HGTV channel, more homeowners than ever are jumping into the renovation process themselves. And it can be great fun.

It can also be a challenge. Nothing can be more frustrating than a home remodeling project gone wrong. And if your floors aren’t installed in the right manner, you’ll experience “wrong” very quickly. Wood floors can warp and buckle. Gaps between materials can be ugly at best. And if you don’t transition correctly from room to room, flooring material to flooring material, it can be downright dangerous too.

If you’re not sure what you’re doing, ask for help. Pay for a quality installer to do the job right the first time. It’s the best way to ensure you have a beautiful and functional home for many years to come.

Select the right type of flooring materials

It’s easy to get sucked into specific wants; we’ve all done it. (You’re thinking about that expensive orange dress you bought when you clearly can’t wear orange, aren’t you?)

You can give the dress away without a lot of heartache. You might have to live with your flooring mistakes for years to come.

If you’re looking at the trendy flooring because they showcased it on your favorite show, back away for a moment. Is it really the right choice for you?

Talk with one of our specialists; they can help you evaluate your needs, and process them separately from your desires. White carpet might not make sense if your family is growing.

Pay attention to how you live

Each flooring choice requires a different level of upkeep. You’ll have to vacuum carpet regularly to keep it looking its best. Hardwood requires a sensitive touch to avoid scratches, dents, and marks.

You should also think about what you do in each room. Do you always complain about spaces being cold? Or is the living space you workout in regularly simply too hard?

There’s a solution for each situation. And that’s where talking with a flooring expert can help.

If your space is always cold, going with a plush carpet might warm it up. Or if you’re set on hardwood or tile, have you ever thought of adding radiant heating below the surface? It might be the perfect addition to your flooring remodel.

Be realistic with your budget

This piece of advice works in conjunction with selecting cheap flooring materials. If you’ve seen an endstand at your local big box store, it’s easy to use those numbers when establishing your flooring budget.

That might not work at all.

Before you settle in on a number, stop by and talk with one of our flooring experts. We can give you real advice on how much it’s going to cost. Because we know the little extras most don’t count on when they set up their budget. Like padding underneath that plush carpet. Or the cost of removal of your old floor.

Is this the year for a flooring remodel?

It’s a great time to stay close to home, and make your home an even better place to hang out in. But avoid flooring remodel problems by thinking and planning a little first.

We can help. Give us a call today.