A lot of homeowners across the Front Range have been bitten by the home remodeling bug this year. And why not? We’re spending more time at home than ever before.
Maybe you’re redoing an extra bedroom into a home office. Maybe you’re reconfiguring your open concept floor plan to have individual work stations. Maybe it’s time to refinish the basement to add more space.
While all of that remodeling can spur your inner interior decorator, and kick your designing personality into high gear, finding the best products to use can be a tricky experience.
You might be tempted to spend a weekend shopping at your favorite big box store, but is it really the best place to buy?
Take flooring, for example. They have rows of great looking products. The carpet is a great color. The luxury vinyl planks are just what you’ve been looking for. And the price! It was good before, but now that they are having their “holiday blowout”, the price is out of this world.
Why look anywhere else? Why would you ever shop a flooring retailer with prices like these?
Like anything, you get what you pay for.
Expertise
When you visit with an independent flooring retailer, you’ll talk with someone who has a wealth of knowledge ready and waiting for you. Flooring is all they do, and they do it well. They know all of the products on the marketplace, how easy they are to install, and how they wear over time. Because many independent flooring retailers have been in business for years, they also understand trends, and what flooring will stand the test of time. You can benefit from all of this expertise and more, and be able to get all of your questions answered easily. Try that with part-time help at a big box store, whose only goal is to make it to the weekend.
Personalized service
While an associate at a big box store might have worked a particular department for a bit, they still were hired as an employee for the store, not as a flooring expert. Their goal is to sell you on a product in stock, and get you out of the store. They deal in quantity, not in quality.
Not so with a flooring retailer. They pride themselves on gaining customers that will stick with them for life. They want you to select the right flooring for your needs, and be happy with the outcome for years to come. If you’re happy, you’ll be back when you need new carpet for the bedrooms, or are ready to renovate your basement. You’ll also remember them when you’re talking with friends.
A flooring retailer knows how to dig deep, ask the right questions, and help you finalize your purchase so it’s the right flooring for your needs.
Shop local
Let’s face it, the big box stores are in every major city, and focus on buying large quantities at bargain basement prices so they can continue to ramp up profits from year to year. They want you to shop again and again, no matter what city you’re in.
But when you visit an independent flooring retailer, chances are you’re visiting with locals. Like us, many independent flooring retailers have lived in the community for years, have a home nearby, have raised a family in the local neighborhood. You’re supporting friends who walk the same streets as you, and care as much about the community as you do.
If supporting the local community is on your list of to-do’s, pay attention to where you shop.
High quality products
Do you know how well the products at the big box store are made? It’s a hit-or-miss when it comes to quality.
Big box stores buy in mass quantity. They are looking for manufacturers that can fulfill their orders by the masses. And that means they often pick up products that are inferior at best. They can’t take time to wait for higher quality – they care about getting things on the shelves.
Sometimes, that means inferior glue on luxury vinyl tiles, or less than stellar wood used on laminate flooring. Of course, you may not notice it on the samples in the store, or even as you finish up your DIY project. But you will notice it over time, as the glues come unglued, and the laminate flooring starts to warp.
Large selection
The thing about big box stores is they select just enough products to keep their aisles and shelves full and ready for you to shop. Each department only has so much space. So the buyers ensure they find the best deals to fill it well.
But what if the gray-washed luxury vinyl planks aren’t quite the color you were hoping for? What if the carpet tiles aren’t quite the pattern you want? Don’t give up, check with an independent flooring retailer instead.
When you shop someone who exclusively deals with flooring, they will be able to find exactly what you are looking for.
Availability
A big box store works big box hours. When an associate’s shift ends, they go home. While you can ask questions to any associate who happens to be working that day, you’ll have to start over asking your questions and filling in the details. The customer service you receive will vary from person to person.
And only during store hours, of course.
Not so with a flooring retailer. We care about our business, and so we make ourselves available to you. Plus, when you call or visit with us, rest assured every person you talk with will have a wealth of knowledge about the product you’ve purchased, and will be ready to answer every question you have.
Independent flooring retailers have a 24/7 commitment to ensure they keep every customer and prospect they come in contact with happy and well informed.
Think a box box store can keep up with that?
Are you ready for your next DIY project?
Then maybe it’s time to give an independent flooring retailer a call. Whether you have your mind made up on a particular product or color, or are just starting the exploration process, we’re here to help. We can help you find the best DIY flooring for your needs.