We believe in standing behind our work. We want our customers to have piece of mind in knowing that they are working with a company who will do everything possible to make their purchase a smooth and enjoyable experience, from the initial store visit, to long after the products have been installed.
House of Color has years of experience working with area contractors. We are proud to recommend a particular group of local companies on our site. Go to Building and Remodeling to view the full list. If you decide to install the flooring yourself, we’ve put together an Installation Guide to help you through the process.
Tips to Help You Select a Floor That’s Perfect For You.
Know What You Are Getting
Become familiar with the products you are buying. Take the time to learn the various characteristics of the products that you are interested in. The more informed you are, the more likely you will make the decision that is right for you. You will also want to make sure you inform the sales person of the type of application of the product. For example, there is an immense difference between someone looking for carpet for a house they are fixing up to sell, and a mother of 3 that wants a durable carpet for her living room that will wear well. Make sure that you are selecting from products that will meet your unique quality standards. Remember price is a direct gauge of quality. In general, the cost for installation, shipping, and padding is all the same regardless of how much the carpeting costs. So when you are pricing carpet, the main derivative is quality.
Trust Your Gut
Don’t fall for sales pitches on products or get trapped into a high pressure sale. If you get the feeling that you are being pressured into something that you may not want, just walk away. It is better to take some time and think about your options, than it is to get forced into a sale. You should only purchase from a person who you feel you can trust.
Watch Out For That Unbelievable Price
How many times have you come across this? You get an estimate that is a considerable amount lower than your other quotes and it seems like an offer that you can’t pass up. However, most of the time it proves to be one that you wish you would have passed on. While you don’t want to get charged an outrageous amount for your flooring purchase, you may not want to go with the cheapest bid either. Flooring is a lot like any other purchases you make, you get what you pay for.
Selecting The Right Color
Be careful to select a color that will be somewhat versatile, especially when selecting tile flooring. With tile flooring, you are installing a floor that will be down for 25 years or more. If you select a specific color, such as a blue or green, make sure you will be comfortable with the product for that amount of time. You may also want to take into consideration that “people who own their houses relocate about every eight years”, according to the US Census Bureau. Keep this in mind when you select your colors. While you may love the color blue, when you go to sell your house, other people may not have the same opinion. It is a lot easier to change a paint color than it is to remove and replace a floor.
The Overstated Warranty
While a lifetime warranty on a carpet may sound great, make sure that you are reading the fine print. Unfortunately, many manufacturers in the flooring industry have fallen into a competition to make their products appear better than their competitors. In doing this they have set up a warranty system that has many exclusions, so don’t make your selections based on the face value of the warranty. If warranties are important to you, make sure to receive a copy of the warranty before you buy, and pay special attention to the exclusions.
Some examples of warranty exclusions that might surprise you are:
- Almost all stain warranties exclude non-food and non-beverage substances.
- Almost all carpet companies require a professional to clean the carpeting periodically. Many of the warranties require you to be able to present the receipts for proof that it was cleaned professionally, according to their specifications and time line, should a claim arise.
- Many texture warranties exclude matting and crushing on carpet installed outdoors, on stairs, in bathrooms, or in areas subject to more than usual traffic.
This is a small sample of what to look for. Almost all of the companies who manufacture flooring will have some type of exclusion that will be worded similar to these. Make sure to read and understand the exclusions. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your sales person before completing the sale.
To learn more about a specific manufacturer’s warranty policy, go to Product Warranties.
Focus On The Total Price
Make sure to compare the total price of a quote and not just the per-square-foot or square-yard price. Unfortunately some companies know that many people only look at the per-yard price and will lower this price, however they will charge for more yardage or for other extras to make up the difference. In fact, many of our customers have said that we had submitted a slightly higher quote originally. However, after another company had installed their flooring, they ended up paying a higher price with all of the extras. Before you sign a quote, make sure you know what you are signing and be careful to check the small print. Ask the sales person if the quote includes everything you think it does (e.g. removal and disposal of the original floor, furniture moving, etc.).
Know Approximately How Much You Need
While many stores (including House of Color) offer free estimates, it may be a good idea to know about how much you need before they measure. This will allow you to question if there is a large discrepancy between your figures and theirs.
To figure out the total square feet of a room, simply measure the length and the width of room and multiply them together. For example if a room is 10′ 6″ x 11′, it would amount to 115.5 sqft. (10.5 x 11 = 115.5) For rooms that are odd shaped, or have a lot of angles, try to break them into boxes and figure each box individually, then add them all together.
In this illustration you would have a total of 335 square feet. To find this number, multiply the 5′ x 7′ area (= 35 square feet) and the 15′ x 20′ area (= 300 square feet). When you add these 2 together you would find the total area to be 335 square feet.
In order to get a per-square-yard figure, divide your square feet by 9. For the illustration found above, the result would be 37.22 square yards.
Remember to add in a “waste factor”. This is the amount of flooring that will not be usable after the cutting process. When figuring carpet and vinyl, you will need to add approximately 10% to the total. However, this number could increase greatly depending on whether: the flooring is a patterned piece, the room has a lot of angles, there are multiple steps involved, or if the room size does not match up well with 12′ or 15′. (Note: Most vinyl is available in 12′ widths, and most carpets come in 12′ widths, with some being offered in 15′ widths). For hard surface items (hardwood, tile, laminate), you will need to add approximately 6% to the total to compensate for the “waste factor”. This percentage may be higher if the area is small or lower if the area is extremely large. Angles and room layout are also important in figuring your waste. The more angles and jogs, the more cutting involved, which will lead to a higher waste factor. You will also want to keep in mind that most hard surface items are available in full cartons only. This means that if you need 210 square feet and the product is only available in cartons of 20 square feet, you would have to order 11 cartons or 220 square feet (11 cartons x 20 square feet/carton = 220 square feet).
Consider Seam Placement
When working with carpeting or vinyl, make sure to consider the placement of your seams. Whenever possible, try to put the seams in an area that will be out of the main traffic patterns or mostly under furniture or rugs. Also avoid running seams perpendicular to the main natural light source. In other words, run seams the direction that the most natural light will come into your room. This will eliminate light reflecting off of the seams and they will be less noticeable.
Consider the Maintenance Required
The Carpet and Rug Institute has put together a very informative guide to proper cleaning, and ways to keep your carpet looking great for its full lifetime. We’ve included this information in Carpet Cleaning and Maintenance.
Some Items Vary In Appearance And Color
When selecting tile and hardwood, keep in mind that some products may have a high color or shade variance. Check with the salesperson to see if the tile has a rating of shading and color. For high shading and color variation, you may see a V4 or high or random mark on the sample. On hardwood, some products will have a little variance, while others, such as Brazilian Cherry or Maple, will have a wide range of colors and/or streaks. Again, check with the sales person to see exactly how much variance is expected. Shading and color variance is not a manufacturing defect, rather it is a characteristic of the product. On natural stone selections there WILL BE a high range of color and shading. Because these products are created by God, the sample is cut from a different spot or an entirely different mountain, than the material that will be in stock when it is ordered. Therefore, the mineralization will create different shades, veins, and colors. There may also be different shading within the same lot. If you do not like high shading and color variation, stone may not be the right choice for you.
Have Fun With Your Flooring Purchase
While purchasing flooring can be somewhat confusing, don’t lose sight of the fact that you have an opportunity to redesign your home and make it look new and exciting. Take some time to look at different designs and products, and try to envision what they would like in your rooms. With a little research and some guidance, you can convert your flooring purchase from a burden into an exciting opportunity. Let our staff at House of Color help you choose the products that will be perfect for your style and needs!
