Hardwood and Laminate Flooring Buying Secrets Revealed
By James Anonie Submitted On November 25, 2010
Did you ever say to yourself when you're about to make a large purchase: "Wow...I only wish I knew about what I am buying like these people who are trying to sell me this stuff." After reading this report, you will have that knowledge when it comes to hardwood or laminate flooring. I am going to explain to you how to correctly purchase hardwood and/or laminate flooring. I have been indifferent to businesses for over 30 years, and I have been in the flooring business for over 15 years. I find many people approach their flooring purchases incorrectly, therefore costing them lots of money; and at times, customers will buy inferior products from inferior merchants. This report will list 10 Topics that you need to read and understand. After doing so, you will be prepared to make that perfect hard surface flooring purchase and have the peace of mind that you approached your purchase just like an expert.
1. Use the internet for research. Whether hardwood or laminate flooring, I like to browse the internet for styles that appeal to me. I also use the gardenweb.com flooring forum or other forums to ask others what products they seem to be having success or difficulties with. You can also go to my3cents.com to see if there are many major complaints about the products you are considering. Check out the reviews of the box stores on my3cents.com while you're at it. I do not recommend purchasing flooring products via the internet. One reason for this is that many of the manufacturers will not warrant products from internet purchases. Also, should you have a problem with your floor, it will be difficult to get any type of representation to solve your issue. Another major issue is damage caused by third-party shippers. There's nothing worse than making a purchase, only to find damage and have to remedy it through the internet-store. Finally, it normally does not save you money to purchase through the internet. When you factor shipping into the cost, many times a better buy can be made from a local independent retailer that has great buying power. I will explain later in the report the right things to mention when buying at a local retail store to bring your cost down.
2. Take samples home. I strongly
recommend visiting a good local retail store to ask their opinions on products.
Those that are of interest to you and seem to be in your budget need to be
signed out and taken home to be viewed in both natural and artificial light and
in the surroundings where the product will be installed. Independent stores
will show the products under the actual true manufacturer label making it much
easier to comparison shop. Buying groups such as Carpet One, Flooring America,
Abbey, Floors to Go, and the big box stores have most of their products
privately labeled, making it nearly impossible to comparison shop. This is done
for obvious reasons.
3. Ask for a bottom line price.
The best thing you can do is mention that you will not be making a decision
that day and that you are checking prices. Mention that you are not the type of
person to bounce back and forth and that you would like their bottom line price
right from the start. The worst thing that you can do as a consumer is a state
that you will only buy from that store. That will cost you money as it assures
the store you are not shopping, and flooring is a competitive business.
4. Cash and carry vs. installed
purchase. This is always a tough one because a flooring product is only as good
as the installation. I have seen a lot of want-to-be independent installers out
there that can ruin a laminate or hardwood job. Most carpet installers are not
carpenters, but many do pretend to be. It is rare to find an installer that can
do it all. I have yet to find one. Many are top notch at some types of
flooring, but not others. So when you hire a friend of a friend, or someone
working under their shingle, are you guaranteed the type of installation you
expect? Also, when using a moonlighting installer, you should be paying no more
than 50-60% of the prevailing rate of the independent retailer installation
rate. I have seen moonlighting installers charge half again as much for an
installation than the customer could have gotten from a flooring store. When
you have the flooring store install the product, there will be no
finger-pointing should there ever be an issue. There are so many different
complications that can happen after an installation, and if you are dealing
with a rock-solid independent retail store, you have protection. In my opinion,
there need to be significant savings for you when you cash and carry a product.
If you can install on your own, then there is normally a substantial saving
realized and I say go for it. If not, let the experts do it.
5. How to determine if the store
knows its stuff. Just how do you know if a store knows what it's doing? There
are a few things that you need to look for. First of all, if you are looking
for an independent retailer to install the product for you, they must come to
the job site and measure for you. Diagrams just don't cut it and a good store
knows that a 3-D viewing of the job is the only way to finalize a price. Notice
how much attention the store pays to transitions between rooms in your home.
Are they going to undercut door casings? It is a must. Are they going to pull
baseboards or use rounds? Baseboard pulling makes the floor look like the house
was built on top of the floor and that is what you want. Depending on the type
of baseboard you have, rounds are sometimes necessary, but it should always be
discussed. Notice the amount of perimeter detail the measuring technician is
noting. If it is just a diagram drawn with no discussion, that's not good enough.
Look for another store. You'll immediately notice the difference between stores
just by watching the approach taken by the measurer. An expert will be in total
control and will ask you all the right questions and discuss the project with
you. Is the store going to document who is doing what and who isn't? There will
also be certain job preparation issues that will need to be discussed, such as
moving appliances, toilets, furnishings, tearing out of existing flooring, etc.
These items need to be decided and should be listed and signed by both parties
so that there is no confusion. Moonlight installers tend to put all the little
detailed preparation directly on the consumer or they charge you extra for it.
Alternately, many times the prep will be included in the retailer installation
package.
6. What to look for on a laminate
floor. I believe this can be answered pretty simply. Make sure the product has
the styling that you like and falls within your budget. All laminates today
perform extremely well regardless of price. Retail stores do carry many
laminate products and I believe each one will perform as well as any. High- or
low-priced, they will perform about the same. The technology today is superior
to the laminates of even 5 years ago. Most of the old chipboard core laminates
from 10 years ago or longer look like the day they were installed. Gone are the
old glue-together products, and now with the drop and lock technologies, joint
separation is pretty much nonexistent. The biggest difference I see in the pricing
of products is that manufacturers extend the warranties and make more realistic
looks in the higher-priced products. The performance will be very similar
between all the products. The number one enemy of a laminate floor is water. If
the laminate is going to get wet, pick another floor. I also get concerned with
some of these high shine laminate floors. My company has seen some issues in
that they will (not surprisingly) show abrasions to the finish much quicker
than a lower luster finish. If it were my home, I would only use a high shine
product in an area that gets minimal wear. I have seen some pretty flimsy
laminates at big box stores and buying clubs. These laminates are not really
any less expensive and are flimsy when holding them. I believe they are
products made especially for these stores and are no less costly. One trick of
these stores is to put a low amount of square footage in each box, which makes
the cost appear less. Always do your math and compare apples to apples.
7. What to look for in hardwood
flooring. The popular product today is hardwood flooring. It is making a
gigantic comeback and everyone wants to jump on the hardwood bandwagon. In our
region, it seems everyone wants solid hardwood flooring. Let's talk about solid
wood. Solid wood is great as long as you have a fairly constant humidity level
in your home and the wood is going to be installed above grade. If your home
has large fluctuations in humidity levels, then you may want to consider an
engineered hardwood floor. Engineered hardwood is a hardwood floor that has
plies or turned layers of material in-between a top and bottom layer of the
species that you are selecting. This gives the product more stability to
changing climate conditions. This type of floor is normally required for on or
below grade applications. Engineered flooring is generally a little more
price-friendly as the tree specie requirement is less to make the product. A
concern with an engineered floor is what the inner core plies are made of. Be
sure to ask and make sure a hardwood or hard material is used to create the
inner ply as a soft material can make the top layer easier to dent. Solid floor
hardness can be determined by researching or asking the Janka rating. Janka
ratings are a scale used to determine the hardness by comparison of wood
species. I believe that all finishes of hardwood today are good as long as it
is a quality brand of flooring that can be found at your independent retailer.
There are some new products on the market today that give 50-year finish
warranties for what it is worth. I have always had concerns with lifetime
warranties or other huge warranties, although I suppose it is something you can
hang your hat on should there ever be a problem. Pre-finished vs. unfinished hardwood
is always a debate and you will get differing opinions. I prefer the pre-finished.
You get more layers of finish and furniture-like quality without the mess. No
sanding, better warranties, and a quicker finished product just make up my mind.
Yet, we have top-quality intelligent builders who prefer unfinished. So who am
I to argue? This product simply has two schools of thought.
8. Laminate vs. Hardwood. Tough
decision, but it's ultimately up to you. First, let me say that I always tell
potential buyers that it doesn't matter what your neighbor thinks or what your
bridge partner thinks -- it is what you want. Do not let anyone influence your
decision based on their likes or dislikes. There are 100 different flavors of
ice cream for a reason. I am shocked by how many people fall in love with a
color or style. Then they say, "Let me keep it a couple of extra days so I
can show my kids." They then return the sample and either buy nothing or
completely change the product from the one they initially chose. It is you who
will be looking at the product every day and it should be you who makes the
ultimate choice of what you want to see. Now we move to the discussion of
laminate vs. hardwood flooring. I always say to people that hardwood will increase
the value of your home. Laminate flooring normally does not. With that said,
let's discuss what makes sense. If I install hardwood and laminate into an
average active American household with 3 children, there's a fair chance that
in 5 years my hardwood may look worn, but the laminate should still look good.
Now, which home held its value? Yet, I can refinish the hardwood and
immediately replace the value. But remember, that refinish will cost money. So
we are kind of going around in circles. Laminate flooring is much more
difficult to scratch, will not fade from sunlight, and is more water-resistant
than hardwood. Water is not a friend to laminate flooring by any means, but
water can ruin hardwood flooring also. Laminate flooring is a snap to repair;
and when you repair the board, you will never know it was repaired as it does
not change appearance over time. Hardwood is more of a tedious repair and you
may notice the repair was made until it blends in with wear. Pet urine can hurt
both products. Your pet's claws will be much more disturbing to the hardwood
finish. It takes a lot to scratch laminate flooring, but it can be scratched
and it is not bulletproof. No matter what the finish on a hardwood floor has,
abrasions will be noticed. The scratches normally do not get to the wood but
will disturb the finish coat layer. I have hardwood flooring and my big boxer
dog does occasionally put a mark into the wear finish. Another option of
hardwood is a distressed or rustic look. Hand-scraped or rustic products will
not show these abrasions and add to the character. If you have a major scratch
in the finish, you simply rub some Old English into the scratch and it will vanish.
The results will not be the same with a smooth or more formal finish. Laminate
flooring will take a lot of abuse, but it is an image of a hardwood and tries
its best to imitate a hardwood or tile floor. It will not sound, look, or smell
like real hardwood. Hardwood is genuine and can be harvested from different
parts of the world. Exotic woods are now controlled by what is called the Lacey
Act. Manufacturers today must comply with the act assuring that hardwood
foresting is done with a prioritized concern for the environment. This has
eliminated illegal foresting in other parts of the world which have translated
into higher exotic wood prices. Hardwoods come from real trees giving the
product unmatched beauty and elegance. Laminate flooring on average is less
expensive than hardwood flooring. A good solid local retail flooring store
should be able to show you the differences between laminate and hardwood
flooring which should allow a much better decision on what is best for you and
your family. But remember, it is ultimately up to you.
9. Understanding the manufacturer
warranties. Many people wonder what the manufacturers' warranties mean. From
someone who is in the flooring business and takes this topic very seriously, my
answer is pretty simple: "Not Much". After the first 3 months, I would
say the warranty becomes about as good as what your independent retail store
will do for you. Normally, if there is a malfunction with a product, it will
happen in the first 30 days. Many times, when there is a problem, it is due to
installation. This is why it's important, in my opinion, to have the
independent retailer arrange for the installation and have that store on the
hook. There are occasional issues of manufacturing after the first 30 days, but
it is rare. I can count on about one finger how many manufacturers claim we
have had after 30 days on laminate and hardwood, and we operate 4 flooring
stores. So all of these 30-, 50-, even 25-year finish or wear-through
warranties just don't mean a lot in my mind. These manufacturers know that the
finish may wear through, but it will be abuse that causes it. Does this mean
that I do not ask what the warranty is? No, I still would want a product with a
minimum 15-year warranty. Fifteen years would be my dividing line. There are
some hardwoods with real low purchase prices that only carry a 1- or 5-year
finish warranty. I would run from those, but at the 15-year or greater warranty
mark, I would not think twice. One other point is that buying groups and box
stores increase the warranties on their own. What I mean by this is that they
contract the manufacturer to raise the warranty for them. I do not like the
fact that a product with a normal 5-year warranty gets increased to 25 years
simply because a box store is selling it. This does not make the product better
and is no extra protection for you. Remember what I said about abuse. A true
15-year warranty will take a lot more abuse than a 30-year inflated box store
warranty. This is why I would prefer to purchase through a strong independent
retail store. Your independent retail store can give you good opinions on what
is a good product and what is not. The warranty displayed is what the
manufacturer truly specified for the product.
10.Costs and buying methods of
these products. Flooring is one of the largest purchases a family makes, second
only to their automobiles. With this said, it can be very affordable. Just like
anything else, there are great valued products. These do not have to be entry-level
products. They can be excellent products with excellent warranties. A strong
independent retail flooring store can give you great advice on these types of
products. If you walk into an independent retail store and ask for a great
value product in either a laminate or hardwood, the experienced salesperson
will be able to show you many. Remember that a strong local independent
retailer does not normally sell toilets, rose bushes, or light bulbs -- just
flooring. I think that's important. You may need to explain to the salesperson
that by "value", you don't necessarily mean the cheapest, but you
mean a good product that does demonstrate value. Most independent retailers
know which of their products has an unusually high value for the cost. One
thing to remember is that the installation, the underlayment for your laminate
or hardwood, the floor prep, and anything else that needs to be done will be a
constant. You may want to ask for the price that will be a constant for your
purchase. At that point, you will know that any additional dollar that you
spend will go directly into the flooring product you choose. In other words on
a 500 sq ft purchase, an extra 30 cents a square foot may give you the four-sided
bevel that you are looking for. So for an extra $150, you will have the beveled
product in your living room, dining room, and hallway. If a job of $4600 is a
little more than you hoped, but you are going to purchase it anyway, don't you
think the increase to $4750, which can get you exactly what you want, is a
smart extra $150? Your constant cost will not change, so the little extra money
you're spending will give you the look you'll enjoy for the rest of your life.
There are many ways to pay for your flooring: cash, check, credit card,
in-house financing plans, or companion financing plans. Most stores, offer 12
months same as cash for their customers and do not factor any of the cost of
offering that particular program into the cost of the product. What I mean by
that is when you see 36 months interest-free or even up to 5 years
interest-free financing, it may be interest-free, but it isn't free at all. The
retailer pays a percentage to the finance factoring company for that length of
free interest for their customer. These fees are expensive and that cost is
factored into the product that you are purchasing. Twelve months interest-free
is an affordable fee normally for the retailer and it will not usually affect
the price of the product. Credit cards and interest-free financing do cost the
retailer money. A buyer that plans on writing a check should tell the retailer
this when asking for the best deal. When the management of a store knows this,
they understand they will experience no fees with this payment style and that
should translate into a little better deal for you. Cash vs. check should have
no bearing on your price. In the economic climate of today, flooring is less
expensive than 4 or 5 years ago. This is a fact, even though there have been
many flooring price increases from the manufacturer. To stay extremely
competitive, the smart independent retail flooring centers have curbed and cut
costs so that they can offer flooring to the consumer for a lower price than in
years past. It could be a smart time right now to make that purchase.
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