Installing your laminate floor is relatively simple compared
to other flooring installations, but still requires skill,
hard work, and patience. Your installer should have the
specialized knowledge and the proper tools and equipment
to complete your job expertly and on time.
Buying your flooring separately and contracting directly
with a good installer to put it down for you is a very economical
way of getting a great new floor. You can save a lot of
money doing it this way, but as always, be careful and take
the precaution of getting your agreement in writing.
Independent installers often own small companies. They may
work for a number of retailers and contractors. You can
generally find them in the Yellow Pages, the ad section
of your local paper's Home section or online. You can also
ask friends for referrals. Try to get estimates from at
least two installers - three is even better.
Once the installer is in your home, show him the area to
be covered and go over this list. Your installer will appreciate
this because he, like most people, wants to do the job right
and end up with you as another satisfied customer. He will
certainly have questions and suggestions of his own.
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First of
all, he should use a tape measure, a rolling wheel,
or a laser measure to determine the size of the flooring
area you want to cover. He should deduct the appropriate
amount of square footage for any cabinets in the room,
and then add 10% (give or take) to the net square footage
to cover cutting waste and discarding any boards that
may have minor imperfections. He will usually then diagram
the area on paper, making a drawing of your rooms with
all the dimensions figured in.
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Next, show
him a sample of the flooring you are considering. This
will help him determine what transition strips, stair
nosing, floor vents, quarter round, base board and other
accessories you will need to purchase.
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It’s also
important to discuss underlayment with your installer.
Decide if you will require a moisture barrier, or heat/cold
insulation in addition to sound dampening.
-
Discuss
whether or not it will be necessary to remove the existing
flooring before putting down your new one. This may
be necessary to achieve a desirable height and condition
for meeting a floor in an adjoining room.
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He will
also check the height of adjoining floors, counter tops,
cabinets, etc. to make certain that everything will
fit properly after the new floor has been installed.
It is essential to have all of your materials at the
start of your job in order to get a neatly finished
job done on time. We like to say that it is best to
start the job right in order to finish it right.
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Ask him
to confirm that the conditions of your home are suitable
for the flooring you want to install. He may ask to
remove a piece of existing floor or go into the basement
or crawl space to check the condition of the basic floor.
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Ask for
an itemization of any additional charges for flooring
removal, repair of sub-floor, cutting of doors and other
work related to the finished product.
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If you are
living in the home, discuss where the sawing of boards
will occur. Specify if you want him to seal off the
rooms with plastic and identify who will be responsible
for final clean up.
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Set aside
a “slush fund” in your floor remodeling budget. If removing
the existing flooring, your contractor may discover
damaged or faulty subflooring that was not visible during
the initial inspection and measure. It’s a good idea
to have a little extra money set aside for unexpected
additional labor costs such as this.
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Get the
proposal in writing and keep your copy of it in a safe
place. It may be a good idea to download a copy of the
installation instructions and make that part of your
contract. If there is a problem along the way, it is
always useful to go back to the written contract. Your
contract should include, among other things, the number
of square feet you’ll need, and a list of any accessories
to buy. It should also include his square foot cost
of installation and a total dollar amount for the entire
job.
Summary
We hope this has been a helpful information in choosing laminate installer.
For more information, feel free to contact us at
1-888-522-5456, email us at
info@Efloors.com or
visit our live chat window. You’ll meet our experienced flooring specialists who
will be happy to answer all your questions.
Please click through and enjoy our website. Efloors.com offers top-quality laminate
flooring from several major manufacturers, including
Alloc,
Armstrong,
Bruce,
Kronotex,
Mannington,
Mohawk,
Pergo,
Quick-Step,
Shaw
and
Wilsonart. Because we want you to be a satisfied customer, we also have a lot
of useful information to help you learn more about laminate floors:
Pros and cons of laminate
flooring
Proper trims and moldings for laminate flooring
Should you buy laminate
flooring online?
What you need to know
about underlayment for your laminate flooring
How much laminate flooring
will you need?
Your laminate floor:
care and maintenance has never been easier
10 things you must know before
hiring a laminate flooring installer
Choosing your new laminate
floor: the right product at the right price
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