If you have recently purchased a new house, or are just hoping to update your current one - the floors are often one of the main considerations.
The unfortunate thing is, flooring is also one of the pricier updates you can make to your home, so it's important that you plan for it. Can you afford it? Are you planning on moving soon? Do you have kids in the house?
These are all considerations to make before deciding if replacing your flooring is the right decision.
When I was growing up, we had very ugly flooring. It was1970's checkerboard vinyl that was curling in the corners. Just looking at it made my head hurt.
My mother had her heart set on hardwood flooring.
My other mom protested this. There were four little kids in the house, and hardwood flooring is hard to keep looking nice without a bunch of kids in the house.
Regardless, my mother kept looking. She felt that as long as she chose to buy from one of the best places to buy hardwood flooring, she was making a wise decision.
After talking to a couple of flooring experts, she ended up changing her mind and waited until my youngest sibling was out of the house.
She had gotten some well-meant advice from the hardwood flooring guys and took it to heart. Here was some of their recommendations.
Do You Have Kids/Pets?
Having kids and pets may be a lifelong thing for some people (the pets - not the kids usually!) Personally, I have given up on having MOST nice things as I plan to have cats and dogs my whole life.
If kids and pets are a temporary part in your life, it may be worth waiting until you no longer have these things to ruin your new floor – especially if you are considering hardwood.
The exception to this is if you are planning on selling your house and want to replace the flooring. In that case, still think carefully about what you are replacing the current flooring with.
Does The Flooring Need To Be Replaced?
Vinyl and carpet have a definite lifespan – and this is dependent on the quality you purchased. Wood can be refinished (which can be pricey) and ceramic tile can last a lifetime (although it doesn’t stay stylish for a lifetime. Hardwood flooring is classic, and will always be in style whereas ceramic tile types go in and out of style.
If your vinyl is curling at the corners, or your carpet can’t get clean (even after hiring an expert) it’s time to seriously consider replacing the flooring.
If your wood or tile floors are showing wear, decide whether it can be repaired or if it really needs to be replaced.
Can You Afford It?
Flooring is expensive. The labor is expensive. Unfortunately, the more expensive the flooring, (usually) the more expensive the labor. Make sure that you research and map out the total cost of a flooring project. It’s important to make sure you have a little bit set aside just in case something doesn’t go as planned.
Are You Selling Your Home?
Unfortunately, your home’s style matters when it comes to selling your home. This is why people are able to “flip” houses. They buy something relatively old and update the inside. They sometimes are able to sell these homes for double what they paid because they made it look nice. Remember that whatever you pay for redoing the floor, you can add to your asking price. Your house is more likely to sell, and you will make back the money you spent updating it.
These were just a few things to keep in mind when you are considering redoing the flooring. Ultimately, my parents decided to wait before updating the flooring because they had kids in the house, and I don’t think they regret that. Of course, the flooring truly needed to be replaced, but because of their situation they were able to make an informed decision on what was going to be best for them.
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