The Process of Shopping Flooring From Home
If there’s one thing we’ve learned over the last couple of years, it’s that we can do a lot more from home than we thought we could. Shopping online is one of them. All the flooring options you could ever want are accessible from your laptop or your smartphone.
By the way, it doesn’t even have to be from home. You can shop for anything from solid hardwood to vinyl flooring from the beach, from your place in line at the grocery store, and from that boring ball game, someone dragged you to.
Of course, it really helps if you’re quite capable online and you don’t mind taking your own measurements, and you’re good at calculating your square footage, and you know what sort of subfloor you have, and you’ve already figured out the humidity levels in your area, and you’ve researched all the warranties and . . . Well, you get the picture.
The very best way to shop from home is free
Step 1: Contact a flooring expert to make a Shop-at-Home Appointment.
That’s it. That’s all you need to do. One-step and everything else will be taken care of for you.
At your convenience, a flooring expert will do all the upfront work necessary and provide an estimate, all free of charge. The best part is you’ll be able to see actual samples of the flooring you want.
You’ll be able to examine the flooring. You can touch it and lay it down to see what it looks like. You can even compare samples side by side to see which one you like best. It might be the best part of shop at home flooring.
Picking the right installer
The proper flooring installation is essential. Even experienced DIYers know the prep work on your subfloor, and the particular type of installation required makes all the difference to the look, the performance, and the durability of your flooring. It has to be done right the first time. Some flooring is anything but easy to install, no matter how handy you think you are.
Everyone who has ever tried to hire a contractor knows how difficult it can be to find the right installer. Are they bonded? Will they cover any damage to the walls and the doorways? Do they guarantee their work, or will they blame it all on the flooring you chose or the subfloor you have?
Here again, you can do all the work online and read all the reviews to reduce your risk with an installer. Or you can make one call to a trusted local flooring expert who has their own crew of installers and will guarantee all their work.
You don’t ever want to be in a failed floor situation where the installer blames the manufacturer, and the manufacturer will not stand behind their warranty because of a poor installation.
The hard-earned dollars you paid will perform just as promised. Why shouldn’t the flooring and the installation?
Easy to shop for the right expert
Before you spend time online shopping for flooring, take a little time choosing the right flooring expert. Here’s what to look for:
Are they local?
Do they serve your area, and how long have they been in business where you live? A local location not only makes it easy to shop, but it’s also good for your community.
What’s their reputation?
Read their reviews online.
Can you trust them?
When you visit the website, make sure they are recognized by the Better Business Bureau and they are recognized by valued organizations like Home Advisor and Angie’s List.
Look around and kick the tires.
Take your time on their website. See what they have available. Do they offer a visualizer you can use to see what your flooring will look like in your home?
Visit their showroom.
You can tell a lot about a company by visiting their showroom.
Is the selection of flooring impressive? Is it the kind of place that makes you feel comfortable? What are the people like? Does it seem like they’re proud to work there, or does it seem like just a job for them?
A little bit of planning goes a long way
Not only is it fun to dream about, but a little bit of planning can make the whole experience of choosing a new floor even better. Below are some of the considerations you might review when shopping for your floor.
- Do you need your flooring to be water-resistant? Waterproof vinyl will get the job done but will you like the look and feel? Luxury vinyl can be impressive, or will you prefer floor tiles instead?
- Are you replacing your kitchen floor? If so, what kind of use does it get, and will the flooring material you like stand up to it? You have more options today than ever before. Even top-quality engineered hardwood flooring can be used in the kitchen these days.
- The variety of colors available today will take you by surprise. And we’re not just talking carpeting. Engineered wood and solid wood floors are available in many different species that have their own color palette, and then the final finish adds even more color options.
- Don’t forget about the garage. These days many people are making the most out of every square foot. There’s no reason why you can’t turn your dusty garage floor into a safe haven for your car or even a playroom. There are some many different garage floor tiles to choose from, no matter what you intend to do.
The single biggest design improvement you can make
A new floor can make a stunning difference to your home. It can create exactly the atmosphere you want with the look and feel all your own. Even if you’re only doing a room or two, you will be surprised at the impact a new floor can make. Take your time with this, choose good people to work with, and get ready to make a lasting impression with your new floor.
Dan Ratcliff
Dan Ratcliff is the CEO and President of Flooring Direct in Dallas / Fort Worth. Over the last two decades, he has grown Flooring Direct into a premier Shop-at-Home traditional & hardwood flooring company. With a true dedication to customer service and integrity, Flooring Direct has become DFW's largest highest-rated Dallas-local flooring dealer. Dan has lived in Dallas all of his life and was raised in Dallas with family roots and love for the community and local sports. It's with that sense of family that Flooring Direct has contributed to and sponsored children's organizations like Jonathan's Place and scholastic athletics like Plano's Girls Soccer.
