5 Things To Consider when buying vinyl plank flooring!

It's the start of 2021 and vinyl plank flooring continues to be the hottest item in the flooring industry. There is currently no sign of slowing down in the flooring industry and the only thing that seems to be happening is that the products seem to be improving in quality. Over the past decade vinyl plank products have gained consumer trust and contractors are able to sell products that they know are of high quality. When it comes to investing in your home you may come across a lot of questions and you want to be sure that the products you are looking at meet your needs.

1) How long do I plan on living in my home? This is one of the most common questions that comes up. Some people may be looking at cheaper options of flooring because they don't plan on living in their home long term. Carpet is often considered as a cheap option but when it comes to lifespan and cost carpet is not always the cheaper choice due to many carpets needing to be replaced every 3-5 years and the cost being only a short term savings. If you are considering luxury vinyl and don't intend on getting the higher end market products you may want to consider asking for clearance products that are being discontinued. Usually these sales are final but the products are not discounted because of quality rather they are discounted because they will no longer be in stock moving forward. You will want to make sure you buy some extra flooring in case you need to repair some flooring later but you will be getting a great deal on the product and no losing out on quality. If you are looking for rental property flooring you may find better deal and better product by asking for any clearance items.

2) Are my floors going to be able to withstand my pets? The facts and myths about luxury vinyl products are sometimes overstated. We have installed flooring for over two decades. Being a subcontractor and being the salesman that actually installs the product that we sell gives a lot of opportunities to work with many different types of vinyl products. The one thing in common is that every luxury vinyl plank product is not damage proof or pet proof. A 130 pound lab can come running across your tile floor and leave scratches on the most durable surfaces. The story is no different for almost any other surface. The difference is that higher quality products will withstand a lot more and be able to not be damaged as much over time. Unless you truly are running an in-home pet sitting business with thirty labs you will not have to worry. Smaller and medium sized pets are built for this flooring and you shouldn't have to worry about it being torn apart by your pets. Consider buying a 20 mil or higher product when you own pets that are larger. Also, lighter colored floors tend to be a lot more forgiving with imperfections such as pet hair and scratches.

3) How long will my project take? Each flooring business is different but we don't use subcontractors and we do all of our installations. This usually depends on the size of the project but we can take into account a 750 - 1,000 square foot project of luxury vinyl flooring. If the scope of your flooring project is removing old carpet and baseboards and replacing it with new lvp flooring and baseboards that project can be finished within a day. However, depending if there is 2 or 4 of us on the job site that day. A safe estimate is to account for two days for your project of that size to be finished. If there is additional flooring prep like tile removal than it may take an additional day but usually it can be finished within a two to three day period. We know most people like to have a timeframe so they can prepare a timeline in which they can go back to normal.

4) Will I have to do any extra maintenance to keep this floor clean? Vinyl plank flooring is one of the easiest floors to keep clean. There are some types of flooring that can be a burden at times to keep looking like new but vinyl plank is not one of those. If you have pets you will just vacuum the hair when needed and buy yourself a mop and a hard surface cleaner. There are a lot of brands out on the market and there are a great deal of flooring maintenance products. Bona is what we personally use and highly recommended by many in the industry.

5) How much should I expect to spend on my project? The price is going to mostly depend of what type of product you choose to go with and what the scope of your project is. Most projects vary depending of existing flooring removal and your preferred installation. A good range is $6-12 dollars a square foot depending on tile removal, new baseboards, installation method (glue/float), straight/diagonal/herringbone installation, disposal fees and other factors. If you are only removing carpet you should expect to be on the lower end of the price range but if you have a lot of tile than your project may be more expensive. Talk to your contractor about your wants and your budget.