As wooden floors look truly eye-catching, and are absolutely durable, a lot of people like to choose this option when it comes to flooring. However, it is a fact that wooden flooring costs a lot, making lots of people hesitate to move forward with the option. The good news, however, is that it is perfectly doable to have nice wooden finish with much lower amount than you may expect to spend.
in this article
How much should you actually pay for wooden floors?
When it comes to wooden floors, the final cost may involve a lot of parameters. One of the main aspects that play a big role in the cost is the quality of the chosen wood. For instance, you may have to spend a considerably average amount when working with laminate flooring, whereas, choosing oak woods will enhance the final cost to a great degree. The following costs from two very popular UK stores should make the concept clearer:
Costs of solid wooden floors:
Homebase: The cost ranges from £17.99 to £77.99
B&Q: The cost ranges from £30.24 to £65.80
Costs of laminate wooden floors:
Homebase: The cost ranges from £14.92 to £63.88
B&Q: The cost ranges from £12.50 to £56.11
Top layer costs of real wood:
Homebase: The cost ranges from £30.80 to £120.97
B&Q: The cost ranges from £30.00 to £145.00
Wooden floor trade costs
You may not really want to compromise when it comes to quality, but still expect not to pay a hefty amount. If that is that case, it may be wise on your part to contact a local fitter. The fitter should be able to provide trade discounts, which may enable you to have a great deal if you hire the fitter for the job.
Prices related to installation
Keep in mind that installing wooden floors is a costly business too. According to buildingsheriff.co.uk, a living room of average size requires around £800 as labour cost. On the other hand, whatprice.co.uk estimates that a price of £10 to £100 is expected per square meter, which makes the final cost of an average work anywhere from £400 to £800.
Selecting the perfect wood flooring fitter
In case you want to install wood flooring in your house, you can either do it yourself or hire professionals. When it comes to basic click lock laminate flooring, you may do the job yourself quite well, but in case you choose real wood, it is best to hire professionals.
If you want to make use of professional fitters, your best bet is to take recommendations from friends and family. You may also search the internet for good fitters in your region. Be sure to approach at least 3 different fitters before choosing one, in order to end up with a great deal.
Note that the quotes will assume that the subfloor is in good condition. In case the subfloor is not in good condition, you will have to spend more, and the work will require more time.
Initial preparation on your part
The moment you pick the flooring and choose the fitters, you should prepare your room for the work using the following guidelines:
- Remove the room furniture and the old coverings of the floor if you are not paying to have that done
- Check the correct fixation of existing floorboards and the condition of nails as well
- Go ahead with a little bit of cleaning and drying of floor
- Be sure to remove skirting boards in order to have superior finish, which you can always put back in place
- Moreover, it may not be really easy to have access underneath the floorboards after the work is done. Therefore, in case you want to access some cables or heating pipes under the boards, do that beforehand.
References
How to Install Prefinished Solid-Hardwood Flooring – http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/rooms-and-spaces/floors/how-to-install-prefinished-solid-hardwood-flooring
How to Install Hardwood Floors | Step-by-Step for DIY – http://www.hometips.com/diy-how-to/installing-hardwood-floors.html
Types of wood flooring – http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/wood-flooring/article/how-to-buy-wood-flooring/types-of-wood-flooring
Hard & natural flooring guide – http://www.johnlewis.com/buying-guides/hard-and-natural-flooring-buying-guide
Wood flooring installation guide – https://www.firedearth.com/media/static/pdf/wood_flooring_document1.pdf