One of the biggest reasons to hire a flooring contractor is to make sure that the job is completed with as little stress and disruption to your life as possible. Hiring a professional often gets the job done quicker, more efficiently, and sometimes even cheaper than attempting to do-it-yourself. When you consider that re-doing the flooring in your home can be quite a large job, especially if you're using complex materials or have large areas to cover. In these cases, you are going to want the job to be done properly the first time, without the need for touch-ups.
When you attempt to do a project like this by yourself, you are taking on the role of a professional that has probably undertaken a lot of training and has many years of experience behind them. When you have that kind of experience and knowledge, you can easily repair things that go wrong without making things worse, you can prevent things from going wrong in the first place, and you can also spot problems that might arise in the future.
When you are a novice at installing flooring, you likely won't have this knowledge or experience, and will therefore have to research every step of the job. This will, of course, extend the length of the flooring project. What would have taken maybe a week with a contractor could end up taking you many weeks, or even months.
Other things that can cause the project to take longer to complete when you are inexperienced in flooring remodeling jobs include:
- buying/ordering specific parts or equipment to work with certain flooring materials
- uneven/not level flooring that then needs to be put right
- incorrect installation leading to damage
- using incorrect materials for the room (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.)
In the long run, a flooring contractor could actually save you money. To start with, professional contractors, such as flooring contractors, will often get parts at a reduced cost, whereas you will need to pay retail prices for the same items. This is often quite a lot more than the ‘cost' or ‘trade' price.
Not only that, when you get a quote from a contractor, all of the costs are included — parts, labor, etc. You know what the job will cost right at the beginning. By attempting to do the project yourself, there’s a chance you won't know the full cost of the job until you get through it. Buying the flooring materials is only a very small part of it. Don’t forget to factor in your research time, labor time, and other pieces of equipment that you might need along the way. Sometimes, you won't even be aware that you need those items until you're halfway through the job. If you need to order those items, or go out shopping for those items, not only is the price going to increase, but the time it takes you to finish the project will increase as well.
In the same theme, a professional flooring contractor can tell you before you make a mistake, such as using a type of flooring that isn't best suited to the space. The last thing you’ll want to do is spend months working on your new floor only to find that it buckles or otherwise becomes damaged because of excess moisture or other factors.
Contractors can also offer alternative solutions that you may not have thought of, such as using high-quality laminate flooring to mimic the costly finish of a hardwood floor, or installing hard-wearing ceramic tiles in a walkway or hallway to reduce the damage of people walking on hardwood flooring with shoes. Ceramic tiles can actually mimic the finishes of other materials, offering an inexpensive and stylish alternative to luxurious flooring that you may have thought was out of your reach.
Although DIY flooring might seem like a fun weekend project, it is a very big job — and one that you definitely won’t want going wrong, especially if you have had to move the household out in order to get the job done.
It is recommended to have a chat with flooring contractors in your area. In doing so, you can get an idea for prices, best materials, and even alternatives. A reputable and reliable company will get the job done quickly, properly, and without the need for re-dos. Not only that, most companies or contractors will offer a guarantee or warranty for the work. If something does go wrong, you will be covered for the costs of putting it right, and you won't have to put your hand in your pocket or take time away from work to do the costly and time-consuming repairs.