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Most of us have been there. You order something, you’re excited, it comes, then it’s completely different from what you expected and then you have to go through the returns process which can be stressful and time-consuming. Buying new flooring is an expensive and disruptive project, so you’ve got to be sure you’ve got it right before going full-in! Here are a few tips to make sure you’re completely satisfied and don’t encounter any disappointments along the way.
1. Order lots of samples
You may be eager to order your flooring and enjoy it in your home as soon as you can - however, it’s important to be sensible about it, especially when buying online. No matter how good the pictures are and how much you might trust the company, you can never get a proper idea of what it’s like until you’ve seen it in the flesh. This is why it’s so important to order samples of all the flooring you’re considering- if you can, order multiple samples of the same product as this will give you an idea of the natural variation you can expect to see across your new floor! Also, you might be really keen on one online then when it comes it’s nothing like you expected, as well you might see one online that isn’t so perfect but when it comes it’s much better than expected! You can directly compare it against your interior and see how it’ll go. Most companies post samples free of charge too.
2. Make sure you know exactly what it is you’re looking for
With there being countless flooring options available online, whittling them down to the perfect one can come as a bit of a challenge. Is it a cheap fix you’re looking at or are you wanting something with full luxury? Once you’ve decided on your priorities, then it becomes a much less daunting task! It’s not just flooring types you need to be clear on, there’s plenty of colours and surfaces to choose from too which is a whole other story.
3. Consider budget
Like anything, flooring differs in price and quality. If you’re buying a house, you wouldn’t dream of looking at properties that were out of your budget, well it’s the same with flooring! The best way to approach it is don’t torture yourself looking at flooring that’s too pricy, instead filter down the pricing on the company’s website, this will stop you from being tempted by something that’s not within budget!
4. Check the features of each flooring type
Flooring isn’t just about aesthetics. Your flooring is going to endure a lot of abuse in its lifetime, so of course, check the durability and practicality ratings of each type. One of the most important features to consider is whether you want underfloor heating. Natural materials such as solid wood cannot cooperate with it due to its warping and shrinking under heat, whereas flooring such as engineered wood and vinyl can. This can make or break your decision, you don’t want to find you’ve ordered flooring that can’t withstand differing temperatures when this is something that you have in your home!
5. Don’t book your fitter before your flooring comes
This is something a lot of us do and on the face of it, it makes sense! You want to reduce the amount of disruption time, so having your fitter ready the day your flooring arrives seems sensible. However, this can cause a lot of problems. Sometimes there can be issues with the delivery and it doesn’t come on time, but you’ve still got to pay your fitter. As well, if you’ve purchased solid or engineered wood then it needs to acclimatise for several days before it can be laid. Our advice is to not book your fitter until the goods are on-site and you’re satisfied with them. Take a look at handyman services near me in Concord or elsewhere for fittings and more.
6. Check returns policy
This slips a lot of us up, no matter what you’re buying! There’s nothing worse than when you go to read the returns policy after you’ve bought it to then get a nasty shock that you’re not eligible for a return! For something that is such a large investment like flooring, the returns policy becomes more important than ever. Each company has different rules, don’t assume they’re all the same.
7. Make sure you’ve got the right underlay and accessories
Although something most of us finds boring, spend some time reading up on the correct underlay and accessories – we promise you it’s more boring if you get it wrong and it isn’t compatible with the flooring you’ve purchased! A lot of companies don’t accept returns on under-lay or glue that’s been opened and used either.