Choosing engineered hardwood flooring will provide you and your family with generations of durability and beauty. The endurance achieved from the use of this material is worth the investment. Adding wood flooring to your home, made from real hardwood, improves market value. Engineered hardwood is available in a range of grades, finishes, textures, and species to help create a space that works for you and your family. Before you can work with the new engineered hardwood flooring, you’ll need to hire a trusted contractor. You can work with them on how to estimate wood flooring costs.

Existing Floors and Subflooring

The current flooring and subflooring will play a critical role in the estimate. The contractors will evaluate there moval of any existing flooring and the integrity of your subflooring. Removing the flooring yourself will help cut costs, but the flooring retailer’s installer will have the resources to quickly remove the floor and efficiently dispose of the waste.

Subflooring needs to be in good working condition, free from moisture, warping, and cracks before the engineered hardwood can be installed. It should also be flat and structurally sound. One of the many benefits of engineered hardwood floors are that they can be directly installed over concrete, plywood, and some existing flooring.

The more complicated the removal of the existing floor and the subfloor’s preparation, the more expensive this portion of the quote will be. Sometimes, floating engineered hardwood flooring over the existing substrate serves as a cost-effective alternative to removing the existing floor. Just keep in mind, not all types of flooring can be installed this way.

Square Footage

Typically, your flooring retailer will give you a price based on square footage. It’s the most common method for how to estimate wood flooring, calculating the final price of the materials as well as the labor.Before you receive your estimate, besure to ask if the square footage includes overage. The overage would refer to any additional materials that aren’t used during the laying of the engineered hardwood flooring and additional material needed to cover the full job. Most manufacturers suggest adding 5-10% of the total project size to cover these needs.

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Connecting Rooms

There is a chance that your engineered hardwood floors will need to connect between two rooms of differing heights. Older homes are especially susceptible to this type of obstacle. Ask your flooring retailer to highlight any work that might need to be done to bridge the two together and include labor in the estimate.

Moving Furniture

Moving Furniture/Appliances

Some contractors will charge to move furniture and appliances. The kitchen is an excellent example of where this is common. The fridge and oven need to be moved to get the job done effectively. Any renovation work in existing homes will require furniture to be entirely removed and sometimes temporarily stored as well.

Wood Flooring Trim and Moldings

Trim isn’t always included in the estimate, but it’s required on every project when it comes to how to estimate wood flooring. The trim will cover the expansion space between the floor and the wall, between some adjoining rooms, and bridge differing flooring types. Stair Nosing is also common and can be used in conjunction with standard flooring material to make step landings and risers. Trim can be ordered to complement your engineered hardwood flooring or custom matched on-site from blank trim pieces.

Choosing a new, engineered hardwood floor for your home is exciting, but there are a few key steps you must work through before your flooring retailer can begin installation. Getting an estimate is the first step.

Estimates for your new wood flooring shouldn’t be confusing. By understanding the factors that could affect the cost, you’ll be more confident with your flooring choices and know exactly what you’re paying for.