How To Choose the Right Hardwood Flooring Contractor

To get the best results with hardwood flooring, you need to hire a professional installation company. The choice of contractor is every bit as important as the materials you choose; in fact, a knowledgeable installer can provide recommendations that give you a better, stronger and longer-lasting hardwood floor. What factors should guide your decision?

How Important Is Price?

For many homeowners, price is the first factor they consider. While it’s not bad to take cost into account, you need to balance it with other important considerations. Otherwise, you may end up with an expensive floor that looks terrible.

Going with the lowest bid is rarely the right choice. There have been countless horror stories of families that splurge on gorgeous hardwood and end up with a floor that looks tilted, wavy or bent. The reason? They chose an inexperienced business just to save a few bucks.

At the same time, you do need to work within your project budget. You don’t necessarily need to go with the highest bid, either. A high-quality contractor often falls somewhere in the middle.

How Much Experience Should You Look For?

Above all else, experience is the most important factor for homeowners to consider. A hardwood flooring contractor with many years of experience knows how to create a floor that looks perfect: level, shiny, properly finished and beautiful.

How can you tell the level of experience a contractor has? One way is to look at the company’s website. Great installers are proud to show off their work history, often stating exactly how long they’ve been in business.

A word of advice — look for contractors that specifically have experience in hardwood flooring. Laminate may look similar, but the installation process is much more complex for hardwood.

What Other Factors Matter?

If a flooring installation company has interior design experience, they can help you select a floor that matches your other design decisions. The company you choose should also feel trustworthy. Make sure the installer gives you a firm quote before starting the project.