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Planning a Flooring Installation in Fairfield County, CT? Here's What You Need to Know
Looking for a way to transform an entire room in your Fairfield County home without a complete renovation or new furnishings? Flooring installation is often overlooked in the design process, perhaps because most homeowners see it as utilitarian and therefore stylistically unimportant. But, because your floors take up such a huge amount of physical and visual space, a beautiful flooring installation can have a dramatic impact on the look and feel of a room.
Or, maybe your decision to look into Fairfield County flooring installation services was more practical than design-conscious. If your current floors are looking rather worse for wear with cracks, gouges, rot, or even missing pieces, they aren't just unsightly—they could be letting moisture seep into your subfloor, which leads to water damage issues such as wood rot and mildew, and make your home less comfortable by creating a tripping hazard.
This guide covers some of the biggest questions Fairfield County homeowners have when working on a plan for a new installation with advice from the flooring installation experts at Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County. Need to know more? We're happy to help! Our skilled service professionals have the experience to provide quality workmanship and excellent customer service on every job.
Does My Floor Need to Be Replaced?
Before you get started on the planning process, you may be wondering if repair or replacement is the best option for your home. If you have some signs of smaller cosmetic damage—scuffs, chips, damaged grout on a tile surface, or normal wear and tear on solid hardwood—then your handyman can likely get it looking as good as the day it was installed with a few repairs or by sanding and re-staining. If you're dealing with more extensive or serious damage, or simply want a style refresh, Fairfield County flooring installation service will be a better choice.
What Type of Flooring Should I Choose in Fairfield County?
This is a big decision. There's such an overwhelming array of options available for Fairfield County homes. Start by thinking about the purpose and location of the material. Is it in a high-traffic area? Will it be used by small children, dogs, or someone with mobility issues? Is it a moisture-prone area like a bathroom or mudroom? What style is the existing decor in the room? Considering questions like this will help you narrow down your list of choices by focusing on your requirements for durability, longevity, water resistance, traction, and appearance.
Here are some options that may work well for your Fairfield County home:
Tile: ceramic, porcelain, marble, slate, granite, travertine, mosaic, quarry, etc.
Hardwood: oak, cherry, walnut, maple, hickory, etc.
Bamboo
Engineered hardwood
Vinyl tile, planks, or sheet
Laminate
Linoleum
How Much Maintenance Am I Willing to Do?
Ease of maintenance (or difficulty of maintenance, as the case may be) often gets overlooked, but it's an important consideration. The material you choose will be in your home and life for a long time, and you want to make sure that you're comfortable with the level of care it needs to stay in good shape. For example, a natural stone tile such as slate is strikingly beautiful and can be a conversation piece for the whole room, but it needs to be mopped and resealed regularly to keep it looking great. On the other hand, ceramic tile may not be quite as flashy, but it's durable and virtually maintenance-free.
What's Better, Hardwood or Engineered Hardwood?
Interested in hardwood flooring installation service? We don't blame you—wood is a classic choice that fits in perfectly with any style, from elegant and sophisticated to rustic and homey. The biggest question when it comes to a hardwood installation is whether you should go with solid hardwood or engineered hardwood.
Solid hardwood is, as the name suggests, planks of solid wood that interlock together and are nailed to the subfloor—and it can be challenging to install. It can be sanded down and refinished several times, and with proper maintenance it can last over 100 years, which certainly cuts down on replacement costs. It can also increase your property value if you're thinking of selling your home in the future.
As an alternative to hardwood floors, engineered wood is composed of a thin veneer of hardwood bonded to a plywood backing. It's easier to install and offers good moisture resistance in humid areas. Yet, take note that it can only be sanded and refinished once, and has a lifespan of around 30 years.
Should I Install In-Floor Heating?
Do you cringe when you wake up in the morning and have to put your warm feet on an ice-cold surface? A new installation is the perfect time to add in-floor heating that will radiate heat upward to keep you toasty warm. If you do want to go that route, tile or engineered hardwood are the best choices to go over top of the heating system.
Can New Tile Be Installed Over Existing Tile?
Technically it is possible to install tile on top of old tile, but there are a few caveats. The existing floor coverings must be even and undamaged, with no cracks, dips, or other irregularities that could interfere with the new surface. And, the foundation underneath should be concrete, because the weight of a heavy tile layer on top of another heavy tile layer can be too much for a wood subfloor and cause buckling. Here is some further information about flooring replacement.
How Can I Lower Fairfield County Flooring Installation Costs?
If you're trying to stick to a limited budget, consider cutting back on the cost of materials. This isn't about choosing an inferior quality of product—of course, you always want to choose a high-quality product. But there are alternatives to expensive materials such as marble or exotic hardwood that are still highly rated, well-priced products, and can get you the look and style you want without breaking the bank.
What Flooring is Cheapest to Install?
While you may be able to find a sale or a deal, when you look at the average price of materials, sheet vinyl flooring installation is usually the least expensive option. However, the tiny increase in price for vinyl plank or vinyl tiles is worth it—they are attractive, just as durable as sheet vinyl, and come in a vast array of styles, including ones that mimic the look of wood or tile. Laminate floors are another cost-saving choice with a huge variety of choices for appearance.
Can I Do the Installation Myself?
If you have to ask this question, the answer is probably not. It may be tempting to eliminate the cost of labor by doing it yourself, but we've all seen incorrectly-installed floors in Fairfield County—from wonky grout lines to planks that don't quite reach all the way to the wall, they look bad and are usually not water resistant. The professional floor installers at Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County will get your floor space installed correctly and efficiently the first time, so you don't have to waste time, money, and stress on re-doing it.
Need Flooring Installation Service? Choose Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County!
Whether you're in Wilton, Norwalk, Westport, or another part of Fairfield County, you can rely on the flooring installation service professionals at Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County to give you flawless floors and an outstanding customer experience.
Give us a call today at 866-550-1710 to request an appointment, and to find out more about why we're Fairfield County's best choice for reliable handyman services!
