Dallas Wood Flooring Buying TipsAll wood is not the same. Some wood is harder than others. Some change colors more than others. Some are thicker. Some are hand scraped. If you want to ignore all of this, then price is all you have to go on. Unfortunately, 95% of retailers out there advertise low prices without actually explaining to you what you are getting. Well let me tell you by first addressing the most common "deal" scam.
It goes something like this. You see hardwood floors advertised for a ridiculously low price like:
"$4.99 SF installed!"
Ok, if you see this you are likely about to buy a load of junk and/or get the add-on deal scam.
A wood that cheap, is very likely to be a batch of seconds (aka cabin grade) not really made for a family home. They usually carry no warranty and are widely used to flip houses or rental properties. The more common ploy is to advertise an outrageously low square foot price and then make up the difference on the extras.
If you are going to invest in your home, slow down and know what you are buying. Don’t let anyone sell you a price. A smarter way to do it is find a good quality wood you love, and then shop for the best overall deal.
The larger the area, the more critical this becomes. It should sit in your home between 24-48 hours before a board is installed. For solid wood or bamboo – up to 5 days prior to installation. Failure to do so will void most manufacturer warranties as well as increasing the chances of your floor buckling.
I cannot stress this enough - you MUST use the correct manufacturer recommended adhesive OR better for the best installation and keep your warranty intact.
This is one of the first shortcuts many take in order to give you "a great deal". They buy a cheap glue for $45 a bucket, slap it on and your warranty is instantly void.
We only use the highest grade glue available. Just to give you an idea, it runs around $145/bucket and has the highest urethane content of any on the market. In my and my installers combined 40 years in flooring, there has never been an issue with the glue. Not once.
It's really simple - use the best materials, get the best installation.
Unfortunately, this is very prevalent in the industry. Usually, it’s your actual area + 10% to allow for waste, cuts, etc. That’s completely different to deliberately over measuring your area to get more money from you.
This is where you’re told your area is 1,000 square feet (when it’s really 650). They then say 1000 square feet x $5.99 = about 6 grand. What a deal eh?! Well, based on your actual measurement of 650, you are about to pay $2100 more than you have to. The “$5.99” wood just became $9.20 a square foot right under your nose.
You may have come across this before:
“Well, the total is $12,500 for the whole job but if you sign right now, my manger said he can do it for $6,500”.
What to do: RUN.
I will not insult your intelligence.
“Yes maam, you can drag furniture across this (wood) floor and nothing will happen to it!”
No you cannot. Such statements lead customers to mistreat their floors then complain when it doesn’t do what it’s not supposed to.
What to Do: Find someone you can trust.
All these circus acts come in many different forms. If you come across a new one, please let me know as I'd love to add it to the list.
The Bottom Line
Folks, this industry is like any other - you get what you pay for. I will NOT take any shortcuts in your home be it - materials, labor or design. I'll work with you to give you the look you love and get it done right, first time.
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