We finally put new floors in our new home and it is absolutely amazing! We originally had these godawful 1980s white tile with the deepest grout you’ve ever seen. Like I’m talking chairs get stuck in the grout when you sit in them. Terrible.
Also this is not the first time we’ve replaced floors in our home- in fact it’s the 3rd 🤦🏼♀️. I’ve put in laminate, carpet, tile and now LVP (luxury vinyl plank) so I feel like I’m a bit of an expert. I’ve also made a few solid mistakes so learn from me and don’t make the same. I’ve put together all my tips so you can have the most successful floor reno!
Timeless not trendy!
Folks… floors are not cheap to redo. No matter what size place you’ve got. You want to realllllllly love this choice because you can’t redo it on the cheap. *cue everyone crying over their grey floors they put in in 2013* Sure you can throw a rug down but you’re going to be spending thousands of dollars here so make sure you like it. My advice- stick to a more natural look no matter what. Whether you like a lighter look or dark tones steer clear from anything that looks unnatural. I’m talking greys, yellows and reds. These can work in certain situations but in my opinion, there are only very specific places these colors will work.
Do your research
The company/ contractor– Look at reviews for the company (with a grain of salt!). Get free quotes (if it’s not free- say no thank you!). Ask your friends who they’ve used and what they like and didn’t like. If you’re local to the San Diego area, Kenny’s Custom Flooring is the best!
The materials– Hardwood is going to flex and be affected by the sun. Tile is hard on your feet but completely waterproof. Carpet has so many different options for plush and texture. LVP is waterproof but a newer product. Do your research and know allll the pros and cons of each. Also don’t be afraid to spend a little more money to get what you want. Your floors are likely the most “used” thing in your house. You want them to be durable and last the test of time! Additionally, think about what your current gripes with your floors are. For me it was that no matter what I did my floors never looked clean (3 animals and a toddler makes this impossible anyway). I would try and try but you’d always see hair and dirt. I wanted something that wouldn’t show dirt quite as much. We chose this gorgeous LVP for our forever home.
Trust your gut
After you’ve done your research, trust your gut. As for companies, we picked the person we felt most comfortable with and who happened to be right in the middle about price. As for materials, there are so many options of colors and textures out there. Try and narrow it down to 2-3 options and bring samples home. Put the samples in various rooms throughout your home and look at them in different lightings. Does it look good in the sun? How about in the corner? With lamps on at night? Put the samples against your cabinets and furniture. Walk on it with shoes, socks, and barefoot. Once you’ve done that. Trust your gut and pick one.
Clear as much out as you can
This is going to help your flooring people so much (plus possibly save you money). Some flooring companies will charge you more for moving furniture and the less they have to move the less they’ll charge you AND the less time they’ll take for demo & install. Additionally, if you’re replacing anything other than carpet, there will likely be a lot of dust. Especially if you’re replacing tile! So get your stuff outta there. Whoever you hire should cover everything with plastic but there’s still a good chance dust will get in.
Prepare for alternative living
The first flooring reno we did was before we moved into our condo in 2015. We had 2 cats and hadn’t moved in yet. This was ideal.
The second time, we had 2 cats and a dog. I relocated with all the animals to my in-laws in LA and Brandon lived at a friends house locally so he could manage the project. This was fine but slightly less ideal.
We were not prepared this time. I took my son to my in-laws during the demo (just for dust and danger) but that was only 4 days. Then we thought we’d just live upstairs and have some toys for him We didn’t think through that we wouldn’t have a kitchen for 3 days. We wouldn’t have a highchair. We didn’t even pack kiddo’s plates and cups separately. Cue us eating out the whole week. Learn from our mistakes and plan ahead. If your kitchen is getting done- what do you need to live for that time? If you’re loosing your family room- how can you make living somewhere else work? Just take a little time and think it through.
Be prepared to spend more money
If you’ve ever done any home project (honestly… really any project) you know you’re going to end up spending more money than expected. Inevitably the workers were going to find something that will cost more money. Hopefully it’s only going to be a couple hundred dollars- which was the case this most recent time. We only needed to replace a couple of baseboards! BUT in our last home the crew found some water damage and that was a bit more expensive. We always budget for about 10%-15% more for unexpected costs. **Pro tip! This goes for timeline too. Expect a little longer than predicted.
Ultimately, renovating your floors is going to have a HUGE impact on your home. How could it not? And I highly highly recommend it, if your looking for your home to feel like it’s yours. It can be very pricey but I think, with a little saving & planning, it’s 100% worth it.
Our home feels more spacious. It feels more modern. It feels cleaner.
Our home feels like it’s ours.
✌️Jessica
