Ask These Questions Before Visiting a Home Improvement Store

Mar. 07, 2024

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Are you in the market for new flooring? Changing your floors is an investment with major payoffs. Not only does it help transform your home, but it also increases its value.

But before you rush off to the nearest home improvement store, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few vital questions.

Renovating your floors is not a simple undertaking. It takes both money and time. There are also a lot of factors to consider, such as whether you need engineered wood flooring, vinyl flooring, or hardwood. And, what is your budget?

It is always a good idea to evaluate the purpose of your project before you buy anything. At The Reno Superstore, we have the best solutions for your renovation needs. By answering this set of important questions, you will be able to figure out the best plan for your project.

Let’s get started.

Ask These Questions Before Buying New Flooring

Should you buy engineered wood flooring or hardwood flooring in Toronto? Choosing your building materials with care is just as important as knowing how to properly renovate your space.

Make sure to ask yourself these questions before you buy.

1. What Is The Purpose Behind Your Renovation?

This may sound like a straightforward question, but your answer can be revealing. Understanding the purpose of your renovation will help you decide on a budget and plan for it more effectively.

For instance, are you building your forever home? Then a long-term investment like this makes sense. Invest in high-quality flooring, interior doors, bathroom vanities, et cetera.

Or, are you looking to improve the resale value of your home? Then look into popular flooring that will give you the best return on investment (ROI).

However, if you are hoping to sell your property quickly, you will want to stick with some cost-effective renovations to make your house more appealing to prospective buyers. If you are buying flooring for a commercial space, consider foot traffic and your ROI.

2. How Much Are You Willing to Spend?

When it comes to renovation, it is very important to consider your budget. In fact, at The Reno Superstore, we ask our customers to have a realistic budget for their project. After all, getting new floors is an expensive process. So, having a clear understanding of how much you can spend helps to narrow down your choices.

Suppose you have always wanted hardwood flooring for your Mississauga home, but do not have the budget for it. Is it a good idea to splurge on it anyway? We suggest trying affordable alternatives like engineered wood or vinyl flooring, laminates, or porcelain tiles.

Remember, a prudent approach is the best approach. Consider options like financing if you do not wish to pay the full amount upfront. The Reno Superstore offers easy financing solutions. Get in touch with us to learn more.

3. In Which Room Is the Flooring to Be Installed?

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Before you start Googling ‘home improvement stores near me’, it is important to know where you are going to install this flooring. This is because not every flooring material is compatible with every room. For instance, the needs of the floors in your living room are much different than those in your bathroom. Do your research and find out which bathroom flooring materials are the best and which ones you should avoid.

4. Is the Flooring Suitable forMy Lifestyle?

Do you have pets or young children? Do you live alone and need flooring that requires minimal upkeep?

Understanding your lifestyle can help you pick the right flooring. Of course, it’s also important to keep the room in mind.

5. How Much Maintenance Does the Floor Need?

Caring for your floors goes a long way toward keeping them looking great, and different types of flooring require different methods of care.

For instance, if you are installing hardwood flooring in your Toronto home, you will need to use floor care that is meant for hardwood floors. If you have stone tiles, you will need to grout and reseal them yearly to keep them in good condition.

If you want flooring that is easy to clean and maintain, choose something like porcelain tiles, engineered wood flooring, or even vinyl. If you have a busy lifestyle, it’s best to invest in low-maintenance options.

6. Are There Any Additional Costs Associated With Buying New Flooring?

Yes, there are. As we mentioned, new flooring is an investment. And most customers forget the cost of tools, labour, transportation, cement, adhesives, and the like.

Since there are so many costs involved, the price may seem overwhelming. We suggest visiting the nearest home improvement store near you (such as The Reno Superstore) and talking with their experts. They can help you understand what additional costs you may be looking at based on your project.

7. Should I Hire Help Or Do It Myself?

DIY has many benefits, like saving money. But you need to understand the complexity of your project before you get started. That includes having the right tools and experience in installing flooring. If you have neither, consider hiring professional installers via The Reno Superstore.

Subpar and improper installation will lead to severe flooring issues later. That’s why it is best to invest a little more to get your flooring installed properly and professionally.

Shopping for flooring can be overwhelming, what with so many options available. Take your time and evaluate your needs and expectations for your project. This will help you narrow down your options and plan your renovation more efficiently. If you require help or have questions, please reach out to us at our Toronto or Etobicoke locations for all your renovation needs.

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This is the fifth chapter of The Architects Guide to Choosing the Right Carpet.
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Whether you are dealing directly with the business owner or CEO, a management team or a facility manager, there are many questions you need answered before proceeding with any interior design project. While some clients will have prepared a comprehensive brief others may need a little encouragement in extracting the information required to ascertain that your design will align with their needs. Here are a few suggestions of questions to ask to get things moving in the right direction:

1. Do you have a preferred type of flooring?

If the client has no fixed preference, talk them through the advantages and disadvantages of various flooring choices and the cost involved so you can lead them to a preference.

2. What is the budget?

Obviously, the amount of the overall budget you can allocate to flooring will affect your ultimate design. If carpet is the flooring choice, then it will affect the budget whether you specify bespoke design, wall to wall or carpet tiles and the level of quality that can be attained. Bespoke design is more expensive than standard wall to wall and carpet tiles with that latter also being easier and faster to install.

3. Is indoor air quality important?

If this is the case, and it should be for the majority of fit-outs, outline the advantages of carpet in improving indoor climate from the perspective of both air quality and thermal comfort.

4. Wall to wall or carpet tiles?

Assuming that carpet is the client’s preference, talk them through the different properties, effects that can be achieved and costs for both wall to wall and carpet tiles. Also cover the possibilities for custom design and colours.

5. What will the amount of foot traffic be on a daily basis in each area of the project?

The amount of daily foot traffic needs to be estimated if data is not already available. Pay particular attention to high traffic areas like corridors or between desks.

6. Will furniture on castors be used and if so, where?

By defining areas where chairs and other furniture with castors will be used you will be able to specify carpet rated for use with castors for those areas.

7. Will acoustics be important?

You will need to determine from the client where sound levels could be a problem and the right carpet and backing will be required to suppress these to provide a comfortable noise level. This can vary greatly within sectors as well, e.g. with some office areas being very quiet while call centers or open office spaces may generate a large amount of noise in an otherwise preferably quiet environment.

8. Is sustainability an important part of material choices for this project?

If so, explain that there are environmentally responsible new fibres available on the market for carpets such as ECONYL®, which is made from recycled fishing nets and other waste materials, as well as carpet backings made from used water bottles. You can source carpet from a responsible manufacturer with Cradle to Cradle™, BRE, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and ISO 14001 certification, registration under The Economic Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and fully documented environmental claims. You can also look for carpet suppliers who offer recycle system for old carpet.

9. Do you have strong preferences as to colour and design for the flooring?

This is your opportunity to ascertain, not just aesthetic preferences, but practicalities such as whether colours and patterns should be chosen that best disguise soiling and require less regular vacuuming. You can also get to know what atmospheres the client wishes to evoke, such as welcoming and relaxed in the reception area, bold and inspiring in collaborative areas and calm and soothing in focussed work areas. They may also be interested in incorporating elements of biophilic design to promote well-being using organic colours, textures and patterns to evoke the natural world in the indoor environment.

Using the questions and answers

As part of your overall brief, the answers to the above questions will guide you in the right direction towards achieving a design that fulfils all the overarching aesthetic and practical requirements of the project. The answers are also a great tool for your local carpet expert to help you with choosing just the right specifications and design, should you opt for assistance. If you have you grown more curious about your own specific project, get in contact with us here and lets take a look together.

Moving on, our next blogpost will guide you through how carpets impact acoustics.