What can you expect to pay for a new laminate floor? Your expenses depend on a number of factors--are you installing it yourself, or hiring someone to lay it for you? What quality of laminate will you choose to act as the "fifth wall" of your home? Let's start by considering the price of laminate.
Laminate pricing
Installed laminate prices can run anywhere from $3.50 to $7.50 per square foot (material and labor) and the breadth of this range is mainly due to the varying quality of laminate on the market. Uninstalled pricing goes from.$0.92 up to over $6.00 per square foot.
With such a wide spectrum to choose from, here are a few tips to help with your selection. Choose a laminate that has:
- A strong core layer--8mm thickness is standard in today's market
- A 15 year warranty--this is a reliable standard
- A melamine backing for greater durability
It's rare for installers to show up at your door for less than $500, and that would be for a smaller room (roughly 150 sq. ft.), so the savings you can realize by doing it yourself are substantial. If you choose to have an installer, $2.50 to $3.50 per square foot is a reasonable fee.
Costs associated with doing it yourself
If you're planning to do-it-yourself, make sure that you factor in the hidden costs over and above the floor covering. Most of these will fall into the category of tools, time and space.
Do you have the tools available to do the job? You'll need the following items on hand:
- Broom
- Saw horse or work bench
- Skill saw, jig saw and hand saw
- Power drill
- Hammer, utility knife, pencil
- T-bar, pry bar, tapping block, spacers
Don't forget that you'll have to prepare the surface of the floor prior to installation and if this includes tearing out old carpet you'll also need access to a dumpster.
If you have the tools (and skill) required then think about the time it will take. Can you afford it? Two professional installers will install 600 sq. ft. of laminate in a couple of days--or do a 150 sq. ft. room in a morning. Do you have help or will you be working alone? Plan on extra time if you're working alone and to compensate for your level of experience.
Even if you're living alone, doing the job yourself will mean giving up some living space for the amount of time it will take to lay the floor. And if roommates or family share your home, their inconvenience needs to be considered and factored into your final decision. While there's nothing like the satisfaction of a job well done, there is something to be said for the expediency of a professional installation.
Finally, the one thing nobody can afford is a poor installation, so if you're going to do-it-yourself, do your homework--read up, talk to an expert, watch a video or buy a book. As the saying goes, a picture truly is worth a thousand words.
Marion Taylor is an experienced writer who has combined skills and resources with her husband--a flooring retail owner and operator--to create a series of how-to flooring videos. Their latest effort is a laminate flooring how to video.
Copyright of this article: 2008, Marion Taylor. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marion_Taylor
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