How to lower flooring installation cost
“How can I lower flooring installation cost?” –
this is a question I get a lot from my customers here on Oahu in a beautiful state of Hawaii. And today I will tell you one of the best ways to decrease flooring installation cost in some cases up to 70%. This method works 9 out of 10 times and it doesn’t matter what kind of flooring you are doing or how big is your job. Let’s dig deeper.
Flooring installation cost – what is included?
Let’s start from the beginning – from the quote.
Rule #1. When you request a quote from any flooring installer (an by the way any other trade) always ask them to provide a detailed quote.
Rules that will help you lower flooring installation cost
When I say a detailed quote, I mean a quote that answers the next questions:
- What materials you are paying for?
- How many materials you are purchasing?
- How much you are charged for each material?
- What labor is included in the price?
- How much are you charged for each type of labor?
- Are there any additional supportive charges apart from installation?
- Are there any transactional charges involved?
- What is included in the quote and what you might need, but it cost additional money?
Those are only the tip of the iceberg that must be included in the quote. Here is an example of a good quote, because it answers almost all the questions mentioned above. Yes, not every installer will provide you a quote like this. But if one gives you, you will instantly know that he is not trying to rip you off.
Here is a live example to explain my position. I gave the customer a quote. He told me that my total price is higher than the price he got from the other two installers.
- I’ve asked him if the quote from other installers included subfloor leveling? He answered that he didn’t know because they gave him only the final amount.
- I’ve asked him if the quote from other installers included baseboards caulking? His answer from the same as on the previous question.
- I’ve asked him if he knew flooring specs for the material that was included in the quote from the other two installers, so we could compare the quality of the material. He did know the specs of my material but wasn’t sure about the specs of the other two installers.
It’s not hard to understand that depends on what is included in the quote or excluded from it the price can change drastically. So here is your tip number one, on how to lower flooring installation cost:
Tip #1. Know what you are paying for. Always ask for a detailed quote if you are not given one. Never agree on a deal when you are given only the total price because you don’t know what is included, what is not included, and what is optional. Don’t just compare final prices, make your own due diligence.
Tips that will help you lower flooring installation cost
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