Your Home: Budget Flooring (AD)

Whether you’ve just moved into a new home or want to give your lived-in home some TLC, budget flooring is a good place to start your home renovations. Home improvements can get expensive, but installing a new floor, can change the feel of the whole room!

It is unfortunate therefore, that flooring is among the most expensive home decor investments. So your budget is tight? Worry not; you can have the floors you want without straining your wallet. Here’s some tips to help you spruce up any and every room with budget flooring…

Your Home: Budget Flooring

Plan ahead

You’ll notice that I talk about planning ahead in every budget guide that I write. That’s because planning and budgeting ahead of any purchases is THE best way to keep your finances healthy. Before buying your chosen flooring make sure to careful measure out exactly how much flooring you’re going to need. Pro tip: many types of hard flooring will be sold by the box, so bear this in mind when making your calculations.

Chose the right type of budget flooring

The type of flooring you choose for your home will make a big difference to the look, feel, warmth and quality of your floor. Think about how you want each room presented in aesthetics and comfort. Here are some the different types of indoor flooring and their characteristics:

Wood Flooring – wood is one of the most popular for homes. It’s easy to clean, fits in with traditional or contemporary décor, and there is a choice of solid or engineered. Choosing engineered wood flooring rather than its solid alternative can dramatically bring down the price without affecting the look.
Laminate – laminate flooring is easy to install, and requires very little maintenance as it’s resistant to stains, waterproof and is easy to keep hygienically clean; making it perfect for family homes!
Carpet – There are tons of styles, patterns and fabrics available when it comes to carpet flooring. The more luxurious, softer carpet is well suited to bedrooms, whilst a low-pile, dense tuft is best for high traffic areas like living rooms and hall ways.
Ceramic – ceramic flooring is considered to be amongst the most hardwearing of the flooring options. Consider ceramic flooring for your kitchen and bathroom(s) as it’s water resistant and non-slip.

The type of flooring you choose for your garden can also make a big difference. Here are some the different types of outdoor flooring and their characteristics:

Vinyl decking – while any material left in the sun will show fading, vinyl is also better protected against colour fading. Make sure to get your preferred look and feel with a trusted supplier such as Winnipeg vinyl deck supplies.
Composite decking – Composites can be made from either recycled or virgin ingredients. Manufacturers produce composites by mixing plastics and wood fiber and extruding the material into boards. The wood fiber provides strength, while the plastic helps protect the wood from moisture.

Prioritise

If some of your floors are liveable for now, then prioritise buying new flooring for rooms that are in need of a new floor more urgently. Taking a room at a time will also spread the cost out, and provide you with more time to budget for the cost.

Do it yourself

Flooring is often one of the biggest expenses of a remodel project. If you’re on a budget, choosing a type you can install yourself can save you money.

Fitting your flooring yourself is an obvious way to save some money. If you’re a competent DIYer and have the right tools and prep, it’s an achievable project. Which offer a guide to wood flooring. If laminate is your chosen flooring many of the flooring options come with a Uniclic joining system, making them relatively easy to fit.

Find someone you trust

If doing it yourself isn’t for you, make sure to choose a tradesman that you trust. You will find hundreds of flooring fitterrecommendations by simply searching google for flooring fitters in your location. Sites such as MyBuilder.com not only list available fitters for you to contact but also rate their services and include reviews on previous projects for you to analyse and compare. Alternatively, you can read up on Rated People or Checkatrade to find the right person for the job.