Hardwood floor installation costs are major factor in determining the quality and coverage area for your project. You may want to investigate various sources for hardwood floor installation costs to see if it is within your budget to have your new hardwood floor installed by a professional rather than trying to do it by yourself. Prices vary around the world, depending on whether you live in a large urban area or a rural part of the country. Prices are almost always higher for installation in big cities, such as New York City, specifically Manhattan. The money you spend should be viewed as an investment however because quality hardwood floors last for many years and increase the value of your home when you want to sell it.
It is important to know how much the wood and other materials would cost if you were doing the work yourself. Once you have this figure, you can research for the going rate for installation, depending on labor costs in your area. There are basic guidelines to go by, however, if you do not want to figure up every part of the cost. You can expect to pay from $5 to $15 per square foot for the wood and an additional $2 to $12 per square foot for installation. If you are planning to install hardwood floor in a room that is 12 feet by 12 feet, or 144 square feet, the job should cost between $1,008 and $3,888. These guidelines are very broad, but they give you the idea of what the flooring will cost.
Hardwood floor installation costs include only the wooden planks and installation. There are other factors that could increase the cost quite a bit. Subfloor preparation usually costs around $200 to $300. If the subfloor is in very bad shape, you may need to repair it or replace it and this will cost even more. There is a charge for disposal of the old wood from a floor that has been torn up as well. If you choose basic wooden planks that are pre-finished, these will cost less, but your labor cost will increase because the flooring specialist will have to work longer to sand and finish the surface of the new floor. You will have to pay more for labor, plus the materials which include the polyurethane floor coating and brushes, sprayer, or rollers. Although it is very beautiful, this flooring is difficult to install for those who have never done big remodeling jobs before.
When figuring what hardwood floor installation costs will be, it is important to remember that your new flooring will probably last as long as your house does. It will be able to be refinished many times during its lifetime by sanding and refinishing. Some people like the look of nicks, scratches and other marks in a wooden floor because they say that these give the floor character. If this is how you see it, then you will never have to refinish your new floor. That is quite a savings. Maintaining your floor is easy to do – just dust with a dust mop or vacuum. Occasional mopping with a damp mop is all that many floors ever require.
If you are still wondering whether or not you want to spend this much money on a new floor, also remember that this is an investment that will give your home a unique and beautiful look for a long time. Since each tree’s wood is different, hardwood floors are different as well, and no two look exactly alike. Hardwood floors also have good insulating qualities, so they will help lower your heating and cooling costs. They are great for people with allergies because dust mites do not love hardwood floors like they love carpet. Finally, if you are concerned about affecting the environment by cutting down trees, it is good to know that most reputable lumber yards only buy wood from managed areas where trees that are cut down are replaced with new young trees.
