Choosing to have hardwood floors installed in your home is a significant decision that can affect both the overall comfort, and the overall value, of your home. The first steps involved with hardwood flooring are pretty basic decisions, such as whether you want wood or laminate, where you want your hardwood flooring, whether you want to replace door trims and baseboards when you replace the floor, and when you have the time to do all the pre-work needed to see the project through to fruition.



When done properly, hardwood flooring gives homes a classic, polished look, while being easier to maintain and cleaner than carpeting.

However, “properly” is the key word here. There's a lot of thought and commitment that goes into wood flooring, not just from the contractor doing the work, but from homeowners, as well.

The first and most important step is to begin doing research on wood flooring companies that you are considering for the job. There are a lot of companies and contractors out there, so in order to ensure you get the best quality and value out of your wood flooring installation, consider the following when deciding which company is best for you:

• Does the contractor have up-to-date and current liability insurance? Be sure to ask your contractor for a copy of theirs, and feel free to contact their insurance company if you need further proof.

• Are a contractor's employees full-time or sub-contractors? The answer to this question can shed light on whether a company is reputable or not.

• Is the company current on its payroll? A company behind in payroll is likely to have unhappy employees working on your precious home.

• Are they accredited? Just because a company says it is a member of the Better Business Bureau or the National Wood Flooring Association doesn't make it true. Go online or call, and find out for sure.

• Does your contractor have references? And, if so, how old are they? Make sure you get a recent and reputable reference on your contractor's work. After all, you're the one that is going to be stuck living with their work.

• Is your contractor charging more for a so-called “superior product”? Be wary of companies claiming to do so. They are often over-charging because of previous, poor business decisions.

• Is your contractor charging too little? Be wary of these companies, too, as they are often charging less because they cut corners on liability insurance, payroll or taxes.

In other words, it really pays to do your homework when it comes to contracting wood flooring installation. Cutting corners can not only cause your family discomfort, it can cost your home its value in the long run.

It also pays (both figuratively and, sometimes, literally) to take a proactive approach concerning wood flooring preparation by doing whatever you can to help the process go as smoothly as it can. After all, preparation is key to a perfect wood-flooring project, but we'll talk more about that next time.