How Much Has It Changed?

How Much Does It Cost?

One of the very first steps in shopping for new flooring is deciding what TYPE of product you should be considering. Not the style or the color. Not the texture or finish. Not even what price range. The very basic starting point----do you want soft carpet for your family room? Or pet friends LVP? Or elegant hardwood floors?
 
Sometimes knowing the price of different flooring options makes the choice easier. And there is certainly a wide range of prices based on the type of floor you select. Maybe you got some estimates a few years ago and are now ready to get the work done. If so, we have some bad news for you. Prices have gone up this year. Some products have gone up a lot.
 
We first ran these numbers in 2018. We will compare today's pricing with what it cost three years ago. These prices are based on a 400 square feet family room that is currently carpeted that is on a wooden subfloor (i.e., over a basement or crawl space.) If you were to choose a medium-priced product, the average professionally installed cost for each type of flooring is approximately: 

                                      2018      TODAY

Carpet                         $2000     $2000

Laminate                    $2800     $3000

Luxury Vinyl Plank  $3000     $3400

Hardwoods 3/4"      $4000      $4500

Tile                             $5200       $7500

 

Carpet hasn't gone up much at all, and the increase on laminate floors is minimal. LVP and hardwoods have gone up over 10%. Most LVP is imported, and there are some tariffs still in place. Quite a bit of hardwood flooring is also imported, and you know what it is costing to get a container into the USA. Tile has gone up the most. Some of it is product cost, and some of it is labor. A great tile installer is hard to find (luckily we have one!) And great tile installers are busy. Everybody seems to be redoing a bathroom or two. It's basic supply and demand --high demand, low supply, higher prices.
 

Do we foresee prices coming down over the coming months? Probably not. Even once the supply chain stabilizes, it seems like once people are used to paying a certain amount, or an employee is being paid a higher wage, the prices don't go back down.
 
The type of flooring makes a difference on your budget, doesn't it? Of course, there are many other things to consider, for instance, the average person replaces their carpet every nine years. So, if you are in your home for twenty years, you will replace your carpet at least once, maybe twice. But you will almost certainly have the same wood floor for twenty years. Over time, the higher priced options tend to pay for themselves because of the longevity of the product. However, this doesn't necessarily make you feel better when you write the initial check to pay for it!
  
How Thick Is It?

Engineered hardwood floors have a wearlayer: a thin layer of real, solid hardwood glued to the top of a core board. Veneers can vary in thickness from 0.6mm to 4.0mm. Veneer thickness dictates how many times an engineered wood floor can be sanded and refinished. If the veneer thickness is less than 2mm the floor cannot be sanded or refinished at all.
 

MOST of the engineered hardwoods we have in the Design Center are 2mm. That means that most can be lightly drum sanded once.
 
Most handscraped floors start at 2mm, but are thinner in the low spots. For that reason, most handscraped floors CANNOT be refinished.
 
As a comparison, ¾” solid products (site finished and prefinished) have approx. 4mm available to sand. This will vary based on placement of the fastener and how deep the initial sanding was if site finished.
 
Here's a list with links to specific engineered hardwoods that you can consider that are OVER 2mm:
 
2.5mm:
LW Flooring Renaissance
 
3mm:
Fabrica French Oak / French Oak Pattern
Hartco Prime Harvest Elite
Karastan (all)
LM Big Sky
Mohawk Beachside Dunes
Mohawk Seaside Luxury
Somerset Solid Plus
 
3.2mm
Mohawk Medallia Collection
Mohawk Viridia Collection
 
3.5mm:
Fabrica Citadel
Fabrica Provincial
LW Flooring Vintage Elegance
 
4mm:
Fabrica Chateau
Fabrica Handscraped
Fabrica Maple Select
Mohawk Seaside Shores
Palmetto Road Charleston
 
FOR THE CURIOUS: 1 millimeter (mm) thickness equals: 0.039 inches. 4mm = 5/32 inch (a bit over 1/8 inch)
 
Design Tip

Blue -- the color of bright summer skies and sandy beaches, if summer had a color, we're willing to bet it would be a beautiful blue. It's no wonder the who's who of interior designers voted this color as one of the top summer interior design trends for 2021. 
 
Look for a blue area rug, blue pillows and throws, pale blue gauzy curtains, and blue accessories. Pair with a white backdrop to give your space that coastal vibe. 

If you're a minimalist at heart, pops of bright cobalt blues can bring in a bit of vibrancy to your room. Incorporate this sunny hue into your decor as a constant reminder of clear skies and the sun on your skin!
 
From Ron in Smyrna:

“Great experience with Enhance. Purchased 1100 square ft of Bruce hardwood, and the install crew was very professional and did a great job. Highly recommend Enhance.”
 
Thank you, Ron. We appreciate your business and the great review!

The New Normal?

You are ready to buy something. A new refrigerator. A new HVAC system. Chlorine for your swimming pool. Chicken. But there’s a problem. You can’t find it anywhere. 

Or the prices are ridiculously high. Plywood. A used car. Steak. What’s going on?
Demand is outpacing supply, and prices are going up, if you can even get the product at all. Costs to ship products have increased dramatically, especially on imported items.  

You may be wondering what this has to do with flooring. We are having challenges, too. Our U.S. manufacturers (hardwood flooring, laminates, carpet) are having a hard time keeping up with demand – literally selling product as quickly as they can make it. 

If the product is imported (most LVP is, along with many other products) there are extensive delays (and costs) in receiving the product.

It’s challenging. Normally our clients have to wait for our incredible installers to be available. Right now, our clients are waiting for product.

And pricing – every manufacturer we work with has had at least one price increase this year. Some are on their third price increase (and it’s only June!) Unfortunately, we are only able to honor some of our estimates for 10 to 14 days as the pricing is changing so quickly. 

Industry experts do not expect product availability or pricing to stabilize until 2022.

The “new normal” for many of our clients is that they either wait for exactly what they want, or we check availability on products until we are able to find a color that you love that is available. Don’t give up; everything is NOT on backorder 

We look forward to assisting you during these unprecedented (aren’t you tired of that word?) times and sincerely appreciate your business. We’re here to help; we will work together to make your home beautiful!

Faucet 101

Did you know the most used fixture in your kitchen is the faucet? Updating your kitchen faucet may seem like a small thing, but it has a dramatic impact on the styles and use of your kitchen.

There are many different kinds of faucets, each with its on features. Faucets don’t have to be chrome, they come in a variety of finishes. Check out matte black, gold, copper, rose gold, and nickel. 

Here are the most popular types of faucets:

High-arc: also called gooseneck, high-arcs are over 8 inches tall. They pair well with extra deep sinks.

Touch-on / touchless: A self-titled faucet, there are touch-on models or faucets that are activated by motions sensors.

Pot filler: A pot filler is a cold water only faucet mounted to the wall above the stovetop. The folding arm lays against the wall when not in use.

Pull-down and pull-out: These are both short gooseneck – or rounded spout – faucets with a spray head that you pull out from the end of the spout.

Wall-mounted: As its name suggests, this space-saving faucet is mounted on the wall instead of the sink.

Bridge: Bridge faucets are highly decorative. The faucet handles are attached to the main spout. These are often used as wall-mounted faucets.

Bar and prep: Bar sink faucets are usually small because they’re installed in secondary sinks or are not used as the primary water source. 

Pro Tip

Getting new countertops and/or a new backsplash? Select and order your new faucets concurrently. You will need to have them on hand at the time of estimating so that the installer knows exactly where the faucet will be located.

How Much Does It Cost?
We just installed a wide plank hickory floor in the main level of a Roswell home – 1406 sq. ft. The price came in just over $12,000. This included removal of the existing carpet and vinyl floors, moving the furniture and appliances, trim, and new shoemold. Our client tells us that having the same floor everywhere makes the rooms seem so much bigger and the home feel more open.  
 

I Was FLOORED By Enhance

Lisa in Smyrna writes:
“Enhance Floors was fantastic. They did a kitchen, a family room, and a hallway in Mohawk waterproof laminate. They did preparation work like you wouldn’t believe, and they did a phenomenal job putting it together. I had an extremely positive experience. They’re an A +.”
Thank you for the great review, Lisa. We know you will enjoy your new floor for years to come – it will be so easy to keep looking good with your big dogs. We enjoyed working with you and appreciate your business.
 

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