The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let's start with the good.  You are invited to our fun and fabulous Fall Open House!  It's Tuesday October 16 from 4 til7 pm. Enjoy chili with all the fixings (you can help judge the chili cook-off!), seasonal beverages, see all the great new flooring options and meet with our Vendor Reps to learn more. 

Plus, if you bring 5 items for our Must Ministries Donation Bin you get to spin the wheel to win a great prize, like a restaurant gift card or an area rug. Our events are always lots of fun. Please put this on your calendar and plan on joining us.

Now the bad.  Tariffs. Your first thought is probably no big deal, they don't really affect you.  Wrong. On Monday, September 24, 10 percent tariffs were assessed on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports.  Items include networkrouters, computer components, pork and other agricultural goods, a variety of fish including tilapia and some shellfish, many processed foods, chemicals, plastics, leather, wood and wood products, paper, textiles including raw wool and cotton, certain electrical equipment and appliances including refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and air conditioners, parts for autos, trucks and agricultural equipment, building blocks and bricks, even dog leashes, collars, muzzles and harnesses.  And flooring. Hundreds and hundreds of flooring products are made in and imported from China: luxury vinyl, hardwood floors (primarily engineered), ceramic tile, and laminates. The price increase has been pretty much instantaneous.

 

Now for the ugly.  The tariffs will go up another 15% the first of the year, making the tariff a total of 25%.  That is a lot of money. Here's an example of how the pricing has changed and will change:

COREtec Plus HD was previously $5.20 per square foot for the product.  It is now $5.75. (Our price for basic installation of $2.00 per square foot is unchanged.)  As of the first of the year it will be $6.55. That's a big increase!

We won't make this a political debate.  Even economists disagree on the long-term impact of tariffs.  Good, bad, we don't know. We just know that it has happened. So---if you want new floors, and the product you want is imported from China, it is more expensive today than it was two weeks ago. And if you don't make your purchase by the end of the year, it will be even more expensive.

You can also make it a point to buy only made in the USA items.  The pricing will be much more stable on domestically produced products.  Ask your Enhance Design Consultant to show you our Made in the USA products as you research new flooring options for your home.

Let's end on a good---the vast majority of carpet is domestically produced and is not impacted by the tariffs.  When you purchase new carpet, not only is it made in the USA, it is almost certainly made in Georgia!  Fun fact:  Dalton is considered the Carpet Capital of the World.

Design Tip

There are so many ways to decorate your home in a tasteful and festive way for fall. Pumpkins, gourds, fall foliage, and pine cones are a handful of popular themes that can serve asinspiration. You can mix all of these elements together across your mantle or you can stagger them artfully down your front steps. You can make a fall wreath out of miniature pumpkins. Use all cream for a more modern look or brightly colored orange for more Halloween-centric curb appeal. Or maybe a garland made out of oversize pine cones that incorporates fresh magnolia or greenery secured with florist wire. When decorating for fall, it is best to get the most bang for your buck and pick one look that will carry you through the tailgate, Halloween, and Thanksgiving seasons. There's no need to be too holiday specific.

I Was FLOORED By Enhance

Here's what Camille in Roswell tells us about her recent installation: "Enhance Floors was professional and on time, and they did excellent work. It was a really great job. They did what they said they were going to do when they said they would do it, and they cleaned up afterward. We have pets, and there were no issues with keeping doors closed. They were just very reliable and kept everything suited for us. They are clearly an A+. I'd use them again in a heartbeat."

Thanks, Camille, for taking the time to write a review.  We hope you are enjoying your new laminate floors.