Helping clients choose the right flooring

Today, helping cients choose the right flooring is very important considering that there have never been as many solutions to create just the right look. From LVT to carpet tile, and wood-imitation ceramic tiles, if you want choices, you have choices.

The challenge for remodeling Pro is helping the homeowner choose the right flooring for their project. Three key criteria to help guide that conversation are: value, sustainability and design.

To choose the right flooring value is important

Let’s face it – when it comes to choose the right flooring, budgets matter. But so does value. That’s why it’s important to ask the client how long they expect their floor to last. Remind them that if they go cheap, they’ll save money in the short-term, but may get caught in a continual maintenance dance in the long-term.

Familiarity with flooring trends can also be an important part of the selection process. Styles like hexagonal, rectangular and plank-shaped tiles are all the rage today, but new digital graphic applications (LVT, porcelain and laminate) provide less expensive options.

Sustainability

The green movement remains in full swing, so be ready to respond to questions about what a material is made of, whether it’s made sustainably, where it’s made and how it affects energy efficiency. Being able to discuss “sustainability return on investment,” or SROI, may even help you sell the client to a higher quality product.

Design

Help the client balance aesthetics with what’s practical. While wood and tile are beautiful , they may not be appropriate flooring options for kitchens and bathrooms. White carpeting may not be a good choice for high traffic areas or families with pets. Certain floor patterns and materials, on the other hand, are particularly well suited to hold up to heavy use such as office and wheel chairs.

Helping homeowners balance their criteria to choose the right flooring helps Pros add value, build trust and differentiate themselves from the pack.