Thinking about getting new hardwood floors? Deciding which wood type, grade, and color will add warmth and character to your Pacific Northwest space? While materials are important, there is a lot more to consider when comparing hardwood flooring estimates.
First off, be sure to get multiple quotes to help you make an informed decision and ensure your new hardwood floors are beautiful, durable, and the best value for decades to come.
A number of elements can impact cost, including the layout of your space and the pattern of the planks. There’s also demolition, floor prep, sanding, and staining. In addition to looking at the total estimated price, compare each detailed element, what’s included, as well as the total cost per square foot in order to get the best comparison.
Whether you’re choosing to refinish, repair, replace, or install all new hardwood floors, Nehalem Hardwoods in Oregon can guide you through every decision for your best estimate and beautiful hardwood floors that will stand up to the region’s rainy weather and everyday living.
Wood Species and Grade
One of the first decisions you’ll need to make for your estimate is which wood species and what grade. Will you be refinishing, replacing, or installing maple, red oak, white oak, bamboo, cherry, hickory, pine, or ash? The options are endless, as are the durability and differences in price with more common domestic woods, like oak, falling into the more affordable category.
Then there’s the grade. How do the boards of your selected hardwood appear? The higher the grade, meaning cleaner with fewer knots or color variations, the higher the price. These grades are about aesthetics only, not durability.
The cost of hardwood flooring also varies with its thickness. Be sure to consider the thickness of the hardwood product when comparing estimates, as this will affect the durability and longevity of your floors.
Plank Size
Plank width and length are choices that will also make a difference in your hardwood floor estimate and will impact the overall appearance of your floor and room.
Choosing a plank size could be determined by your existing floor or by the size of your space. Narrower planks, typically 2 to 4 inches, offer a more traditional look and cost less. These work well to make smaller rooms appear larger. Medium width planks range between 4 and 6 inches and work well in most rooms, while wider planks of 6 inches or more create a more modern look by minimizing the number of seams.
The length of the planks can also vary depending on the manufacturer. While longer planks can create a more seamless look, they are often more difficult to install.
Stain and Finish
Hardwood stain prices will vary depending on the type and brand, as well as the durability they offer.
What you choose to stain and finish your hardwood floor with can range from $20 to $130 a gallon. And, that does not include the labor for staining.
Oil-based polyurethane can cost up to $45 a gallon, while water-based polyurethane can cost up to $70 a gallon. Penetrating oil finishes can send the price as high as $100 per gallon with general wood stains ranging between $22 and $130 per gallon.
Labor
In addition to evaluating your estimate for the cost of materials, it’s also important to look at the breakdown of what’s included in the price. The labor to professionally install floors will vary in cost depending on what’s included.
- Demolition
If you are installing hardwood floors in an existing home, then chances are there will be an existing floor to remove. Demolition of a floor and the cleanup required typically costs between $2 and $6 a square foot, but can go higher if repairs are needed.
- Subfloor Prep
Once the space is cleared, the subfloor will need to be leveled and any repairs made. If the hardwood is going into a high humidity area, a moisture barrier will need to be added, which will increase the estimated cost.
- Installation and Layout
A hardwood floor installer will evaluate not only the average work involved, but also the complexity of the room’s layout. If the room’s walls are squared to one another, then the price of install will not be affected. More complicated angles, cutouts, or stairs will add to the estimate.
Whether your floor is floating, nailed-down or glued-down will also make a difference, with the latter typically being more expensive.
And finally, how you have your installer lay the hardwood planks can make a dramatic visual impact on your space, but can also impact the project’s final price. Hardwood flooring patterns add interest and texture when laid in chevron, herringbone, basket weave, Versailles, or Ardeche patterns. The complexity of these patterns, when compared to laying the planks straight and parallel, make installation more expensive..
- Staining and Finishing
Sanding and finishing is one of the more basic elements involved in most hardwood floor restorations and installations. Installers typically charge between $3 and $8 a square foot to sand and finish a floor. If you are adding a stain to change the color of the floor, then that additional service will add another $1 to $3 a square foot.
- Cleanup
While cleanup is typically included in the total installation cost, any additional waste removal and disposal involved with the demolition of an existing floor can add between $1 and $3 a square foot to the total cost of the project.
How to Compare Hardwood Flooring Estimates
Once you have a thorough estimated breakdown of all of the elements that will go into installing your hardwood floors – from materials and labor to any other services – be sure to request multiple bids for similar materials and scope of work before comparing your estimates.
While it’s tempting to go with the lowest price, compare the scope of work offered while verifying each contractor’s qualifications and reviews before making your final decision.
Ask questions. Does your estimate include the flooring and installation? Does it include demolition and cleanup? Detailed breakdowns will help you compare all of the elements to make sure you are getting the best value in the long run.
Finally, compare the total cost per square foot for each estimate before making your final decision.
The Pacific Northwest’s Hardwood Flooring Experts
Nehalem Hardwoods, is a licensed and insured hardwood installer with decades of experience. We offer a large selection of high quality hardwood and engineered hardwood – that are natural, sustainable, and eco-friendly – in a wide variety of finishes and colors.
Our expert installation of new hardwood floors and stairs, as well as repair and refinishing to restore your existing floors to as good as new, is second to none. We also offer refinishing for wood countertops, tables, and other hardwood surfaces.
Get in touch with Nehalem Hardwoods or visit our showroom in Gearhart to see for yourself why we are the best hardwood floor contractor in Oregon. We look forward to bringing the beauty and durability of rich, warm hardwood to your Pacific Northwest home.
