A flooring contractor is an individual or business that installs, maintains, and repairs floor surfaces in commercial buildings and homes. The main objective of a contractor is to design and install the proper flooring material based on the client’s specifications. In the commercial market, many homeowners will usually hire different contractors for different projects to ask for price estimates. Contractors also work with materials such as carpet, tile, stone, glass, hardwood, linoleum, etc.
When hiring a flooring contractor, it is important for the homeowner to make sure that they are licensed and insured. In addition, the installer should be able to provide references or recommendations from previous jobs. Once the contract has been established between the two parties, the installer will begin preparing the sub-floor. This includes making sure that all nails, sills, joint compound, padding, tiles, linoleum, and carpet are installed to manufacturer’s directions.
Other tasks included in the preparation process include determining if the sub-floor is dry or wet, leveling the sub floor and cleaning and polishing areas that are not smooth. After the sub-floor has been prepared, the flooring contractor may begin installing the wood, laminate, or hardwood flooring material that was chosen. Once the installation process is complete, it is time to test the floor. Most flooring contractors will use rubber or silicone caulk around the baseboard and other high traffic areas to help protect the wood from damage. If the installation is successful, the finished product should look about like new.
It is important that homeowners understand that flooring installation is not something that can be attempted by inexperienced people. In fact, this is one of the few job areas where experience is actually better than amateurish effort. Many homeowners may try to cut corners and spend less money on their project by hiring a flooring contractor with little experience. This can result in a subpar end product that will not last for years. It is far better to hire a licensed, experienced installer than attempt to cut corners.
There are some things that homeowners should consider when selecting flooring contractors. For example, potential contractors should have plenty of references that they can provide to potential customers. These references should come from other homeowners who have used the service in the past. By contacting at least two or three potential contractors, a homeowner will get a better idea of the level of expertise that is required. Also, potential contractors should display their skills on a website or a portfolio of past work.
The best way to ensure that a flooring contractor really knows what they are doing is to ask to see their license, insurance policy and/or certification. It is also a good idea to request paperwork including their bid to purchase the flooring materials that they will be using. By seeing these documents, it will be easier for a homeowner to compare the different prices that are presented. Asking a potential flooring contractor about their education and training is also a good idea. Visit www.newjerseyflooringcompany.com for more details on this.
Tile is an important factor when you are considering commercial flooring installation. There are many types of tile ranging from ceramic tile to marble tile, natural stone tile, and granite tile to name just a few. All tiles come with different installation instructions depending on their particular characteristics. Ceramic tile requires the use of steam carpet. Stone tile will need to be driven into the floor by a carpenter or trowel head and once driven need to be leveled and re-leveled before it is painted.