We were happy to help a confused customer compare her wood flooring quotes. The customer was grateful with our comments and we’re now working on her project. We thought we’d share some of the main points from our review of the quotes as we often get asked similar questions from prospective customers.
Estimates are a brief summary of estimated costs which is subject to change whereas a well calculated quotation is a detailed account of what you can actually expect to pay. Some companies only quote for workmanship others quote for workmanship and materials. Make sure you are clear what the quote or estimate includes so you can compare like for like. At a first glance one quote might seem higher than the other but it is useful to look at the details.
Make sure you are clear what the quote or estimate includes so you can compare like for like.
Quotes and estimates have different approaches to presenting costs.
Different companies will have different approaches to presenting (or sometimes hiding) costs. Our quotes cover all the needed stages and potential ones with itemised materials so you know, without a doubt, the final cost. It makes perfect sense to us to clearly present both the labour and materials as we cannot do the installation without the materials. Estimates are loose and leave a lot of room for later increases. Many do not include all the required materials to present a more appealing lower final cost.
We take pride in our work and stand by our motto: 'Crafted for Life'. Because of this we take the time to properly assess the project with each customer and discuss the technical and aesthetic aspects. For example how to achieve the right seamless joint against the garden door, how to achieve a symmetrical layout in the hallway (which is the first impression of the floor), how to craft a well proportionate doormat frame, how to select the boards during the installation according to their grain character, the best shades and lengths to use. All this takes time but will provide you with the quality that you expect and will make you more than happy to recommend us to your closest family and friends.
Seamless transitions to garden door bifold doors.
Pouring the specialist self levelling compound to prepare the sub-floor.
Another way to reduce costs is to rush the job, use low-skilled workers and have a reduced workforce. We always have the right team of skilled craftsmen to keep a good pace and quality.
I have heard stories from unhappy customers that have asked us to repair poor craftsmanship. They have complained of a lack of foresight, no symmetry or poor selection of boards. When they raised these issues and asked why the worst looking boards are right in the most visible areas they were told "that's how it came from the pack" (this is a classic cowboy excuse).
I cannot emphasise enough the tremendous importance of the sub-floor prep. All the great visible features you may have planned will have no value if the wooden floor bounces, swells because of the moisture and is totally uneven. The sub-floor is for a wooden floor like the foundation for a house. Always check that the sub-floor prep is included and detailed in the quote or estimate.
We aim to use the best available materials and equipment. Not because they are expensive, the brand sounds well or any other similar empty reasons. The vast majority of our equipment is made by a reputable German company, Festool. This helps us to cut accurately from the first time, it helps us to start and finish the project without delays caused by faulty equipment. For each project we will have each piece of equipment needed for each stage. The right tool for the right job. This helps us to accomplish what we promised, a quality wooden floor. Our clients often comment that we bring so many tools, unlike any other trade. Our view is that a tool is often only useful for a particular job, there are many different stages in our projects and we like to be ready and prepared.
Stackable toolboxes, essential for mobility and good organisation.
We use Arditex NA, a German made latex self levelling compound that is 100% moisture free.
Moving on to materials, they are clearly itemised in our quotes so you'll know what will be used to install your floor.
For example in preparation of the all important sub-floor we often use Arditex NA, a German made latex self levelling compound that is 100% moisture free as it does not contain water and is ready to take the new wooden floor in just 6 hours. This product provides in record time a flat substrate, free of added moisture and most importantly a strong and stable floor for decades.
We use a system of liquid DPM and adhesive from the German company STAUF, a manufacturer that sets the standard for wood flooring adhesives. And we use their best products. The Stauf SPU460 adhesive combines excellently the needed flexibility with the strong bond required for a wooden floor that will last decades.
On the contrary, an easy way to keep costs down is to use a handful of tools that will not be suitable for all the stages. A cheap self levelling compound can be used that in time will crack and become loose under the wooden floor making it creaky and bouncy. They may not bother using a high performance adhesive with it's own DPM but a solvent one that is not flexible. This will damage the DPM and will make the wooden floor even more loose in time.
German company Stauf sets the standard for wood flooring adhesives.
We offer all our customers a 10 year workmanship warranty.
Even though our quotes may initially seem higher, in the longer term our service will produce far more value for your money. We also offer the additional security of a 10 year workmanship warranty.
At Fin Wood we respect our trade and take pride in craftsmanship. Over the years we have built a very good reputation with a lot of dedication, hard work and attention to detail. This good reputation is our best asset. We have over 200 reviews on trusted customer feedback sites and a score of 9.9/10.
Of course the decision of which quote to choose is always entirely yours but we hope what has been outlined will help you better compare and know what to expect.
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