5 Best Flooring Companies in Waterloo, IA

New flooring can drastically alter your space's character. Whether you're renovating a single room or updating your entire house, a Waterloo flooring installer can offer you valuable style advice and professionally install your new coverings. These Waterloo, IA flooring installers offer excellent value, a knowledgeable team, and a comprehensive selection.

Popular Types of Flooring

There's a flooring material for every design preference and price point. In this section, we'll break down the most common types.

Hardwood Flooring

Homebuyers across Waterloo seek out hardwood flooring for its beauty and durability. It's available in several varieties to accommodate different designs, from oak and maple to cherry and walnut. Despite its allure, hardwood comes with a higher price tag. You also need to stick to a consistent refinishing schedule every few years, filling in the gaps with specialty cleaners. The more time you invest in maintenance, the longer your floors will last.

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood offers you the timeless look and resilience of hardwood without the extra maintenance. Typically, it uses a layer of real hardwood fused with a plywood substrate. While it's less likely to warp than true hardwood, it sounds more hollow to walk on and can't be refinished more than once.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate floors come in tile and wood finishes, but they all have a particle board base. A strong plastic coating gives them defense against scratches and simplifies cleaning. However, it chips easily and is susceptible to moisture damage.

Vinyl Flooring

Maintenance with vinyl floors is as simple as it gets. You can purchase them in luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or luxury vinyl tile (LVT) styles, with each option equally resilient. They also come at a reasonable price point, somewhere between laminate and engineered wood.

Tile Flooring

Tile flooring is another classy design that can endure for years. Like vinyl, it requires minimal maintenance and is easy to clean. As such, it's an excellent choice for moisture-prone spaces like bathrooms and kitchens. However, it might not work well for bedrooms and living rooms since it's colder and less grippy to walk on. Pricing fluctuates between styles, with ceramic less expensive than porcelain.

Stone Flooring

Stone floors are among the most waterproof available. You can choose from a variety of bold design options, including marble, granite, travertine, and sandstone. However, like hardwood, it can be expensive and difficult to clean.

Linoleum Flooring

With attentive maintenance, linoleum floors can last for years. It is a cost-effective choice with numerous methods for personalization. However, it can easily get dented or scratched and has been known to lose its original coloring when exposed to direct sunlight. Direct sunlight also leads linoleum to lose color over time, and it may not be suitable for damp locations.

Carpet

Of all flooring options, carpet is one of the most affordable. It lends a homey feel to a room and reduces noise effectively. Unlike hard floors, carpet gets rid of concerns about scratches or dents, and the extra padding is much safer for young children. However, carpet requires time and effort to keep clean, especially if you have pets. The fibrous material retains stains, dampness, smells, and allergens.

How to Choose a Waterloo Flooring Company

Choosing the appropriate installer makes all the difference for your new floor's quality. We recommend assessing different companies using the following criteria.

Reputation and Reviews

The first thing to note is whether a company is known for good service and high-quality work. You can learn more about previous clients' experiences from review sites like Yelp, Trustpilot, Google, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Even the best flooring installers will have both positive and negative reviews. Look for how a provider handles complaints and interacts with others. If it works toward a satisfactory resolution and acts in good faith, that's a good sign. However, if it's argumentative or has a high negative-to-positive review ratio, it's advisable to avoid working with it.

Portfolio and References

A trusted flooring company will be excited to show you portfolios of its previous work. Closely inspect each listed project and ask questions as you have them. It's also customary to ask for references from past customers. Once you have their contact information, contact them to ask about their experiences.

Specialization and Services

Look for a provider that specializes in the type of flooring you're interested in. For example, a crew might be experienced with carpet but not tile. A contractor's service offerings can also make a difference. At the very least, you should choose a provider that offers to haul away your old flooring materials. However, businesses can also offer refinishing services or design assistance.

Cost

While cost shouldn't be the most important factor when choosing a flooring company, it's still important to find one that matches your budget. We recommend getting quotes from multiple companies to compare prices. You can do this fully online or by requesting complimentary on-site estimates.

Warranties and Guarantees

Flooring services typically come with a pair of warranties. The first one, issued by the manufacturer, covers the product itself. The other covers the installation company's workmanship. While some manufacturers and contractors have lifetime warranties, most are still tied to a specific time period (often ten years.) If you'd like additional coverage, you might be able to pay extra for an extended warranty.

Estimated Timeline

Time management is essential for a successful flooring job. Before you agree to work with a company, request an estimated timeline and inquire about what delays could impact the project. If a company promises to finish the job by a certain deadline, get that guarantee in writing and communicate your expectations clearly as the work progresses.

Other Flooring Resources

• Best Flooring for Kitchens
• Best Laminate Flooring
• What Is the Cost to Refinish Hardwood Floors?

Sources

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics