25 Questions to Ask Your Flooring Supplier

Step 1. Outlining the scope of your flooring

1. What style are you trying to achieve? [classic; contemporary; current; traditional; functional; stylish; minimalist; timeless, etc].
2. Where do you live? [Is it mostly hot, wet, humid, dry, etc].
3. Is the floor subject to heavy traffic? [children, pets, toys, bicycles, disability/mobility appliances, etc? Is special protection needed?]
4. Is the flooring likely to be exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods? [Sunlight can cause wear and bleaching on particular floors].
5. How big is the flooring area? [What room[s] are being considered?]
6. Do you have stairs?

Step 2 – Selecting your flooring

7. What flooring look is preferred? [The classic warm look of wood can be achieved with pre-finished and polished, stabilised timber].
8. Does it come in different colours? [Pre-finished timber or bamboo can be stained to almost any shade].
9. Does it suit your home décor and furnishings? [Take samples home with you and see it complements your decor].
10. How hard-wearing is the floor? [Some floors show signs of wear and tear more easily than others. Take a sample home and test it].
11. What is the quality? [Is it the highest grade? Cheaper usually indicates the product has been compromised during the manufacturing process with low quality/grade material, cheaper glues, cheaper finishes, and no insect treatments].
12. Does the floor have Forest Stewardship Council certification? [Sustainably sourced].
13. Does it clean easily? [Pre-finished timber and bamboo floors are easy to clean].
14. Does it require maintenance/care? [All floors should be swept with a soft bristle broom daily and vacuumed weekly].
15. Is it termite proof? [Some wooden floorboards are naturally termite resistant. Others may be chemically treated to resist termites].

Step 3 – Selecting your store/supplier

16. Have you visited their showroom? [A flooring showroom will provide context how your floor will look].
17. Are samples available? [Flooring often looks different in colour in the showroom compared to the lighting in your home. Compare the sample with your furniture, wall colours and other features].
18. Do the supplier personnel assist with the whole process? [Have all your questions been answered satisfactorily?]
19. What is their reputation? [How do you know if the store/supplier is reliable and trustworthy? Ask to see customer testimonials or search online for recent reviews].
20. Can you trust them in your home? [Do they include a pre-installation on-site inspection? Are they police-cleared?]
21. Are they ISO 9001 accredited? [ISO 9001 certification is worldwide Quality Management System].
22. Does the company have a quality assurance department?
23. Do they have a dedicated customer service department to mange schedules, delivery times, and aftercare?
24. Do they offer a warranty or guarantee? [The warranty should be with the store/supplier and not a third party manufacturer you are unable to contact].
25. Are the installers experienced, professionally trained and accredited?