Your Flooring Fitter Questions Answered
Are you looking for a flooring fitter that is affordable, close by and reliable? Don’t be put off by the nightmares and stories you see on Cowboy Builders. There are plenty of great tradesmen that will do a good job. And if you’re stuck on where to start, this helpful guide will give you the best tips on how to find the perfect flooring fitter.
Do your research
Whether you’re renovating your first home or giving your home a new look, you should always research before you start any project. And if you’re hiring a professional fitter, there are several ways you can find one, let’s take a look.
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Local shop boards
Pop down to your local shop or post office to see if any fitters have posted their business cards in there. You may find one that is just doors down from you!
Scroll social media
Using social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram is a great way to find local fitters. Post a status or story to say that you’re looking for a flooring fitter recommendation, for example, “Does anybody know someone who can fit my solid wood flooring?” or “Can anyone recommend a parquet flooring fitter?” Joining local community pages is also a great way to contact local craftsmen in your area.
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NCIF
The NICF (national institute of carpet & floor layers) is a useful website to find professional, experienced and trusted fitters in your local area. All you need to do is enter your postcode and flooring type and it will generate the most reliable fitters in your area. So easy!
Checkatrade
Checkatrade is a free service where you can see contact information and reviews. Tradespeople are scored out of 10 for their workmanship, timekeeping, tidiness and courtesy. It’s one of the most reliable websites in the UK.
Here are some other useful websites:
Gather up your options
Don’t hire the first fitter you speak to. Get a few quotes first and weigh up your options. Some will be cheaper or more expensive than others, but that will come down to how experienced they are. Good quality work doesn’t come cheap!
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Do I need a fitter, or can I do it myself?
Once you've ordered your floor, it’s time to decide whether you’re going to do it yourself or hire a professional fitter.
Yes, learning how to install the flooring yourself is great if you love DIY but every floor has different fitting methods. For instance, parquet flooring is much more complicated and labour-intensive than fitting straight planks with them being fit at an angle. Laminate, LVT and click-engineered boards are much easier to fit rather than tongue & groove wooden flooring due to their easy-to-fit boards. Fitting your own floor will take a lot of planning and preparation but if you’re confident enough, go for it!
There’s nothing wrong with doing the job yourself, but if you’ve never laid any flooring before and you want everything to look perfect, then we recommend you hire a professional to do the job. You don’t want to spend lots of money on a brand-new floor and it end up not looking right!
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How much do flooring installers charge?
When hiring a professional, think about how much the overall project will cost. It usually includes removing old flooring, installing new flooring, cleaning and providing tools and supplies. You also need to consider the material of your floor and the room size. For example, straight plank laminate flooring will be much to fit than parquet as it takes longer to install.
Flooring comes in all shapes and prices, so it’s good to know how much each one will roughly cost to fit. The average room in a home is around 17m2 so this guide will give you an idea of roughly how much each material will cost to fit.
Hardwood costs around £300 - £450 to fit for an average room size of 17m2. Expect to pay a lot more if you're having herringbone or parquet as it takes longer to install. You'd be looking at around £500- £1500 depending on your planks style and room shape.
The average cost you will pay for the installation of laminate and click-vinyl flooring is around £100 to £250 for a medium size room of 17m2.
Expect to pay additional costs for the removal and installation of new skirting boards and beading. Your fitter will usually calculate this per square meter.
Your flooring fitter will usually assess the condition of your floor. If your subfloor isn't level, your fitter will add an additional cost of £10-£16 per square meter.
How to save money on a flooring fitter
Whether you want to save time or a bit of cash, you should make sure your subfloor is prepared and ready for your fitter. Make sure you tell your fitter beforehand if any awkward bits need focusing on more than others.
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Who are the best flooring installers?
Depending on where you live, websites like Checkatrade will filter out the best fitters near or within your local area.
Can a handyman install flooring?
While handymen are great to have around and could be an option to get things done cheaply and quickly, they may not finish the job as professionally as a flooring fitter would. For example, professional fitters will make sure your flooring looks seamless throughout your home. Handymen are less experienced so they may not do the job as well.
Here’s an insider tip: Can your fitter or handyman pass this test?
Ask them how they will tackle fitting flooring around a door frame. Professionals will saw a gap between the architrave and the floor whereas people who are inexperienced will leave a gap between the floor and architrave.
Who is the best flooring company?
Larger fitting companies like nationwide flooring are known for speedy service and experience in laying floors. They work with all kinds of flooring products and contractors but, that doesn’t mean to say you can’t get just as good (or better) service from local tradespeople. Some flooring companies will have fitters on hand that will come and install your flooring but may come at an additional cost.
We hope these easy steps will help you know what to look out for when you start to renovate your home. For more advice on fitting flooring, read our blog post on how long it takes to fit wooden flooring. It will give you a better idea of how the project will take.