Building Green with Reclaimed Wood Flooring

The use of reclaimed wood floors has become very common in new homes and renovation projects alike. Most homeowners prefer to use wood flooring reclaimed from old buildings before they are demolished. The eco-friendly option has become quite fashionable and here are a few advantages that you too can enjoy by using reclaimed wood flooring.

 
  

1. Well aged wood floors require less chemical treatment
The biggest advantage of wooden flooring that has been reclaimed from old buildings is that it is properly aged. The exposure to the air and humidity dries the wood out which means that it wouldn’t shrink or warp upon use and don’t need chemical stains and treatment to look good.

2. Reclaimed wood floors save new trees
When you use wood floors reclaimed from another site, you actively prevent new trees from being felled to create new wood floors. If you want your new home to be as eco-friendly as it can be without giving up the hominess that only wood flooring can provide, reclaimed floors would be your best bet.

3. More cost effective than fresh wood floors
Wood floor that is reclaimed from an old building is often much, much cheaper than flooring that is made from freshly cut trees.

4. Easier to maintain than new wood
Old wooden floors get the kind of exposure that wood needs to age properly. A wooden floor that has been in use before is aged and weathered just the right amount which means that it doesn’t need to be treated and taken care of as much as a new wood floor. You can simply stain these floors or leave them bare to make them even more low maintenance.
5. Add natural beauty to a room

Unstained and untreated old wood floors lend a certain beauty to a room that cannot be had with the use of a fresh wood flooring. If you are looking to create a retro or vintage themed room, reclaimed wood flooring could work wonders.

Original Article

Carpet Basics

Type Of Carpeting Materials

Carpet fiber is typically made from one of four fibers: nylon, olefin aka polypropylene, polyester, and wool.

Carpeting Parts

Carpeting has two layers face pile and backing.  The face pile or (yarn fibers) is the part of the carpet that we walk on and see.  Though the face pile is very important so is the backing yet no one ever seems to consider it when most people shop for new carpeting.

Carpet face pile comes in two different types; cut and or loop.  In a cut pile carpet individual yarns stand up straight from the backing.  This is a common type of carpet as it is less expensive to produce a carpet this way. In a loop pile carpet the yarn comes out of the backing, loops over, and they returns to the backing.  Loop pile carpets will last longer than a cut pile carpet.  Cut and loop carpets combine both pile types to add surface texture and often are used to blend multiple yarn colors.

Weight and Wear Of Carpeting

The heavier the carpet the better the carpet is at handling wear. When buying a carpet you should consider the carpet’s density, pile height, and fiber type that the carpet is made out of.  Carpets are sold according to weight and sometimes one style of carpet is offered in three different weights in the same color.  This is so people that are on a budget can buy a heavier weight and put it in the main traffic areas and the lower weight carpet can be used for the less used bedrooms. Most builders grade carpet is 26 ounces which is the minimum weight required for someone to get a FHA (Federal Housing Authority) loan.

Carpeting companies and most floor salesman don’t know carpeting weight can be mixed so they force customers into an all or nothing position when a customer is buying carpet.  35 ounce carpet in four bedrooms would drastically reduce the price of a carpeting project if a customer wanted 65 ounce carpet but could only afford to do it in the main areas everyone sees.    So before you buy carpeting check to see what weights are available for the style and color you like.  It’s pointless to put really nice plush carpet in a child’s room just because you want it to match with the rest of the house.  Give the children the lesser weight carpet let them destroy it and put the plush carpet in your master bedroom and living room; thus everything matches, you get the plush carpet in your room, and you save money.

Humidity

Carpet will absorb water and is prone to mildew.  So don’t ever put it in a bathroom or area close to water.  This is not healthy! In fact it becomes a nasty situation over time.

Carpeting Styles

Carpet comes in many different styles.  The main styles used for residential carpeting are Tufted, Cut and Loop Piles, Saxony, Textured Saxony, Plush, Frieze, and Level Loop Pile.

Tufted Carpeting

This type of carpet is produced on a tufting machine by using either a single colored or sometimes a non-colored yarn. If non colored is being used, then the carpet will be dyed or printed with a design as a separate process. Carpets that are tufted can either be cut pile, loop pile, or a combination of both. Machines can produce a lot more meters of carpet than weaving, and they are usually at the lower end of the market.

Cut and Loop Pile Carpeting

The cut and loop pile combines both looped and cut fibers. They provide a variety of surface textures for medium durability. Cut and loop carpets are available in either solid or different colors. The several different layers in this carpet can hide dirt and footprints in formal and informal areas.

Saxony Carpeting

Saxony consists of tightly twisted cut piles that are heat set straight. They consist of two or more fibers that have been twisted together in a yarn, and they provide a very soft texture for informal as well as formal areas. They will show each and every footprint and even marks from vacuum cleaners.

Textured Saxony Carpeting

Textured carpet is the bestselling and it works well in informal areas due to the very soft feel. They are tightly twisted and texture headset for medium durability. They also offer a multi colored look that will hide tracks and footprints.

Plush Carpeting

Both plush and velvet are lightly twisted and offer a uniform color. They are very soft and offer more level than textures. This type of carpet is ideal for formal areas due to it's luxurious appearance.

Frieze Carpeting

Frieze is a highly twisted cut pile type of carpet that is suited for high traffic areas. It has short fibers that will tend to curl in different directions at the surface to hide footprints and vacuum marks.

Level Loop Pile Carpeting

The level loop pile is constructed by weaving even loops of yarn into carpet backing at both ends. This type of carpet is durable as well as track resistant, due to the strong loops. Higher loops in the carpet will create a more luxurious look. They are also great because they will prevent dirt from filtering on into the carpet.

At Texas Best Flooring Company our number one selling carpet is Frieze carpeting that is a blend of two colors usually in earth tones.

Carpet Grain

Carpet has a grain that makes its fibers lean in one direction. If you run your hand over carpet in one direction the fibers will lay down.  If you run it back the fibers will stand up.  If you cut a piece of carpet in half and turn it 180% and then put it up against the other piece it looks like you have two different types of carpet.  That’s why when you install carpet you have to make sure the smaller pieces you are seaming together are consistent with the grain of the carpet you are attaching it too.  If you don’t seam a carpet with this in mind you run the risk of seeing a huge noticeable seam running the length of your room.

Carpet Names and Collections

Flooring companies and carpeting manufactures make up the names and collections of their carpet so that one, a customer can differentiate between the many different ones they offer and two, to confuse the customer so they cannot shop around for a better price on that carpet.  Some competing carpeting brands/distributors make their carpet in the same carpet mill.  Or many flooring companies will have their own carpet made directly from the mill at the same mill as 100 other flooring companies are using. So the carpet is the same quality and in most cases the same thing.  However, flooring companies try to get customers to fall in love with one carpet and if the carpet name is made up and no one else is using that name then the customers feels that that flooring company is the only one who offers that carpet.  This is not true! Forget the name.  When comparing carpet prices shop by color, weight of pile, style, type cut or loop, and backing used.  This is how you should compare pricing.  Don’t fall for the flooring companies made up naming system.  

 

These are the seven basic carpeting industry features one needs to know and be aware of when buying carpet.  For carpet installation and padding see some of our other Texas Best Flooring Company blogs at Texasbestflooringcompany.com

Thank You,

David Hill

Owner/ President

Texas Best Flooring Company, Inc. 

Eco-freindly Flooring

If you need to replace your carpets or floors, choose materials that are safe for your health and the planet.

EPA studies have shown that indoor pollutant levels can be two to five times higher than they are outside. To find the source of many of these pollutants, just glance down. Installation of new carpet and flooring can fill the air with hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including known and suspected carcinogens like formaldehyde and benzene. It can take years for these substances to dissipate. In addition, carpets are often treated with toxic chemicals for mothproofing or to repel soil and moisture. Carpeting is also notorious for trapping toxic lawn chemicals, VOCs, and allergens tracked in from outside.

There are several sustainable flooring options that can...

Read more:

Eco-Friendly Flooring

TOPCU Tile and Stone at California's Best Flooring Company!

http://woodflooringonline.blogspot.com/2012/04/topcu-tile-and-stone-at-californias.html

Hardwood Flooring, Tile, Laminate Floors

California’s Best Flooring Company

415.742.0723

Call For Free Samples & In-Home Estimate of All Types Of Flooring Products

 We carry thousands of products! We carry and all major flooring brands! California’s Best Flooring Company is a state wide flooring company who is proud to offer its flooring services to all the wonderful homeowners and businesses of The Golden State.

            We provide all types of flooring materials, flooring design expertise, and turnkey flooring installations in California. Customers can either shop directly on our sister website until our new site is up and running:

http://texasbestflooringcompany.com

We specialize in wood flooring, solid wood floors, engineered wood flooring, laminate flooring, carpeting, cork flooring, tile flooring, granite countertops, bamboo floors, rubber flooring, natural stone, glue down vinyl plank flooring, and many other types of flooring.   

Many home owners have been remodeling their homes lately, and wood flooring and carpeting seem to be the two biggest factors they are considering as a home improvement. Homeowners should not install seconds or some lesser quality flooring products in home. Due to increasing home values, residents should make sure they only select  #1 grade flooring material and carpeting for quality and long product life.   With California’s Best Flooring Company, homeowners get the best flooring at the best possible price! 

We specialize in taking care of flooring for all of California, and know our customers’ needs inside and out.  Please call or email today and potentially save yourself thousands of dollars from locally-owned, fully independent franchise of the Best Flooring Network.

California's Best Flooring Company's New Address!

Good day, all!

California's Best Flooring Company is pleased to announce the opening of their new office space on San Francisco's historic Embarcadero waterfront:

Todd Stimpson
California's Best Flooring Company
201 Spear Street, Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA  94105
415.742.0723 office
415.830.2758 mobile

Call today for the lowest prices on Bausen, Max Windsor, Eleganza, Topcu, and many other great manufacturers! 415.742.0723, or www.texasbestflooringcompany.com until our new website goes live.

Getting a Flooring Estimate Without Getting Ripped Off

How to Get A Proper Flooring Estimate and Discount Without Getting Ripped Off

Whenever we do a home improvement, we first find a contractor or company who is going to do the work and ask them to give us a written estimate for the total cost of the work to be done.  Most contractors will first present the customer with a lump sum price.  Do not accept this and do not ask for a discount on a lump sum price. Each estimate is comprised of three or four items; the costs of labor, the cost of materials, taxes, and the costs of the overhead and profit of the contractor.  When you ask for a discount on a lump sum price one cannot be sure where the discount is coming from.  As a home owner you don't want the discount to come from the quality of the materials. Secondly you don't want the contractor to discount the labor by hiring less than perfect craftsmen.  You want the discount to come from the contractor's profit margin. A fair profit for the skill and service of a contractor is 15-20% on each job or project.  However, I am seeing many companies making a killing off uneducated consumers on an average of 35-60% with terrible craftsmanship or materials.

Your First 5-10% Discount

The best way to avoid this is as follows:  first, ask the contractor to break the estimate down into its 3 or 4 parts.  (labor, materials, Taxes and OP: Overhead and Profit).  Remember some contractors will apply a small profit margin on the material and a larger margin on labor. In a written contract specify that the contractor use only craftsmen that have a minimum of 5 years hands on experience in doing your particular desired task and make sure that if the job is subcontracted out by the company you’re paying that they warranty the work of the subcontractor they are using.  For example, Home Depot hires out all of its contracted work yet warranties the work itself.  You don’t want to come into a situation when someone says, “Oh that’s an improper installation issue. I just sell the materials and you’ll have to go find the installers yourself”.

Get a labor square foot, per-unit installation price if applicable. Locking this in prevents the contractor from charging more later on in a project should you decide you want to do more work.  Then ask the contractor to break down the exact materials to be used by name, brand, and specifications for the job and offer to go to the supplier and pay for the materials yourself.  All contractors mark up materials. If you pay for the materials and pay the supplier to deliver the materials, you avoid the mark up and you make sure you are getting the right quality materials for the job (i.e. nothing gets switched out en route to your house).  Plus, you maintain control of your money and this avoids the “Half-down up-front, never see you again situation”.

It also helps you from being over charged. For example: The contractor says you need 1,000 square feet of wood flooring and you buy 1,000 square feet from the supplier. You have it delivered and you know how many boxes equal 1,000 SF since you have the invoice. When the job is finished and you have too many left over boxes then you were mislead as to the square footage of the project.  If you have the labor rate separated in your contract at a per square foot price then you can say, “Hey I have 200 square feet left over of material and you charged me $2.50 a square foot for labor to install it I am subtracting 200 x $2.50 = $500.00 off the final balance of the job.  I always write on my contracts exactly how many boxes are going to come to the house.  Watch the installers toward the end of the job; They will start moving extra material to their trucks to avoid you from seeing this overcharge as well since they get a paid cut for this extra ghost square footage as well.  Remember all material is yours if it comes to your home! Count all the boxes. If the contractor gives you any problems about not paying once he or she is caught, then just remember this phrase, “Theft of Services”.  If you pay a contractor for work that they do not perform then you can file a complaint with the local district attorney’s office for theft of services.  Don’t be afraid to use this term if the contractor tries to collect on work they didn’t do or add square footage that never existed.

Note: The best way to find a supplier is to contact a products manufacturer.  They will then give you a list of certified distributors/suppliers of their product.  All contracts then go to these distributors to get the material they use in your home.  Some suppliers will not accept payment from the public but many will.  It’s worth the try of at least a phone call to see how much they charge. It is safe to say the contractor will always mark materials up 10-30%.  So if you have to use a contractor to procure the materials no matter what get a 5% discount here.

Your Next 5-10% Discount

Now that you have specified and control the materials to be used for the job, the next discount will come from the labor line-item.  Most labor is marked up 15-25%. Wow, I know right? Ask for a 20% discount on this line items total.  Settle for 5-10%.  Never settle for no discount as the meat of all profit for the contractor or sales rep commission is hidden here.

Your Next 5% Discount

Part three of the estimate should be a tax line item.  Taxes should only be calculated on the material costs only.  The reason contractors give you a lump sum bid is so they can tax the whole project.  It is illegal to tax a home owner for labor.  There is no sales tax on labor!!!! Contractors and retailers don’t pay taxes on labor in a contract to the state or government and neither should you. By making the contractor or salesman separate taxes you will get a discount.  Salesmen and contractors tax the whole project and keep the added tax they charge you on labor as straight profit.  Or they give you a discount of, say, 5% to get you to sign the contract.  What they don’t tell you is they over charged you tax in the first place.  So you will get an average of 5% discount in taxes if you make the contractor break out the bid and only tax the materials per law.  Some flooring “empires” will not break out their bid since this exposes this trick they use in over charging their customers. Also note: when you pay for the materials you know what the taxes are and you control this number. If you buy the materials, taxes are no longer a factor for the contractor to charge you.

Overhead should be 5-10% of the overall total labor price. Not the materials! As you went through the trouble of handling the payment and delivery of the materials this is no longer a factor for the contractor’s profit or overhead factors.  Anything higher than 5-10% is a red flag the company is not efficient and you should avoid that company. Companies that say they need anything above 10% for overhead will not be in business long which means how are you going to get a warranty a year from now? Tell this to the salesman and see what excuses they make up not to mention the look on their face when they don’t have an answer as they just got caught over charging you.

Breaking Out The Bid In Its Basic Elements:

Labor/Installation: $2.50 a Square Foot x 1,000 SF = $ 2,500.00

Materials: 1,000 SF x 5% waste add 50 SF =1,050 x $2.99 per SF= $3,139.50

Tax: Materials: $3,139.50 x .085%= $266.86

O&P: Usually buried partly in the materials and mainly in the Labor section already so be wary of this line item.

Total Cost of Project: $5,906.36.

If the contractor does not want to give you a breakdown as described above walk away! When contractors file their taxes the state and federal government asks for this breakdown and they can't say no, so why shouldn't you get this same information? It is your home and you're the boss since you are paying.

If you get a break down of the actual square footage of a room, as in a flooring bid, the labor price should be x times the exact room square footage amount.  Most salesmen in a lump sum bid will add a 5-to 10% waste factor to a bid and thus mark up the labor as well.  There is no waste factor in labor for a room size.  A room size is what it is. It is a fixed number.  The only waste factor is in the materials that are used not labor and if your room is a perfect square the waste factor for the materials should only be room size, times 5%, times the price per square foot of the material.

When you don't get a bid that is broken out then you set yourself up for overpaying for a job from the start.  When you ask for a discount from a bid that's a lump sum price beware the discount may be tax that you shouldn't have paid anyways, a discount from added labor that was above and beyond the actual square footage anyways, or even if you get a discount you may then have the quality of the material or craftsman's switched out on you.  This is your project take time to control the different aspects of it.  This will also help to avoid cost over runs and weed out any contractors that are rip offs as unprofessional contractors want to only deal with people they can get easy money from. Professional contractors are used to abiding by these terms and conditions and will not shy away from your requests for a break down as they have nothing to hide and plan on staying in business.