New Floor Installation: DIY vs. Hiring Professionals

If you’re in the process of upgrading your floors or putting in new ones from scratch, you’ll need to decide if you want to install them yourself or hire a professional contractor to do the job for you. There are a handful of variables that go into making this decision, and ultimately it comes down to your own DIY skillset, project timeline, and budget constraints.

Before you get started, here are a few questions to ask yourself to help determine the scope of the project and the other elements associated with floor installation.

• Which floor type are you installing?
• Which room is this in?
• Is it a high-traffic area?
• Will it complement your design style?
• Do you have children or pets?

Floor Installation 101

Now that you have a sense of the scope of your project, you need to decide if you can do this yourself or if you need to hire someone. Here are the essential steps that go into the floor installation process. Use this to gauge if this project is doable from a DIY perspective or not. If these prove to be out of your skillset, you may want to consider hiring someone. If you feel confident in handling these tasks by yourself or with a little help from friends, you might be able to begin your DIY journey.

• Measurement (of space + calculating amount of flooring needed)
• Removal of existing flooring
• Trimming down planks or tiles to size
• Putting in underlayment or padding (if needed)
• Installing spacers for expansion
• Stapling planks or boards
• Shaving down and fitting for new rows
• Tapping and aligning planks
• Adjusting flooring (ensuring no gaps)
• Applying final rows (cutting if needed)
• Sealing the perimeter
• Installing the baseboard (hide gaps and seal flooring)

There are some pretty significant pros and cons for each type of installation process. Let’s walk through these benefits and challenges involved with both the DIY and hiring a professional for the job.

DIY (Pros and Cons)

If you’re going to install floors yourself, it’s important to note that you’ll need to do a fair amount of detailed research and planning before you jump in. Although it can seem appealing to save money and do a project on your own time, you should be thorough in your assessment prior to starting the project. Depending on the existing structural integrity, materials, age and condition of your home, you may need to consider a complete overhaul of the flooring and subflooring, as opposed to a simple replacement.

• Pros:
  • Affordability (your only hard cost is materials)
  • Independent timeline (work at your own pace)
  • Supplement with professional help, if needed

• Cons:
  • Lack of efficiency (learning as you go)
  • Amateur mistakes can lead to bigger issues
  • Removal and disposal of existing flooring (transportation, cleaning, etc.)
  • Access to and operation of speciality tools and equipment (buy/rent and learn how to use)

Hiring a Professional (Pros and Cons)

The main benefit of hiring a professional is the quality and craftsmanship associated with allowing an expert to do their job. On the other hand, the major downside is the contractor’s cost. You’ll want to properly vet any potential vendors, with particular reference to things like insurance, attention to detail and timelines.

• Pros:
  • Structured project timeline
  • Experience and recommendations (brands, floor types, interior design)
  • Low/no effort level (you can focus on work, family, friends, hobbies)
  • Removal and disposal of existing flooring (transportation, cleaning, etc.)
  • Provides and operates their own speciality tools and equipment
  • Examine subflooring (water damage, mold, etc.) prior to work

• Cons:
  • Cost (installation + materials)
  • Access to contractors (schedule conflicts)
  • Processes and procedures (sales cycle, project managers, contracts)

As you can see, there are definitely pros and cons of installing a floor yourself and hiring professionals. There’s no right or wrong answer here, but the most important thing is ensuring a high-quality end product.

Whether you do it completely on your own, hire help or do a combination of both, you’ll want to make sure that the installation is solid, protected, functional, and looks great from a design standpoint. Consult your local experts, get quotes from suppliers, do your research — in the end, you’ll need to consider your life situation, skillset and comfort level.