Starting From Scratch or Starting Over? Your Guide to New Floors

Are you installing new floors in a new custom home or replacing floors in an existing house? Each of these projects has its own unique challenges and benefits, and the route you take will differ depending on a handful of considerations. For instance, are you building a new home from scratch, flipping an older property or just upgrading a particular space? Regardless of the scenario, we’ll walk you through some of the elements to consider on your flooring journey.

New Home vs. Replacement Floors

Installing new floors from scratch allows you to plan in conjunction with other factors in your home design. Whether it’s layout, room flow, room functionality, color coordination or room traffic, you’ll need to really plan through how your floors will complement your vision for the space. The sky’s the limit, but sometimes having more options can be overwhelming.

Replacing floors, however, is an exercise based on existing, often limited, parameters. You’ll need to examine what you have going on in terms of space, entryways, textures around your house, but also budget and functionality based on what you know already about your family and activity levels. While you may be limited in some ways, an upside here is that it can be more cost effective to replace a singular room with a certain type than cover the entire house in it. You have the ability to pick and choose which gaps you fill throughout the home.

As you embark on this project—whether new home or upgrades—here are the main questions to ask yourself:

How does your budget look? Can you afford to cover the entire house in hardwood floors or can you be strategic with your flow to save money?
Are you able to install this floor type yourself or will you be hiring a professional?
Have you considered your floor-decor combinations? Starting from scratch means planning but with an existing home, you’ll need to coordinate with existing furniture and colors.
How long will the material need to last and how frequently will you need to clean in order to maximize your floor’s value?
Will a more expensive floor type pay off when you sell your home? Can you install something more affordable to keep build or renovation costs down?
Which rooms are you installing new or first-time floors in? Does it get a lot of foot traffic? Are there concerns about moisture or humidity?
Do you need a spill and accident-resistant material? Does it need to be comfortable and easily maintained?

Making the Decision

Now that you’ve asked the right questions, let’s take a look at how they relate to the various floor types to determine which is right for your home. There are benefits and challenges with every type of floor, so you’ll need to consider your own unique situation as you make your decision.

Resistant, Affordable, Versatile

Recommendation: Laminate

Modern laminate has all the looks of real wood without the price tag. This material is easily cleanable and highly resistant to scrapes, punctures, and spills. With so many options for customization—made to look like stone, brick, or tile—laminate is a great, versatile option for new homes or floor upgrades.

Attractive, Resilient, High ROI

Recommendation: Hardwood

Hardwood is one of the most attractive flooring options on the market, coming in many different colors and styles. Although it can be more on the expensive side, hardwood has resale value due to its resilience. In addition to natural hardwood, engineered hardwood offers more protection against temperature and humidity changes. This can be a good option for upgrades to maximize resale value.

Durable, Low Maintenance, DIY

Recommendation: Luxury Vinyl

Luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile score high for durability and wide range of styles. Besides being one of the most affordable of choices, it’s toughness makes it perfect for high-traffic rooms, kitchens, and homes with kids and pets. Luxury vinyl plank and tile are also low maintenance, making them fantastic for those interested in DIY installation, whether you’re in the full-home design phase or need a partial refresh.

Protected, Natural, Insulated

Recommendation: Stone & Tile

Stone and tile offer the best of both worlds—aesthetic appeal and resilient protection. This natural material comes in many different types, shapes, and sizes, ranging from mosaic, glass and ceramic to travertine and porcelain tile, antique stone, sandstone, and many options in between. Stone is also a strong insulator, keeping heat and cold in when you need it most.

Comfortable, Wide Variety, Sound Dampening

Recommendation: Carpet

While hard surfaces are more popular these days, carpet is still a viable option for certain use-cases. Many homeowners love the comfortability and diversity of the colors that carpet offers. As a thicker, softer material, carpet is essential for dampening sound, which makes it ideal for second-floor rooms, hallways, and kids’ play areas. When it comes to making the choice for your new home or replacement area, it’s critical to select the material carefully, particularly regarding stain resistance.

Whether you’re building a new, custom home or upgrading your current floors, there’s a unique path you’ll need to follow. Every family, budget, activity level, style preference, and living situation is unique, but hopefully these considerations will help you get you started, no matter which journey you’re on.