Getting a New Floor: How to Prepare for a Design Consultation

Getting a new floor installed in your home requires a few preliminary steps. After you find a design consultant, begin the necessary preparations that will help the consultant examine the floor you have and find your new flooring materials. It’s vital to the entire re- flooring process.

Thoroughly Clean the Floor to Be Replaced

The floor you want removed should be thoroughly cleaned. If it’s wood, clean it with a wood cleaner and wipe it down well to prevent water spots from forming prior to inspection. If it’s carpet, rent a commercial carpet cleaner or pay for a professional carpet cleaning. If it’s tile, be sure to get the mold and mildew scrubbed off the tiles and the grout around the tiles.

The design consultant needs to see the floor and why you want to replace it. If it’s dirty or covered in household items, the consultant can’t evaluate the floor effectively.

Remove Anything That Blocks the View of the Floor

Kids’ toys, furniture, etc., may hide areas of the floor that the design consultant wants to see. Pick up all loose objects and move them to another room. If there is furniture in the room, move it away from the walls so that the design consultant can see what the floor looks like closest to the baseboards. If you can, and when possible, remove the furniture to another room. (In a living room this is unlikely, but in a dining room or kitchen you could move the chairs out.)

Lightly Mark Problem Areas With Chalk

Take a piece of chalk and mark areas of the floor that are problematic or unsightly. You don’t need to do this for carpet, but you can do it for tile, vinyl, wood, etc. These are areas you want the consultant to look at closely and provide a solution along with the new design for your new floor.