It’s often the case that when we are refurbishing a home or apartment, the first thing we think of is the final appearance. We focus on the arrangement, we choose the dominant style, the colour matching, patterns, aesthetics etc.
We examine our furniture, attempting to visualise whether it will fit the industrial or modern style. For the main theme, we choose complementary cabinets, shelves, paint colours, but also interior doors.
Considering the functionality always comes last. For some reason humans are visually stimulated beings, therefore we value appearance over function.
Functionality of vital home elements is paramount
We shouldn’t forget that some of these finishing elements have their own hidden properties that should be considered at all cost. Your kitchen worktops for example: you wouldn’t pick wooden or laminate worktops over natural stone like granite or quartz worktops, because you’d be expected to replace them immediately. Stone worktops are proven to last a lifetime, after all.
Your dining table and the chairs also need to be composed of solid, reliable material. The chairs need to be comfortable and sturdy – you don’t want to invest in a rusty metal structure or a flimsy wood that easily breaks when pressure is applied.
Kitchen cabinets are one decorative element which can be purchased simply on aesthetic level. The same goes for wall paint or lamp shades. We hope you get the gist . . .
What material should clad the kitchen floor?
The functionality of the flooring material across most of your house is vital. In the kitchen especially, you want to select a floor material that is not only has anti-slip properties, but one that is also waterproof.
After all – the kitchen constantly gets splashed, food particles, chopped veg or fruit, not to mention breadcrumbs fall to the ground. It needs to be a sleek surface to make the cleaning process simple and quick. A kitchen floor surface should not be composed of rugs, fabrics or textile materials like carpets. Ensure you opt for ceramic tiles, wooden floor panels or a stone surface that you could get from offcuts.
What to use for living room flooring & bedroom?
Other rooms, like the living room are usually communal areas, where we gather with friends and family to laugh, eat, drink or simply watch TV. This is an interior where soundproofing properties are crucial. Maybe a soft carpet that is lined with plenty padding? Or thick wooden panels that are also shock and impact absorbent. This is particularly important in the bedroom, especially if your children love causing a ruckus!
Getting a professional flooring service in the UK
Whichever material you end up selecting for your floor cladding, all of it will require professional assembly. Some materials, like wooden panels can be put together by yourself. But even though the task may seem easy and simple, this article suggests wooden floors should be put together by specialists, nonetheless.
The warranty, longevity of the assembly and the knowledge of quality materials alone is worth the spending on the service. You don’t want to kick yourself in the foot in future, observing as the panels come undone or break apart at the seams.
Of course, if you’ve laid wooden flooring before, and it worked well and the integrity lasted over the years with no issue, please don’t pay attention to the paragraph above.
Selecting the right flooring UK company to complete the job
For a job like flooring, contacting professionals specialist firms that only deal in this particular trade is a good idea, as we already established. A simple Google search with precise keywords e.g. wood flooring service UK or tiling UK service will likely do the job.
However, if you find your match, ensure you browse via their reviews, especially on Google, as these are difficult to fake. Google is very good at removing the false, bot generated or non-genuine reviews that may blemish or disguise the true face of the company.
Visiting their website is also a great shout. Learning more about the company, services and checking whether they are an active and informative business is optimal, to say the least. If they own a gallery, which showcases past and present projects, it’s bonus points!
How to save on costs?
Involving a professional company that only deals in the flooring trade could mean the whole process could be quite expensive. After all, these businesses usually pride themselves on years of experience and therefore value their service highly.
If you wish to save up on costs, it’s best to contact an independent handyman that could complete your UK flooring service. There are at least 200+ independent, family based companies in Manchester alone that deal with decorating, finishing or refurbishing services. They are usually composed of two or three employees, who carry out the entire job in little to no time. They can even source all the materials for you prior to executing the floor laying project – often times they will search for cheap solutions e.g. granite offcuts.
Consulting the right people regarding UK flooring services
The minute you find an adequate business that could either tile or lay your wooden or stone panels, you need to get a quote. They will either visit you first or ask you to send them pictures to evaluate the extent of the job. The price plan should be neatly distributed i.e. price of the labour, VAT, materials (if applicable), displayed on the quote in a transparent format.
Once you are happy with the price, you should be able to ask for advice, if you need it. A good company will happily provide you invaluable advice and an interior design perspective. All time and efficiency details should also be shared. You don’t want to sign up for a job on an hourly basis to then find out the workers are slacking to stack up the hours.
We highly recommend that you get a final quote, with the whole labour, installation and delivery costs right away. That way you’ll know well that you’re not getting scammed and that the service is trustworthy.
