Laminate Lessons: Finding Great Value Underfoot
Homeowners seeking an affordable way to significantly increase the value of their homes need only glance down - beneath their feet. Floors are among the largest surfaces in a home and have a dramatic impact on the look and feel of each room. Offering ultra-realistic designs and textures, unsurpassed durability and attractive pricing compared with more traditional flooring options, like solid wood and stone tiles, laminate flooring is gaining even more popularity among savvy shoppers seeking maximum value and return on investment.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 3, 2009 -- Homeowners seeking an affordable way to significantly increase the value of their homes need only glance down - beneath their feet. Floors are among the largest surfaces in a home and have a dramatic impact on the look and feel of each room. Offering ultra-realistic designs and textures, unsurpassed durability and attractive pricing compared with more traditional flooring options, like solid wood and stone tiles, laminate flooring is gaining even more popularity among savvy shoppers seeking maximum value and return on investment.
Pergo Casual Living in Berkshire Cherry
"Laminate flooring is one of the best, easiest and most affordable ways to update and upgrade a home," says home improvement expert Ron Hazelton, host of "Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls." It can be installed directly over nearly any existing floor and is very DIY-friendly - requiring no glue, nails or staples to install. Maintenance also is a snap as laminate flooring requires no refinishing and can easily be cleaned with just a damp mop. "But," cautions Hazelton, "it's extremely important to know what to look for when shopping because not all laminates are created equal."
Hazelton offers the following "lessons" for finding the best value in laminate floors:
Lesson #1 - Value is More Important than a Low Price
"When it comes to laminate flooring, a lower price typically means fewer features and cheaper materials," warns Hazelton. "To get the most for your home improvement dollars, consider the 'lifetime value' of the product, which includes everything from product quality and features to the extent of the manufacturer's warranty coverage, the store's return policy, installation assistance and access to ongoing customer service if needed. In most cases, investing a little more upfront can pay off significantly down the road." Hazelton also advises shoppers to be careful of flooring offers that seem too good to be true. Often these offers apply to closeout or excess product, and product manufactured from off-shore resources. If support is needed, or if there are problems a few years after installation, it may be difficult to identify the manufacturer of such products - making it nearly impossible to leverage warranty protection.
Lesson #2 - Know What You Are Buying
While all laminate flooring brands promise the same basic benefits of durability and installation ease, there are vast differences in quality and features among the many offerings in today's home improvement marketplace. The laminate products carried by discount flooring stores, for instance, tend to be featureless imports made with cheaper materials to keep costs down. While shoppers may find attractive prices, they often end up sacrificing product quality and service in the long-run. In fact, a recent nationwide study* revealed that six in 10 Americans regret having purchased home improvement products based on price alone.
For the best overall value, Hazelton advises shoppers to go with established brands known for quality and innovation. "Pergo, for example, invented laminate flooring in the 1980's and has been leading the industry for more than 30 years," Hazelton explains. The company manufactures almost all products sold in the U.S. at its plants in North America. It also offers several brand-exclusive product enhancements, including ScratchGard Advanced™ for greater scratch protection, SecureLock™ fold-down joints for faster, easier installation and multi-layered embossed in-register texturing for ultra-realistic designs that look and feel remarkably like real wood.
Lesson #3 - Think Beyond the Boards
Purchasing flooring from a reputable brand is important - but where it's purchased also can make a big difference. Choose a retailer that offers a wide selection of décors, products and prices so that you have options and can find exactly what you want. And, if you're not planning to install the floor yourself, make sure you deal with a store that provides the installation services of a professional contractor and will stay involved with you throughout the installation process - guaranteeing the quality of the work that is performed.
"Your best bet for home improvement products is a national home center, like Lowe's," says Hazelton. "They offer a wide range of laminate flooring options, including Pergo, with prices ranging from $0.99-$3.99 a square foot. Lowe's also offers professional installation services, hassle-free returns, and you know they are going to be around for years to come in case you need service or want to order more product."
For more laminate flooring information and tips visit http://na.pergo.com/pergoadvantages.
| | - The Discount Retailer vs. Home Center Study was conducted by Chicago-based LCWA Research. Results are based on the responses of 1,000 adults in the United States who participated in a national telephone survey between August 7 and August 10, 2009. Findings are accurate to +/-3 percent points with a 95 percent confidence level and can be generalized to the entire U.S. adult population.
|
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/SW5zZS1GYWx1LVNpbmctU2luZy1FbXB0LVBpZ2ctWmVybw==
|
