Hardwood Flooring Cost

When building a house or renovating your home in Chicago area,  you will need to make a decision about your flooring. And the cost matter.

There are two primary choices – wood or carpet. Choosing between hardwood floors and carpeting can make a big difference for your Chicago home.

Here are some things you should consider.  

Hardwood floors cost more upon initial installation than carpeting does.

On average, hardwood costs $4 to $12 per square foot, while carpeting costs $3 to $5 per square foot. This higher initial cost can lead many people to choose to carpet instead because they are trying to lower their costs. However, in the long term, this often is the wrong choice. Surprisingly, over the decades that you own your house, hardwood can even end up being far cheaper.

Hardwood floor maintenance is much easier than maintaining carpeting. Carpeting requires more intensive cleaning, including vacuuming and regular shampooing. It also only tends to last for about ten years. Hardwood, on the other hand, only requires sweeping and mopping, and the floors can last for more than a century.

Additionally, the two different varieties of flooring can change the character of your home. Most houses built around the turn of the century had hardwood floors, so adding hardwood flooring to a new home can give it a sense of character. If you are a fan of Victorian or other older architectural styles, adding hardwood floor can make even new construction feel older. Carpeting, on the other hand, can just feel cheap.

Most people who are considering building or renovating a home also want to take into account the eventual resale value. Hardwood floors tend to stay good looking much longer than carpeting does, and add more character to a home. You can choose between different kinds of wood, to fit best with your architecture and personal style. Potential home buyers tend to be attracted to the character of hardwood floors rather than the intensive maintenance and eventual replacement cost of carpeting.

If you are trying to decide what kind of flooring to install in your home, then you need to consider multiple variables. The initial cost is certainly important because you might be concerned about staying within your original budget, but the long-term cost of carpeting can be much higher. Initially, you will want to consider the eventual resale value of your home, as well as the maintenance required. You’ll probably find that hardwood is almost always the right choice.