3 Ways to Upgrade Your Flooring for Under $2,000

No part of your home experiences more wear-and-tear than the floor beneath your feet—it catches all the spills, endures jumping and dancing and playful running as your kids (and sometimes you) let off steam, and supports quiet tiptoes around bedtime.

The bedroom carpet, the kitchen linoleum, the hardwood hallway — they’re easy to take for granted. But the floor is a highly visible part of your home, and when it’s upgraded, the energy of the whole room shifts. Below, the home improvement professionals at HomeAdvisor suggest three ways to transform your floors without having the financial rug pulled out from under you.

Refinish Hardwood Floors

If you’re lucky enough to have classic wood floors in your home, there’s great value in showing them off. Homeowners often cover up with carpet to protect their floors, but there are ways to display that elegant hardwood and protect and enhance your investment — that’s where refinishing comes in.

The two main processes that shield and revive hardwood flooring are recoating and refinishing. If your floors aren’t scuffed or damaged (or if you like the character and history of worn wood), a simple recoating may be the way to go. With a recoating, a protective layer is added to the existing finish, but if you need to sand down the current finish because of stains or other imperfections, you’ll go the refinishing route. That means getting down to the original bare wood before the protective layer is added.

While the idea of spending money on fixing up old floors may not immediately appeal, remember that the striking look of classic hardwood adds an unlikely balance of sophistication and warmth to a home — there’s a reason people love “original details.” According to HomeAdvisor’s national data, the average cost to refinish hardwood floors is $1570, though it may be more or less depending on which process your floors need, whether your wood is the exotic sort, and what type of space is involved — stairs are always extra. And remember: Area rugs are a charming additional touch, and they’re easy to switch out if you want to change the color palette of a room. All the while, your wood floors ground everything with a stately presence.

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Install New Carpeting

From lux wool weaves to neutral nylon fibers, your carpet says a lot about your home — and bad carpet can date your house faster than you can say “green shag in the basement” (though it is the perfect decoration for a ’70s dance party). If you’re staring at a floor that needs an update, know this: Nothing refreshes a room quite like replacing old carpet — and its various spots, spills, and tufted worn-and-torn areas — with a brand new covering. Going from basic to bright, or transforming a dark-carpeted room with a light-colored lift, can change the feel of your space instantly and thoroughly.

Because of specific tools that are necessary for a finished look, professional installation of a new carpet is highly recommended. The national data from HomeAdvisor indicates that the average cost of installing new carpet, including materials and labor, is $1502, and the aspect that most influences this cost is the price of the carpet itself. In other words, if you want to save you may have to give up your dream of a top-of-the-line handwoven brand at up to eleven times what you’ll pay for a basic — and perfectly lovely — olefin or polyester option. Another bonus of the more affordable carpets (which are just as durable in most cases): You won’t freak out when your kid tracks mud into the house or your college friend sloshes red wine out of his glass during a raucous dinner party.

If you’re happy with your current carpets, but they could use a deep clean — which is recommended at least annually to erase dirt buildup and any lingering blame aimed at clumsy guests — it shouldn’t run you nearly as much as new carpeting. HomeAdvisor’s national data puts the average cost of carpet cleaning at $174, well worth it for completely refreshed floors.

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Try Tile

It’s easy to ignore spaces like bathrooms, entryways, and laundry rooms, but with a little attention these smaller areas can be distinct, uplifting elements in your home. Even with limited square footage, the floors are a place where your taste can shine. Imagine an entry with a bright, shining surface that cheers you the moment your feet hit the tiles. Picture stepping into a laundry room with gray stone tile that not only hides dirt, but also makes the space feel like an elegant workroom.

Choosing a graceful, durable tile doesn’t have to break the bank, especially considering that it’s not uncommon for tiled floors to hold their own for up to 20 years. According to HomeAdvisor’s national data, the average cost of installing ceramic or porcelain tile is $1643 (natural stone tile is slightly pricier at an average cost of $1825.) When choosing your tile, you’ll want to consider how much the room is used; experts recommend a higher hardness rating, found in porcelain and some natural stone tiles, for high-traffic areas like the kitchen. And remember that natural stone, while it can bring stunning natural beauty to a space, may be slippery in a wet area and some types require more maintenance (additional spot-stain cleaning and sealing) than porcelain or ceramic tile. A qualified professional can help you pick the perfect tile while also considering other variables, such as the type of flooring foundation under the tiles, the shape of the room, and the careful design of tile placement—all.

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Conclusion

Ready to look underfoot and upgrade one of the most popular parts of your home? Find an expert to do the job well. HomeAdvisor connects you to dozens of reviewed, vetted, and qualified professionals in your area…just enter some simple information about your project to receive up to three quotes from available pros who can transform your floors from support players to home MVPs.

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