If your home is in need of new flooring, but you don't currently have enough funds to pay for the project upfront, you might think you're out of luck. Fortunately, flooring financing makes it easy for almost anyone to get a floor they'll love without paying for it all at once.
The description of a house as being "four walls and a roof" might technically be accurate, but if one more item were added to that description, it'd likely be a floor.
We often take floors for granted, yet we walk on them from the moment we step foot inside our homes. Flooring spans from room to room — upstairs and down — and generally covers every square inch of a home's foundation. For this reason, flooring also tends to be quite expensive.
What Is Flooring Financing?
Flooring financing is a financial arrangement in which a homeowner has a new floor installed but pays for it over the course of several months — or even years — rather than paying for it when the job is done. This type of arrangement makes a lot of sense for many homeowners, and numerous flooring finance companies exist to help such buyers.
Do flooring companies offer financing?
Some flooring retailers and companies may offer financing. It's a good idea for flooring companies to offer financing as it makes their products more affordable and can encourage customers to spend more money. Some retailers may partner with lenders that can offer promotional 0% financing. However, you'll most likely need good credit to qualify. If you use financing offered by a flooring company you should review the terms carefully. It may be a good idea not to mention that you need financing until you have negotiated the price of the products. If there are any finance fees the retailer may try to pass them along to you by selling products at a higher price. If you use a personal loan for flooring financing you will be considered a cash buyer and you may have more negotiating power.
What time of year does flooring go on sale?
The best time of year to buy flooring is different than many other home products. For example, if you are buying appliances the best time of year is usually on holiday weekends. However, with flooring the best time of year to purchase is usually around the New Year. Demand is usually lower around this time which means prices are lower too. If you can't make the New Year work for flooring shopping, you may be able to find good deals mid to late May. Some retailers may get new products in around this time, thus encouraging them to get rid of old products. Sales may be slow around this time of year as well with many people focused on the upcoming Memorial Day holiday and graduation season.
What is the best month to buy flooring?
When it comes to getting a good deal, timing really is everything. If you are looking for the best deal on flooring, you should consider purchasing in January. Historically, prices go down in January for carpeting and flooring. As we mentioned earlier, mid to late May may also be a good month to purchase flooring. Keep in mind that the cheapest flooring is not always the best flooring. It's important to shop for value – high quality flooring at a discounted price. Similar to most things, there can be a big variance in the quality of flooring based on price.
What is the cheapest flooring option?
One of the cheapest and most affordable flooring options is vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring can be installed anywhere in your home and is known for being durable and waterproof. In addition, it's very easy to maintain and can last as long as 25 years. If you want vinyl flooring to last you will want to make sure that it is properly installed. Vinyl comes in a variety of colors and styles and can mimic the look of various types of flooring. On average homeowners spend about $2 ro $12 per square foot for vinyl flooring and installation. You may even be able to watch some YouTube videos and install vinyl flooring on your own. If you are able to install vinyl flooring DIY style you can save about $1 to $2 per square foot. Vinyl flooring is recommended for kitchens, bathrooms, basem*nts, family rooms, and laundry rooms. If you are looking to mimic the style of hardwood or stone for a more affordable price, you may want to consider laminate flooring. Laminate flooring is comparable to vinyl in terms of cost but may not be as durable. Homeowners should avoid installing laminate flooring in areas that are prone to water such as the kitchen and bathroom.
What flooring is in style in 2021?
Vinyl flooring is extremely popular for 2021. In addition, experts are confident that vinyl will be in style for quite some time. Vinyl is stylish, durable, and affordable. In addition, it's offered in an overwhelming amount of styles and colors. In addition to vinyl flooring, tile, laminate, carpet, and engineered hardwood are also trending. Taking it one step further some trending colors are gray, blonde, white, cool tones, high variation, and black and white. Distressed, hand scraped, and wire brushed vinyl styles are predicted to be very popular for 2021. Stone-look vinyl tiles mimin the look of expensive stone and are very popular in 2021. When it comes to choosing flooring, you may be tempted to pick popular styles, patterns, and colors. If you are planning to sell it may be a good idea to pick timeless styles that are loved by many. However, if you are remodeling a space that you will live in a while, pick the flooring that you enjoy the most and fits in your budget.
Is it OK to have different flooring in different rooms?
There are no rules when it comes to picking flooring for your home. If you want different flooring in different rooms, go for it. If you want the same flooring in the whole house, go for it. However, most experts say there is no need to change flooring from room to room. When decorating your home you should try to create consistency and flow. With that being said, it may be best to keep flooring consistent. If you want to break up spaces you may want to consider one type of flooring for all the bedrooms, one type of flooring for hallways, and one type of flooring for the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms. If you are having a hard time imagining what your home would look like with different flooring you should be able to use online design programs to project a visual image of what your home could look like.
How do people afford new flooring?
Affording new flooring is easy when you use flooring financing. Whether you have good credit or bad credit you can qualify for a personal loan for flooring financing. Other ways people afford new flooring can include good old fashioned savings, credit cards, or home equity loans or lines of credit. Compared to personal loans credit cards usually have high interest rates and lower spending limits. While home equity loans usually have low interest risk, they are harder to secure and require collateral. Some flooring retailers may offer financing options as well.
Do You Need Good Credit to Finance New Floors?
If you're considering financing a new floor, you might be wondering how your credit history factors into the arrangement and if you need to need to have good credit in order to get approved. In most cases, your credit record — and specifically your credit score — will play a role in determining whether or not you're approved for financing. And if your credit score is less than stellar, yet you are still approved for flooring financing, bad credit could translate into higher interest rates and shorter repayment periods.
How Much Does It Cost to Install 1,000 Square Feet of Hardwood Floors?
The cost of hardwood flooring for your home can vary dramatically based on several factors, namely the type of wood you choose and the cost of living in your community. For instance, flooring made from cherry, walnut, or maple wood is typically more expensive than flooring made from oak or ash wood. And if you happen to live somewhere such as San Francisco, New York, or Washington, D.C., you can expect to pay significantly more for 1,000 square feet of hardwood flooring than you would pay in rural Indiana.
According to popular hardwood flooring cost calculators, the average cost to install 1,000 square feet of oak or ash wood flooring starts around $5,500 but could be as pricey as $15,000 based on where you live. And 1,000 square feet of the more expensive woods (i.e., cherry, walnut, and maple), can cost anywhere from $8,500 to $20,000 at the end of the day.
How Much Does It Cost per Square Foot to Install Hardwood Flooring?
Based on the above figures, the cost of hardwood flooring per square foot can range from $5 to $15 for oak or ash wood, and from $8 to $20 for cherry, walnut, or maple flooring. And although pricing remains relatively fixed throughout the year, the best time to buy hardwood floors is usually in the fall, when weather conditions in North America are more favorable for installation.
Which flooring option cost the most?
Marble natural stone flooring is among one of the most expensive luxury flooring options. Hard or solid wood floor is up there with marble in terms of price. However, hardwood flooring is more likely to have a better ROI. Stone flooring creates elegant vibes in a home. When we think of stone flooring most of us imagine a grand entryway, a fancy hotel, or a castle of some sort. One of the reasons stone is so pricey is because it's extremely heavy and expensive to transport. In addition, quarrying for the stone is an expensive business. In some cases, they may need to quarry below ground which can be even more expensive. To top it all off, stone is pricey to install and usually requires the most labor hours. If you like the look of stone but it's out of your budget, you could use porcelain tile. Porcelain tile is available in a variety of colors, sizes, and designs and can be made to look similar to natural stone flooring. An alternative for hardwood flooring are laminate flooring. You can find high quality laminate flooring that is much more affordable than real hardwood floors. In addition, laminate flooring is extremely durable.
How Do You Calculate How Much Hardwood Flooring Is Needed?
In order to find out roughly how much hardwood flooring you'll need, all that's required is a tape measure and perhaps a calculator. Start by measuring the length of a room, then multiply that number by the room's width. Repeat for each room and add the totals up to get an estimate of the amount of flooring you'll need.
What Is the Lowest-Cost Material for a New Floor?
If hardwood flooring is too rich for your blood, you'll be happy to hear that there are numerous less-expensive options including laminate flooring, ceramic tiles, cork, and carpet. Perhaps the lowest-cost alternative, though, is sheet vinyl flooring, which can be as cheap as $0.50 per square foot.
What Is the Priciest Material for a New Floor?
If money is not an object and you only want the best material on the market, stone flooring is generally considered as good as it gets. Stone offers several advantages over other types of flooring, but it can also be near-impossible to repair a chip or crack should one occur.
Does It Matter If I Get Wood or Carpet Flooring?
The decision of wood versus carpeted flooring comes down to your personal taste and what you like to feel beneath your feet. Many people prefer hardwood flooring for its timeless appearance and ease of maintenance, yet others opt for the soft, cushiony feel of carpeting. Regardless of which type of flooring you choose, financing options will likely be available to you.
Can you finance new flooring?
You can finance new flooring with a personal loan, if you choose to. If you have good to excellent credit, a bank or credit union should give you a personal loan with a competitive interest rate. You can then make monthly payments until you have paid the loan back. If you aren't offered a loan with good terms or have trouble getting a loan, there are some other ways you can pay for new flooring.
Cash: Paying in cash is always the best idea, if you have it. This way you don't have to worry about interest or making payments. Cash might be the best option for vinyl or linoleum. These materials don't cost as much to begin with. Therefore, it might not make sense to take a loan out for these flooring materials. It might also make more sense to pay with cash if you are only doing one room or small area of the home.
Home equity loan: If you choose not to pay cash or use a personal loan, a home equity loan could be another option. This will use the current value of your home to determine how risky you are as a borrower. The value of your home will also determine how much of a loan you are granted. You will need to have equity in your home to qualify for a home equity loan, hence to the name.
Refinancing the mortgage: If you can get a loan for at least 1% below your current mortgage, you might want to consider refinancing. This can save you money in the long run and may not be as expensive as taking out a personal loan.
Roll it into a new mortgage. If you are buying a new home that you anticipate needing new floors, you can add in the cost to the mortgage you are taking out. This can be a cost-effective way to be able to get new flooring in your new home.
How much does new flooring cost on average?
This depends on the kind of flooring you are putting in. Some materials, such as hardwood, are much more expensive than other kinds. Most flooring will cost anywhere between $1,500 and $4,500. The average price for a 500 square foot space is about $3,000.
The location of your home and the contractor you hire can also affect the cost. For wood flooring, you may be looking at a cost of about $6-$10 per square foot. For some materials and locations, the price can be as high as $22.
Laminate flooring should be about $1 per square foot and tile should be about $2 per square foot. High-end tile can be very expensive at about $100 per square foot or more. If you are looking to get high-end tile or wood, you will need to be willing to pay a premium price. Some homeowners choose to get fake wood or tile that looks like wood instead. This can save valuable money and if installed correctly, you won't even know the difference.
Also, consider the labor fees. You should also choose a contractor with extensive experience that can ensure the flooring is laid correctly and doesn't give you any issues in the future. Experienced contractors may cost more than ones who are novices. Always ask the contractor for an estimate before any work begins. Ask them to keep you updated with work, so you aren't surprised with any costs later on.
The labor for laminate hardwood should be about $1-$2 per square foot. Real hardwood should be about $3-$9 per square foot. Tile labor is the most expensive at about $6-$8 per square foot. Carpet installation should be similar to laminate costs. Carpet usually costs between $1 to $3 per square foot.
Underlayment is also a big part of the cost of new flooring. Make sure you factor this in before starting the flooring work. You may also have to pay for the removal and disposal of the existing floors. Check the following chart for an estimated cost of what new floors might cost you.
Laminate Hardwood – $850-$2,300
Real Hardwood – $3,000-$5,500
Tile – $3,500-$5,500
Carpet – $1,500-$4,000
This would be the estimated cost for 500 square feet.
Can you finance replacing old flooring?
You can finance replacing old flooring with a personal loan. A small personal loan with low interest can give you the money you need to get started installing new floors. At Acorn Finance, they can help you shop for lenders. At Acorn Finance you can check offers from top national lenders with no impact on your credit score. Homeowners should take advantage of the opportunity to compare several loan offers with minimal effort and no credit impact.
Can you finance hardwood floors?
Hardwood floors are the most expensive when it comes to new flooring options. They might require financing because of the high cost. The good news is that if you want to finance hardwood floors, many personal loans can be used to cover the costs. In addition personal loans can be used to cover any flooring project. At Acorn Finance you can check personal loan offers between $1,000 to $100,000. Personal loans may also be called home improvement loans.
Personal loans are best when they are unsecured and don't require collateral. The lowest interest you can get, the better. You should also get one with affordable payments that fit into your budget without causing added stress.
Is it cheaper to buy new floors or refinish flooring?
This depends on the flooring you have and the flooring you want to replace it with. It is almost always less expensive to refinish your hardwood floors. Replacing old floors is generally more expensive because you have to pay for ripping up the old floors and hauling away the materials.
The labor costs may also be more expensive because the workers may take longer to remove the old floors and put in the new ones. Even if you have some stains or other issues with the old floors, it will almost always cost more to replace them than to just refinish them.
There are some issues though that require you to get new flooring:
The floors have been refinished several times in the past. If the floors have already been refinished many times, it might be time for new floors. If the floors are bouncy and not sturdy, you may also need new floors.
You want to change the species of the wood. Getting a different kind of wood will require you to rip up the old floors and get new ones. If you want to just change the color though, you can stain the old floors a new color.
Change the width or direction of the wood. Size and direction can't be changed with staining or refinishing. Getting a new pattern will require new floors.
Less time and mess. If you don't have too much time or don't want your home to be in a big mess, changing the floors is likely the better option. Refinishing takes much longer and will leave your home in a mess for weeks.
Can you finance refinishing and painting flooring?
If you want to finance new floors, you might want to consider taking a personal loan. A personal loan will be given as a lump sum and give you the freedom to spend the money as you see fit. Most loan companies do not check what you are spending the personal loan on, so you can use it for refinishing or painting floors. Make sure the personal loan has low interest and affordable monthly payments.
Benefits of financing new flooring?
Financing new flooring has many benefits that will help you when it comes to changing your floors.
You don't have to use your savings. Some people feel more comfortable using a loan rather than their savings for new flooring. With financing, you don't have to upfront the money.
Pay it back monthly. A personal loan allows you to make monthly payments, so you don't have to spend too much money at one time.
More flexibility. You have the power to choose the loan you want, and which terms are best for you. Flexibility takes away stress.
No need to wait. Using a loan means you don't have to wait until you have the money.
What Is Needed to Secure New Flooring Financing?
If you're ready to secure new flooring financing, in most cases, you'll simply need to fill out an application. These applications generally ask for personally identifiable information such as your name, address, and social security number, but you should be prepared to answer questions about your finances and your home's dimensions.
How can I finance a floor with bad credit?
It costs an average of $1,584 to have new carpeting installed. This is more than a majority of Americans have in savings. With poor credit it may be harder to finance a floor, but it's not impossible.
One way to finance your floor is with a credit card. Interest rates can make credit cards a more expensive option to finance your floor than the other options available to you, but they are easy to use and chances are you already own one. If not, they can be obtained even if you have low credit. They might have a few up-front costs though. Cards that charge an annual fee will probably charge the fee as soon as the account opens, which decreases the amount of credit available to you.
Credit cards are a good option for floors that cost less money and that you can repay in a reasonable amount of time. But the cost of re-carpeting your whole home can be thousands of dollars, and that makes little sense to do on a credit card. Instead, a personal loan might be a better option for you. Personal loans are designed to be paid over time through monthly installments and have lower risk for the lender. Interest rates are also lower than that of credit cards.
What credit score do you need to finance flooring?
The credit score needed to financing flooring depends on the type of loan you use and the lender. If you are using a personal loan, you should have a credit score between 610 to 640. However, some lenders may be willing to loan you money with a FICO or Vantage score of 600. Most lenders have more requirements than just a credit score requirement. Other requirements may include debt-to-income ratio, delinquent accounts, credit inquiries, and so forth. Most lenders are open about what their requirements include. If you have bad credit, you will want to do some extra research to find out what requirements are to save yourself the hassle of applying for a lender that you don't qualify for.
If you are trying to qualify for promotional financing offered by a retailer, you may need good to excellent credit. The lower the credit score, the more risk a lender is taking by loaning you money. If they are offering promotional financing that they may not make any money on, they will need to be confident that the borrower can repay the loan.
How do you get financing for a floor with bad credit?
If you have bad credit, you may still be able to qualify for flooring financing. So what type of financing is best and where do you apply? Some of the top options for bad credit borrowers that need flooring financing are credit cards, personal loans, or secured loans such as a home equity loan. If you can qualify for a personal loan it's almost always a better option than a credit card. When you compare a personal loan and home equity loan, you may find that a home equity loan can offer lower rates and longer repayment terms. However, you will need to have equity in your home and borrow against your home to qualify for a home equity loan. For expensive home improvement projects, a home equity loan may be worth the time, effort, and risk it takes to secure one. However, if you are just installing new floors you will likely be best off with a personal loan. To get a personal loan with bad credit, you can try a few options. The first option is an online lender. Online lenders usually have less strict requirements compared to traditional banks. To check offers from top national online lenders, visit Acorn Finance. Within 60 seconds or less you can check offers without impacting your credit score. Another option you have is to contact your local bank or credit union and see if they can offer personal loans. If they do, find out what the requirements are. You can try to apply with a local bank or credit union and check offers at Acorn Finance. You can then compare offers and choose the one that is best for you.
When you have bad credit, you may qualify for a loan, but you should consider improving your credit score first. With a better credit score you should qualify for lower interest rates, which can save you money.
How do you get financing for a floor with bad credit and low income?
If you have bad credit and limited income, you may need to get creative. If you can't qualify for financing or can't afford the monthly payment, you may need to find an alternative way to replace floors. Perhaps you can take out your current floors DIY style and paint the concrete below. It may not be the coziest feeling but it can hold you over until you can save up the money for new floors. Another option to consider is purchasing used floors and installing them yourself. Lastly, you may have a friend or family member willing to loan you money.
How much does it cost to install 1000 square feet of hardwood floors with bad credit?
Installing a hardwood floor is expensive. Additional costs like hiring contractors and paying off interest on a loan can make it even more expensive. Hardwood floors are also the most expensive kind of flooring to install. One way to save money is to refinish instead of replacing. If there is no damage to your floor, you can sand and restore the existing hardwood floor.
There are a lot of different kinds of hardwood. If you're on a budget, you may want to consider an alternative such as laminate flooring. Also, consider the grade of the wood. Wood flooring that is graded "clear" means it has no knots. If you are willing to have a more natural look, consider lower grades that may have knots in them. It can add charm.
Installing hardwood flooring usually costs $6-$12 per square foot, along with $3-$5 per square foot for contracting labor. Installing 1,000 square feet of hardwood floor can cost between $6,000 and $12,000.
Remember, this is all if you are paying up front. If you are taking out a loan, the interest rate of the loan can considerably raise the price.
How much can I borrow for a floor loan with bad credit?
A bad credit loan is a short-term fix for borrowers who need money but have a bad credit score. Interest rates on bad credit loans are a lot higher, and terms are shorter, ranging from one to five years. But if you have large financial needs, it may be worth getting a loan. Look at all your options. Don't take out any loans that don't fit your budget. You can get advice from a nonprofit credit counselor. Bad credit loans are just personal loans. You borrow what you need and pay in installments. The loan can be used for anything, including flooring. You just have to pay the higher interest rate because of bad credit. While some lenders offer personal loans up to $100,000, you will need a good credit score and plenty of income to qualify. The amount you can borrow with a bad credit score will depend on several factors.
Check Offers for Flooring Financing Today with Acorn Finance
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what's involved with financing your flooring. Ready to take the next step? Start comparing your options to find the best flooring financing company for you.
