Renovation Mistakes to Avoid When Upgrading Floors and Surfaces

Learn common renovation mistakes to avoid when upgrading floors and surfaces, helping you save money, prevent damage, and achieve lasting results.

Refurbishing floors and surfaces is often the most fun part of any home renovation project. It's where you really get to transform a house into a home.

But it's also where expensive mistakes are made.

Too many homeowners jump into a flooring project without doing their homework. They choose incorrect materials, skip important steps and end up regretting it when they go way over budget…

The good news? These problems are easy to avoid.

If you know what to look out for before renovation even begins. Once you're aware of the most common renovation fails, you'll know how to avoid them and your refurbishment project will run a lot smoother.

Here's what we'll cover:

• Why Your Flooring Choices Are Important

• Common Surface Renovation Mistakes To Avoid

• How to Choose The Best Materials For Your Renovation

• Sticking To Budget On Your Flooring Renovation

Why Your Flooring Choices Are Important

Floors make a statement about every room of your house. When they're done right, they tie the whole space together and elevate your interiors.

But…when they're done wrong?

…it can really ruin the look and feel you're going for.

This is why it's important to choose your materials wisely.

Maybe you're set on hardwood floors or perhaps tiles are more your style. Something with a bit more character like our reclaimed parquet flooring could also be just what your interiors are missing.

But no matter what you choose, look beyond just the design. Think about durability, moisture resistance, maintenance needs and cost too.

If you're looking for something a little different and want to bring some vintage character indoors, take a look at reclaimed parquet floors. Not only are they better for the environment by keeping old wood out of landfills, they add warmth, history and serious visual impact to any room.

Picking your materials is just step one.

There's a whole list of renovation fails to look out for. Let's dig into the ones that tend to cause homeowners the most issues.

Common Surface Renovation Mistakes To Avoid

Check out these common surface renovation fails. From skipping important steps to choosing the wrong materials. Here are the mistakes that lead to delayed projects, extra costs and buyer's remorse.

Skipping Subfloor Prep Work

This is by far the number one renovation fail.

Too many homeowners rush right into installing their new floors without preparing the subfloor first.

If your subfloor has bumps, dips or isn't clean & dry, your new floors will feel it. Warping, creaking floors, gaps and even early wear are all too common when you skip this step.

Always check your subfloor before installation day arrives. Remove anything that doesn't sit flush with the rest of the floor. Your subfloor needs to be level and dry before new materials go down. Trust us, you don't want to skip this step to save a few bucks.

Going With The Lowest Price Material

We've all been there. You find the flooring you love at a price that seems too good to be true. Guess what? It probably is.

Cheap floors aren't cheap for no reason. They wear out faster, they show damage easily and will look dated long before you want to replace them again. Trust us, that "deal" will end up costing you much more in the long run.

Here's a tip:

Opt for value instead of just price. Higher end materials like solid hardwood, engineered wood or reclaimed parquet flooring can be installed once and last for decades. Yes, they might cost more upfront. But when you compare that to having to replace your flooring every few years, the savings are huge.

Not Checking For Moisture

This simple step is one most people don't even think about. But when your floors start buckling and warping thanks to trapped moisture you'll wish you did.

All wood expands & contracts based on moisture levels in the air. That means if your subfloor or your flooring materials have higher moisture content than the room they're going in, they're going to warp.

Always make sure your subfloor is dry before installing new floors. Then test the moisture in your materials as well before installation begins. Let any new flooring acclimatise to the room for at least 48 hours before installing it.

DIY-ing The Installation Process

Oh how we love DIY. It gives us a sense of pride and saves us homeowners thousands in labour costs.

But that doesn't mean we should all attempt our flooring renovations alone.

According to data from RubyHome, 80% of DIYers make mistakes during their renovation projects. Installing floors is tough. It requires precision, the right tools and knowledge about how your materials work.

Wonky cuts, uneven flooring, improper spacing and shoddy finishing are some of the most common complaints we see with DIY floor renovations. If you don't have experience installing the type of flooring you want, hire a pro to do it.

Treating Every Room The Same

Should you use the same floor materials throughout your entire home? Nope.

Different rooms have different functions. And when you're renovating floors and surfaces, you need to choose your materials based on how those rooms are used.

Your kitchen flooring needs to withstand drops, spills and heavy traffic. Your bathroom surfaces have to be water resistant. You might want soft flooring in your bedroom that feels comfy underfoot.

Just because your living room flooring looked cool doesn't mean your kitchen will look the same with those exact floors.

Renovation Rushing

Nobody likes for renovations to take long. But sometimes they have to in order for everything to be done right.

Floor materials need time to adjust to their new home. Adhesives need time to set. Grout needs time to cure before you put furniture back in the room.

When you rush these steps you'll find yourself with lifting floor tiles, cracking grout and uneven surfaces. Make sure your installation schedule allows for things to dry, set and acclimate properly.

How to Choose The Best Materials For Your Renovation

So how do you avoid these renovation fails? By choosing the right materials for the job!

When you know what you're looking for ahead of time, picking your flooring and surfaces is simple. Just ask yourself these questions:

• How durable does this floor need to be? Hardwood floor can take a beating in high traffic areas.

• Will moisture be an issue? Tile and certain wood materials hold up better to moisture.

• What aesthetic am I going for? Check out rugs, materials and textures that fit your style.

• Could I use sustainable materials? Add unique character to your home by installing reclaimed floors like parquet.

• How much maintenance do I want to do? Some floors need sealing, while others are low maintenance.

Sticking To Budget On Your Flooring Renovation

Did you know that 78% exceeded their renovation budget on their last project? That's according to a study by listwithclever.com, and it's an eye opening statistic.

So how do you keep your renovations on budget?

• Set your budget upfront. Make sure you account for materials, labour, tools rental, waste removal and plenty of budget for the unexpected (we recommend at least 10-15%).

• Get quotes from multiple contractors. Don't just call the first person you find. Speak to three different contractors and compare prices/reviews before choosing who to hire.

• Allow for surprise costs. Often subfloor repairs, furniture removals, delivery fees and finishing products are all forgotten about.

• Spend your money wisely. Invest more money where you'll see it and save in rooms that won't get as much daily usage.

Flooring renovations are usually one of the biggest projects homeowners undertake. That's why it's so important to nail the planning process.

The Bottom Line

Flooring and surface renovations should be exciting. A time where you finally get to see your dream design come together.

But take too many wrong turns and it can end up being stressful and expensive.

Avoid the majority of renovation fails by remembering these tips:

• Prep your subfloor correctly

• Don't choose your materials based solely on cost.

• Test and check for moisture levels

• Don't be afraid to call in professional help.

• Consider how each room of your home is used and choose materials that fit.

• Build buffer time into your renovation schedule.