How to Buy Flooring (Tile, Carpet, Hardwood?) and Moulding - Appliances?

[John14789]

Question about carpet in particular:

Which kind of carpet is good for bedrooms?
Cheapest place to buy quality carpets?

Question about tile and wood flooring:

Is tile or wood better for living rooms?
Cheapest place to buy either one?

Crown Moulding:

Where do you buy nice looking crown moulding for a good price?
Any specifics on this?

Also any suggestions on where to get appliances for a good price?

Also which vacuum cleaner is the best?

[Modee]

lol you ask a lot of different questions.

You should become a member of consumerreports.org (if you subscribe to the magazine Consumer Reports you can become a member for $1. per month) and then research any appliance or vacuum cleaner to see what is the best one before you buy. They also have suggestions on places to purchase, although the big places like Lowe's, Home Depot, Costco, Sears, etc. have probably the lowest prices. But the appliance you purchase is more important than where you get it.

CU (Consumer Reports - Consumers Union) also has the ratings on the best carpet, flooring (including wood, tile, marble, granite, etc.) and so on. On rental condos I own I recently changed from carpet to plastic laminate flooring, which looks just like real wood but is much less expensive. Laminate flooring also is more scratch resistant than real hardwood, but doesn't look quite as nice.

At my own home I installed only solid real hardwood (not engineered) flooring. And then I put Persian carpets over it.

Some wall to wall carpeting is so expensive that it makes even hardwood flooring seem not so expensive. Personally, I don't like tile except in the kitchen and bathrooms, and entryways. In the bathrooms and entryways, if you can afford it, granite or marble are preferable.

I think most people get crown moulding (and floor molding - which you will need if you install flooring) at places like Lowe's or Home Depot. Installation is what you need a skilled carpenter for though. I also wouldn't install carpeting or any flooring by myself. Lowe's and Home Depot have deals on installation if you do not have your own installer, although in my town I can get wood flooring (or carpet, tile, granite, marble, etc.) for less than at Lowe's or Home Depot by checking contractor supply houses and other volume dealers.

Nowadays with the Recession on, you can get small contractors or handymen who can install most anything for a pretty low price - just be sure to check out references.

[John14789]

Well I thought why not ask Modee about stuff like this since he's involved in every darn legal thing I can think of!

Well I was researching carpets and it was pretty confusing with all the different kinds of carpets and places to search so I just asked you.

I got a pretty good handyman and I've confirmed all his refrences so I'm good to go with him.

I'm thinking about wood in the living room but I don't know right now. I'll have to see. Anyways the bedrooms are getting some kind of carpet that's for sure.

Yes that's what it's called floor moulding! I found a company who does wholesale floor moulding so I was asking you if you knew some other companies as well.

[Modee]

If you have a good installer, that's half the battle. When I bought the solid wood flooring for my home, I found some coupon somewhere and the price was ridiculously low. I think the coupon was from Lowe's but Home Depot honored it. The manager kept shaking his head in disbelief that they were selling solid oak hardwood flooring, pre finished for so little. I had this installed a few years ago and it still looks BEAUTIFUL.

At my parents' house they used solid hardwood that was not yet finished. That creates a little more work. They got it from some local wholesale hardwood place. When you install it raw you must seal and finish it quickly - if you leave it unsealed for too long it starts oxidizing and you have to sand it.

Just as with anything else - do your homework! Start at consumerreports.org, and then start checking prices.

[Taylor]

Re:

hi John14789. I can only answer your questions about flooring as I have recently remodeled my home by installing new wooden floors and laminate tiles. To answer your question, it is better to go for wood floors in the living room, as they add extra stability and comfort, while tiles can be really cold and unpleasant for your feet. If you are searching for a cheaper alternative to wood, you can always install wood effect laminate floors, which recreate in detail the look and feel of genuine wood but are by far cheaper than solid wood floors.

[Modee]

The solid oak I put in my own home about six years ago looks like brand new still.

I put some laminate - looks like wood flooring but is not it's basically just plastic with a manufactured veneer on it - about three years ago in a rental condo I own, and that is holding up well still, definitely holding up better than wall to wall carpeting, and it looks surprisingly like the real thing. Upkeep on laminate - should use a special mild cleaner, not anything harsh or abrasive.

I have to replace a bunch of carpeting in a new house I got with wood flooring, so I'm doing the research anew right now.