Whether building a new room or refurbishing an old one, floor installation can be a major expense. Fortunately, there are several ways to secure cheap flooring for any room of the house and keep your building project within budget. In fact, you may be able to obtain different flooring types absolutely free.
One of the first places to look for cheap flooring is at your local home improvement store. There is a good chance that they will have a selection of floor materials and coverings that have been discontinued. The remaining amount of these discontinued items are usually sold at a deep discount. Assuming that you can find the type and design you want, you could save as much as 75% off the original retail price.
If nothing at the local home improvement store catches your eye, look around for any hardware or discount retail stores that are going out of business. Often, the remaining inventory is sold for more than half off the original price. There is a good chance you can find cheap flooring options for vinyl flooring, cork floors, and possibly some laminated hardwood flooring. Just make sure you pick up a little more than you need, as the extra can be used to make repairs later on.
Salvage yards are a good place to find various types of hardwood and tile flooring that were rescued from various sources. While not usually in pristine condition, there is a good chance you can find enough hardwood floor sections to easily do a single room. With a little sanding and refinishing, the floor will look great even if it doesn't appear to be new construction. Going with cheap flooring of this type can cut your cost by at least half, if not a little more.
You may also have the good fortune to come across cheap flooring that does not cost you anything at all. In many jurisdictions, it is legal to give away materials from demolished buildings at no charge. All that is required is permission from the owner of the property to gather and remove the materials. Since there is a good chance the owner must pay a fee to have the remains of the building removed, he or she would likely be very happy to have as much of the debris disappear as possible. With a little luck, you will find tiles or possibly even sections of hardwood flooring that can be rescued and reused in your renovation project.
Cheap flooring does not necessarily mean you must use poor quality materials. By doing a little searching, you can find quality flooring options that are marked down for some reason, or even free of charge. Before you pay full retail price for any type of tiles, cork, or hardwood flooring products, take a look around your city or town. You may be surprised at how much you can save and still give your space the look you want.
