How to Plan Your Herne Hill Flooring Job

Planning the order of any project sounds easier than the doing of it. Measure room, choose colour, book in a team. Except it doesn’t quite work out like that, not least in Herne Hill where half the houses have quirks that no-one warns you about until the tape measure comes out.

We’re Best Flooring Fitters London, and have been through the process enough times in Herne Hill to know where people trip up.

Measuring room correctly before you buy anything

You get one number when you pick up a tape measure. You get another if you buy the wrong number of boards. You either run short on installation day or end up with boards sitting in a garage for ten years waiting for a reorder.

Alcoves, bay windows, split-levels – rooms like this require more than a length times width calculation. We measure on-site, take into account wastage for cuts around doorways, awkward corners, etc before quoting.

Buying boards based on a ballpark guess is how people end up short by three planks on installation day, calling us a week later to reorder, sitting next to a half ripped up old floor.

Choosing the right type of floor for your home – laminate, engineered, or solid wood?

Laminate floors are cheap and practical for busy families. Engineered floors give an upscale finish that also deals better with the damp of a London winter. Solid wood has a true rich appearance but suffers badly in a typical London home if not carefully fitted.

Type “hardwood flooring company near me” in Google and you’ll find plenty of push for solid wood despite your home’s requirements. We tell you when laminate is the smarter choice, even if it’s the cheaper one, because a surviving household is more attractive than one that looks great for a few months.

Allowing for the full cost of the job – not just the boards

Boards are one part of the cost. Underlay, removing and refitting skirting boards, prepping subfloor, disposing of the old one, making tea for your electrician – these all add up separately if you let them.

Cheap online quotes itemise the board cost then ramp it up once you’re committed. We quote for the whole job up front with no hidden extras.

A sensible Herne Hill living room budget combines board, underlay, and fitting as one number rather than three you haggle over.

Timing your project to fit with your life

Boards need time to acclimatise to the room before fitting. Build that into your schedule a few days before fitting. You can’t rush this part when trying to meet a deadline, so don’t try.

If you’re having multiple rooms fitted, flooring usually goes in after painting and plastering but before bringing the furniture back in. If you get that order wrong you end up protecting fresh paintwork from splashes for the duration.

Scheduling around other trades

Flooring doesn’t get installed in a vacuum. Electricians fit new sockets and switches, plumbers move radiator pipes, painters do the walls. Without proper sequencing you’ll find a fitter waiting around while someone else does their bit first.

We’ve seen enough other trades in Herne Hill renovation work to know how to get in between them to keep things moving. A quick chat before starting helps nothing getting overlooked.

Check lease requirements if installing in a flat

Herne Hill has converted flats, and some leases specify requirements about flooring (sound transmission in particular). Installing hard flooring without solid soundproofing might break lease terms in some buildings.

Check your lease, or let us advise you – we do install acoustic underlay when specified, but better to be forewarned.

Prepare the room for the fitters

Clear the furniture, so we can work faster. Empty rooms are the fastest, and there’s nothing like a cluttered corner or a draped rug touching the floor to hold up the job.

Consider your dog or toddler too – laid floors and fresh underlay are nothing to be afraid of, but nobody wants a dog underfoot while someone’s drilling the floor.

Be realistic about how long the job takes

Most rooms will be ready to go in a day. Whole flat, less in quick turnround periods. Herne Hill’s older stock means often extra prep work, but we always give a realistic time estimate.

Don’t get caught out expecting another day, then getting a call to stay on site an extra day or two. A three-day job shouldn’t become a four-day one.

Frequently Asked Questions: How far in advance should I book a flooring fit?

At least 2-3 weeks. Longer in winter or August when everyone needs a floor before Christmas or the new school term. Boards can be acclimatised in the room without us running around making up your schedule.

Book early to get better time slots, and to avoid scrambling to fit you in with other jobs. Our competitive laminate fitting prices include proper planning from the get-go.

Qualifications you’ll want to have checked before you sign up

Two decades organising herne Hill floors means we’ve covered most issues. We organise around tricky leases, working around other trades on large project works and in small jobs we work alongside electricians or builders with ease.

All our fitters carry public liability insurance, have an up-to-date DBS check and all final installs are guaranteed for materials and labour. We’ve project-managed jobs with full renovations, calling in plumbers and electricians as needed without delay, which means fewer surprises on site.

Start your project today!

Call Wood Floor Fitters London while your boards are still sitting in the garage. Talk to us before you buy. Call 020 3322 7001 or visit flooringfitterslondon.org.uk. We take the stress out of your flooring project most people never think about until disaster strikes.