Hardwood Floors December 2017/January 2018

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS DESIGNER INSIGHTS

By Emily Morrow Finkell

Install Confidence: Consumers Need Skilled Professionals When consumers think about tackling renovations to their home, they are most likely a li le torn about if, howmuch, and where to use carpet, hardwood oors, or rugs (or even a combination of them all). e rst decisions they need to make are howmuch of the legwork are they willing to do, and whether or not they want to bring in the help of a professional. As wood ooring professionals, we already know that it is money well-spent to tap into the expertise and guidance from someone who does this type of thing regularly and knows the potential pitfalls, not to mention the commercial construction, I’ve taken for granted having the resources of skilled tradesmen like electricians, brick and stone masons, nish carpenters, and ooring installers. While talking with designers and speci ers, it came to my a ention that not everyone feels they have the resources or the competency to handle the hardwood ooring portion of their design projects as they might manage other parts of their design projects. Results from 260,000 people surveyed, show 84% hired a

“Why?” I asked. e responses varied from concern about not having a tight enough control over the succession and timeline of jobs to the variations in all of the hardwood ooring types (leaving that part to the contractor), all the while, perhaps being limited to the ooring choices that their “go-to-guy” had to show them. As with everything, there are exceptions, and there are always scenarios where I’d nd designers who held in their resource rooms beautiful ooring options, many of which had obscure labeling with elegant and European sounding brand names.

latest trends fromwhich to choose. But what compels a consumer to call a professional and who exactly do they consider a professional? Recent research released fromHOUZZ and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) states that out of 260,000 survey respondents, 84 percent hired a professional or specialist to assist themwith their home renovation project. Half of those responding to the survey hired an actual interior designer, and the other half was divided between hiring kitchen and bath designers and design- build rms. Overall, most homeowners nd themselves challenged by things like determining their budget; working out the scheduling of work to be done; selecting products, nishes, and materials; identifying their style; and coordinating the professionals within their schedules. During the past two years, as I worked to launch a line of premium hardwood oors to the trade, I’ve been surprised by one revelation that has to do with hiring skilled installers of ooring, speci cally hardwood ooring. Having grown up in my family business of industrial and

professional to assist with a renovation project. - Research from Houzz and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

Photo courtesy of Emily Morrow Finkell

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