Successful businesses tend to be those that are carefully conceived, and from the ground up. This means giving careful consideration to the type of flooring needed to give your enterprise the best possible platform.
Many businesses anticipate a certain level of footfall. Whether this applies purely to the people working for a company (and perhaps occasional visitors) or to an environment that’s open to the public, it’s essential to have fitted flooring which can withstand a great deal of wear and tear.
With this in mind, let’s look at some important considerations:
- Functionality: For what purpose do you require a specific type of flooring, and how much of it do you need? Evaluate your specific needs, taking into account factors that present problems, such as particularly cold temperatures, above-average humidity, the use of chemicals and/or heavy-duty machinery and so on.
- Durable and reliable: If you anticipate heavy footfall, you’ll need flooring that can withstand shoes and other objects (machinery, wheelchairs, prams, trollies, etc.) which come into constant contact with it. Consider, too, the likely lifespan of the potential flooring and the types of materials that are available. A more expensive option, for example, could prove to be a very worthwhile long-term investment whereas the cheapest solution might create more issues than you can realistically afford.
- Safe: Consider all relevant safety standards, and any building codes and local regulations that might be in force. For example, your flooring might be required to be fire resistant. Certainly, slip-resistant flooring will help to ensure that routine accidents are kept to a minimum.
- Sustainable: If you’re an eco-conscious businesses, you’ll no doubt wish to choose flooring which is made with renewable resources, which is recyclable and which produces low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions.
- Aesthetically pleasing: This might not be top of your list, particularly if it’s flooring that’s going to be used for purely functional reasons. However, it’s worth thinking about a solution that contributes towards a pleasant working environment – and if you intend for it to be more widely accessible, it’s appearance will be of greater significance.
- Installation: If you require new flooring for an existing commercial area, you’ll need to consider the impact of installation on your day-to-day operations. For example, will your business need to close during the fitting process? Or can it be done ‘out of hours’ in order to minimise disruption? If it’s the latter, there will likely be added cost implications.
- Warranty and support: This might be last on the list but it’s by no means the least important consideration. Make sure you check the warranty provided by your chosen flooring manufacturer and/or fitter. Read the terms and conditions so that you’re aware of what’s covered, and what limitations might apply. Also, check to see if the supplier/installer offers aftersales support. If so, you’ll find this very useful if, later on down the line, you have any questions or problems.
Choose wisely
When it comes to choosing the right flooring, it’s never worth cutting corners just to save a bit of cash. The cheapest quote might appear to be the most appealing option but a botched job can result in a lot of hassle later on – not to mention the money required to put it right.
Make sure you employ the services of an accredited fitting company, such as Nothing But Flooring (NBF). We work closely with our clients, offering bespoke solutions that fully take into account organisational needs. We offer a free quotation service too, and preferential rates for large-scale jobs – and while our prices are competitive, we never compromise on quality.
