Flooring

Flooring is one of the more complicated things to figure out. This is where if you aren't careful you can blow your budget in a hurry. Be realistic about this when approaching it. Here are a few flooring options:

Vinyl:

Pros:

• The most affordable flooring.
• There are numerous patterns to choose from including some that look pretty darn close to real tile!
• Extremely durable.
• Low maintenance.

Cons:

• Really does nothing for home value.
• Difficult to fix if it is damaged.

Laminate: 

Pros:

• Durable and long lasting.
• Resistant to stains.
• Easy to install.
• Easy to maintain.
• There is little waste after installation.

Cons:

• Doesn't add much value to the house.
• Difficult to repair if damaged.

Hardwood 
FYI, we were told to go with oak if you have pets/kids. It is more durable supposedly.

Pros:

• They provide a beautiful option for floors.
• There are a wide variety of wood types/colors to choose from.
• Come come in a polished or hand scraped look.
• Add good value to the home.
• If they are damaged, they can be refinished.

Cons:

• Difficulty to keep clean.
• Can range from affordable to outrageously expensive.
• Not as durable as laminate. Scratches easily.
• Can fade in sunlight.

Tile:

• Pros:
• Comes in slate, porcelain, and marble.
• Very durable.
• Many design styles and choices.
• Adds great resale value.

Cons:

• Again, ranges from affordable to outrageous in terms of product cost.
• Labor costs are much more as it is difficulty and time consuming to put down.
• If a tile cracks, it must be removed and installed.
• Cold to walk on (unless you have the cash to install tile warmers).

Carpet:

• I'm going to break this down by carpet types to help you out when going to look at carpet. I didn't know there were so many types! Remember to always upgrade the padding of the carpet from the basic thickness. It will feel significantly better under foot and last longer. Much worth the small added cost.
• Polyester: The most affordable indoor carpet. Not as durable as Nylon. Tends to be very plush and thick.
• Nylon: Middle of the range in terms of price. More durable than polyester and not as luxurious as wool although it does have the durability of wool. Accounts for the majority of carpet sales.
• Wool: Most luxurious. Most expensive. Rarely used (about less than 5% of carpet sales). 

Cork:
Last but not least is cork! I will do much more of this in my next home. I did experiment with a small area in my basement bar area and wish I would have done more. It feels nice under foot and has a nice and unique look to it.

Pros:

• Installs extremely easy.
• Softer underfoot feeling than hardwoods/tile.
• Not as cold as other hard surface floors.
• Can add as a sound barrier in areas prone to echoing.
• Doesn't permanently dent if something is dropped on it.
• Shock absorbing and therefore dishes are less likely to break if dropped on it.
• Durable over time.
• Good resale value.

Cons:

• Does not hold up well to heavy furniture that has sat on it over time.
• Can be pretty pricey.
• More prone to damage from sun exposure.

I hope this information helps you in your process of figuring out what flooring you want in your home. Work together closely with your builder and their subcontractors to make sure that you stay on budget. Like I said, it doesn't take much when dealing with flooring to go way over budget. Check sites such as build.com for flooring deals as well. Sometimes they run some nice specials.

I personally bought my cork flooring from Lumber Liquidators and could not be more happy with it. They had great prices and a much larger selection that anywhere else that I looked. Click on the link above or below to check it out for yourself.