Cheap Flooring Questions Are On The Battlefield!
We get asked occasionally, “what are your cheapest flooring choices?” I love hearing this question! Why? Because asking this question tells me two things.
One, this customer is looking for a great flooring value, and we specialize in great values!
Two, because this customer is asking a question, they might be interested in what I have to say. I can honestly say that helping someone find a deal that makes them happy is my favorite part of this job. I love saving money while getting a great product, and I love helping others do the same.
The value war we are addressing in this blog is simple. There’s a fight to find the cheapest option on the floor that you want. You don’t want to surrender to just any cheap waterproof flooring option that insults a living room or bedroom floor. We are the flooring supply that offers the best of both worlds. Looking for our products? Visit our flooring shop page to see all the great values from big names like COREtec, Shaw Floors, Somerset and more!
Mexico Taught Me About Value
I went into a cowboy hat store in Mexico one time, to look a hat for a party I was attending that night. Let the record show I do not wear cowboy hats. My head is big enough without hanging a satellite dish on it. However, my friends there informed me that if I did not wear a cowboy hat to the party, they would leave me at home, as I would look like an idiot. Plus, the hosts were cooking a whole cow. So I agreed to the hat.
The Quest for a Cheap Party Hat
Anyway, I asked the lady running the store for a cheap hat. The cheapest. She pulled out a hat that the Scarecrow would have laughed at. Not me. Let’s have it. I wanted cheap! She placed it on my head, and it looked like a straw version of a yarmulke! “Ok…that won’t work! What else do you have?!”
I swear she went through her entire inventory, hat after hat, trying to find a hat that would fit my pumpkin-sized head. Finally, in the back corner, she dusted off this long-forgotten hat that resembled a large lampshade and placed it on my head. A perfect fit! “But how much is it”, I asked? $2 more than the other one, was the reply. Well, alrighty then! Let’s have it!
No this isn’t from Mexico. I’ll find the photo of this famous hat eventually. Here’s proof I’ll put anything on my head though!
Cheap Flooring Options vs. Value Flooring Options
I shared this story to help you realize there is the least expensive, and then there is cheap at a great value. Sometimes the lowest price is the best value, and sometimes spending another 10%-20% is actually the better buy. We will talk more about when certain circumstances call for cheaper prices or an increase in value.
Inexpensive Floors Start with the Subfloor
Floor Projects Stay Cheap with Quality Subfloors
The first thing we need to know is what is your application. How is your subfloor? If it in good shape, or are there high/low spots? Some flooring can minimize low spots, while others accentuate them. If we buy flooring for 50 cents sq ft, but have $4 a foot in underlayments, fillers, glues, and other materials, we have not saved any money, and our budget is blown.
Let’s Factor in Labor Costs & Trims
Labor is a large part of a floor’s cost. If we can find flooring that you can install yourself, or maybe even let the wife and kids do it while you watch tv in another room, then you can save even more money.
If you are removing carpet that’s an easy type of flooring to remove. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of removing an existing floor. Remember, it is that big number at the bottom labeled “total cost” is the true cost of your new flooring.
What about flooring trims and transition strips? Those can get expensive! And some applications need lots of them! All of these must be considered when shopping for flooring deals, but the most important consideration is what will make you happy. If you can get a hat that fits for another $2, I highly recommend it! Now let’s talk about flooring products.
Discounted Flooring Options
In a typical box store, you will occasionally find a small pile of flooring being discounted, to speed it along. At ReallyCheapFloors.com, there are always huge amounts of affordable flooring that needs to go. That is because when we buy these large closeout amounts (think warehouse amounts of 20-40 tractor-trailer loads of flooring) there are always small lots and less desirable products that we get as part of the deal. This is where the biggest savings are available. If you are looking for affordable flooring ideas, ask a flooring store if you can look at their small lots.
Warehouse Sales Bring Value
Every month, we have a warehouse sale in each of our 3 locations. I can promise you, flooring cannot be purchased cheaper than we offer it at our warehouse sales. In these sales, we mark down all of our small lots and dated inventory. Each month we include plenty of vinyl planks and tiles as well as wood flooring.
Have you ever visited a pawn shop and see the prices on the price tags, falling each month? We do the same thing on much of our inventory. Our warehouse sales are when we introduce new pricing each month on all of our closeouts. Last month we sold 100,000 sq ft of an engineered Hickory floor during that month’s sale! My CEO later said that I MIGHT have priced that a little too cheap. For the remainder of 2024 we will be liquidating almost 500,000 square feet of solid hardwood flooring planks as well engineered flooring, vinyl tiles and planks, and self-stick tile.
The Biggest “Little” Flooring Savings Tip
If you can use multiple of our smaller lots, say under 400 sq ft per lot, this is where the biggest savings are. Many solid lots are sold for under a dollar per square foot, while engineered lots can sell for less than 50 cents sq ft. Many times these floors are first quality goods that would sell for $8-10 sq ft.
As you can see from the image on the right, our warehouse in Murphy, North Carolina has plenty of small lots on display. Please visit us here in Murphy, NC, Orlando, FL, or Dalton, GA. We can work a great deal with you on small lots in person. We can ship these to you as well if you know exactly what you want.
The Mixed Hardwood Savings Tip
Another cheap flooring option is our mixed lots. When we have small lots that are under 200 sq ft, we toss them in the Mixed pile. There might be 1 box of each color, or 10. We try to divide the mixed lots by width, but sometimes there will be different widths in a lot. These are perfect for the homeowner that has a small budget but wants the look of wood flooring.
We have a pretty good customer base that buys these lots, but sometimes they are available. Our customers that own rentals especially like these. They will go through and sort them by light, medium, and dark, then put the different tones in different rooms. Mixed lots will almost always sell for less than 50 cents sq ft.
The Oddity Discount: Solid & Engineered Hardwood
Oddly enough, sometimes our biggest lots will be marked down. That is because when we have 5 colors, with about 5,000 sq ft in every color but that one that has 50,000 sq ft, we have to speed the 50k up a bit. We do that by lowering the price a bit. Or a lot. Whatever it takes. Cabin Grade hickory or builder-grade hickory is a popular pick for a lot of customers. How do we keep the cost so low though?
Our Value Cabin Grade Pre-Finished Solid Hardwood
How We Are the Cheapest in the US
Let me explain. In our business, the cost has little to do with what we pay for it, or what we sell it for. Because of the unique relationship we have with our suppliers, speed is of the essence. If something isn’t selling quickly, it gets marked down. Sometimes multiple times, because it all has to go. There are more affordable flooring choices coming, right behind this batch we are selling today.
We have deals with our vendors to take all that they need rid of, and that is how we offer the huge value that we do. Many times we are selling the exact same material as Lowe’s or Home Depot but at less than half the cost. To protect our vendor’s existing markets, we will always change the name to a private label name, but a savvy shopper can figure out real quick where the savings are!
Cheap Flooring that Looks Good
This is the main reason we private label. We want to offer you the best value in flooring so you can show it off! We aren’t in the business of selling inexpensive flooring that you think looks bad. Our 5-star reviews come from offering floors you want, at the price you can’t complain about. Well, you could complain, but your neighbor would be jealous of the cost of your new flooring. We have great deals on COREtec flooring and Somerset hardwood flooring to name a few big names that come with big savings here.
We see this Floorte Pro 3 Series start at $1.89 with a padded back. It doesn’t hurt to pay 20% more if you need waterproof flooring.
Cheap Luxury Vinyl Plank Floor: Under $1
If an LVP, or vinyl plank, is the floor you want, you won’t see near as many small lots, but you will see discontinued floors that are marked down. Are they ugly? We prefer the term plain-featured.
Yes, sometimes the designers at Shaw or Mohawk will make a floor that does not fit the demand of the market. Or maybe the market changes? Either way, we typically have some large lots of vinyl planks and tiles that need a new home. Typically this click flooring will be under $1.
Don’t Get Nailed By Glue
Glue-down vinyl flooring may look like a good deal, sometimes selling for under 50 cents sq ft, but, like ceramic tile, you will get nailed on supplies like glue, as well as undertake a much more stressful installation. We recommend you get the best deal that you can find on click flooring and save your sanity.
Sheet Vinyl is a Cheap Flooring Option
Sheet vinyl has been a commonly used alternative to wood flooring and ceramic tiles for many years. Offering a great look that can be fitted to the different areas of your home, vinyl is a great choice of materials for the room that doesn't have alot of waste. Because sheet vinyl flooring is only available in certain widths, some rooms like bathrooms or utility rooms may waste too much for sheet vinyl to be a good flooring option to vinyl tiles.
Self-Stick Vinyl Tile Is The Most Affordable Flooring Option
When we truly want to seek the most affordable flooring options we have to take into consideration total cost, including nails, adhesives, installation material, floor prep, labor, etc. For the ultimate in savings, look at self-stick vinyl flooring tiles. This tile bet is a safe one, as it not only is extremely low price per sq foot, but it is an extremely easy installation, and needs no costly adhesives. Choosing a vinyl tile can be fun, as there are plenty of different looks and colors available, giving you more control over the design and decor in your home. The smart homeowner takes all of this into consideration.
The Best Flooring Savings in America
Well, that’s all I have today. Remember, the biggest savings you can find in the U.S. happen during our warehouse sales. You can find the dates and addresses on our Warehouse Sales page.
We also add a list of inventory being marked down on the Friday preceding the Sale week. If you cannot make it to one of our sales, please do not hesitate to ask one of our salespeople if they have anything they need rid of, at the moment. We love people that are looking for a deal!
The war on supplying affordable flooring prices will continue on for years to come. We will continue to fight and be the best flooring provider at offering value for our customers. If you need a free sample use our sample request form on each product or give us a call to get a batch of free samples.